Real Life E® » Real Life E®

Getting Personal… And FINALLY Doing What You’ve Told Me to Do

reallifee — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 17:15:38 +0000

So, on most weeks I send out bits of encouragement and advice in my newsletter on how you can accomplish more with peace and confidence.

But… today is a bit different.

Today I want to share something a bit more personal with you. (Deep breath.)

Here it goes…

As is fitting for a time coach, I’m very aware of times and seasons. Back in November, I was feeling all these strong, conflicting sad emotions that really confused me, and then I realized that my heart was reliving the emotional equivalent of open heart surgery that had happened a year earlier that had long departed from my conscious thoughts.

But my strong connection to time not only leads me to remember and release the past but also brings me to dream and hope about the future, and I have rituals connected with significant yearly milestones… one of those being the New Year.

Part of my yearly ritual is attuning myself to my “theme” for the year. In 2011, that theme was the Year of the “Impossible” which played out in many ways including:

Featured on WomansDay.com, Mashable.com, Forbes.com, TIME.com and became a regular contributor to the99percent.com
My first trip to Asia where I spent time with one of my friends who is the world’s largest distributor of yo-yos online or offline (I’m serious!) and the CEO of Groupon Philippines, and went to the top of the Taal Volcano (a volcano within a lake with a lake inside of it.)
Signing up time coaching clients or doing time coaching training on six continents and seeing dramatic positive change in people’s lives due to our time together.
And most importantly witnessing healing in all different ways in so many people’s lives, including miraculous recoveries from cancer, from depression, from fear and from doubt…

And as I was praying and meditating on the theme for 2012, this one word came through loud and clear, again and again: Breakthrough.

Breakthrough.

And the underlying mission for my business came through with a clarity I have never experienced before (almost like when you’re at the eye doctor and the images go from a blurry muddle to crisp and sharp):

The purpose of Real Life E is to create the greatest healing in the greatest number of people possible.

So you may be asking yourself, “Why are you sharing all of these things Elizabeth?”

Well… it’s because I’ve realized that in order for this breakthrough to happen and to really have the world-changing impact that it needs to make, I need to have a breakthrough of my own.

I need your help.

I’m serious.

Yes—I’m the expert who has been featured on more press than I can count. Yes—I’ve transformed the lives of thousands of people through my writing, coaching and training. Yes—I’m probably one of the few people in the world who gets giddy with excitement talking about schedules!

But to take this to the next level and to give you what you said that you REALLY wanted, it can’t be just me sending off words of wisdom and encouragement. I need you actively engaged and involved in this process.

It makes me feel a bit vulnerable to “let go” in this way, but I trust that if this is really meant to be, just the right people will raise their hands to come on this journey with me by being part of a very select group of game changers joining me on the mission to create a world full of peaceful, confident and accomplished people.

Anyway, this journey will take us… (to a place I’ll describe in my Friday newsletter—stay tuned!)

-Elizabeth Grace Saunders, Your Time Coach

P.S.—I’ll be back with more details in a couple of days. But until then, tell me in the comments what you’re hoping to experience this year. What is your personal “theme” for 2012?

Making Progress

reallifee — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 20:24:00 +0000

It’s that time of year again. Some of you may have already begun your New Year’s Resolutions for 2012, or may still be reflecting on what you have achieved in 2011. Below, time management coach, Elizabeth Grace Saunders, shares tips for making real progress on your goals– any time of the year.

**How to See Real Progress**

The key to accomplishing anything from finishing a project to going on a trip to climbing a mountain is consistent action in the direction of a goal:

1. Write down what you want to accomplish in a place where you will see it every day. (For instance at the top of my calendar, I have a list of the next places I want to travel. You can also put your goals on your to do list, tape them to your cabinet door, put them up as a screen saver. Whatever works for you.)

2. List out the next steps. For instance, if you’re planning a trip, write down these types of activities:

Look at calendar for potential dates
Call friends and/or family to see if these times work for them
Check out flight prices & set an alert to let you know when costs drop
Think through lodging/transportation options
Look up the prices online
Check if you can use rewards points
Browse the Web or go to the library or bookstore for ideas on activities
If traveling abroad, check on necessary paperwork/immunizations and start to schedule appointments
Buy travel insurance
Decide if you need to make any purchases & make a shopping list
Put up out of office messages
Etc., etc., etc.

3. Make note of anything with a very specific deadline or that needs to be done a certain amount of time in advance (like one month). Look over your calendar and set aside specific days when you will have a reminder to complete these activities on time.

4. Start telling people about what you’re doing so you have some positive peer pressure to keep moving forward (or get a coach to keep you accountable–in an encouraging way ;o)

5. Set aside a certain time each week when you will move forward on less time sensitive activities that need to be completed to move toward your goal. For instance, one hour on Saturday mornings. When you get to that time, spend that hour working on whatever is next. (It’s OK if you don’t finish a whole action item, you just need to be making consistent progress.)

6. CELEBRATE your progress! Give yourself some type of reward for moving forward such as a stop at your favorite ice cream place, a call with a friend, or buying a new book. (Whatever you find motivating!)

7. Watch as you accomplish your goal. It’s amazing how consistent action leads to results. Think of the little bulbs that put down roots and put up stalks and burst into flower. Seemingly “overnight” results come from consistent effort.

To stop feeling frustrated, get clear on what you want, plant seeds, cultivate them, and watch them grow!

Have a brilliant week!

Elizabeth

About Real Life E®

Elizabeth Grace Saunders is the founder and CEO of Real Life E® a time coaching and training company that empowers individuals who feel guilty, overwhelmed and frustrated to feel peaceful, confident and accomplished through an exclusive Schedule Makeover^TM process. Real Life E® also increases employee productivity, satisfaction and work/life balance through custom training programs.

Elizabeth has appeared in Inc magazine, The Chicago Tribune, and on NBC. She was selected as one of the Top 25 Amazing Women of 2010 by Stiletto Woman and as a member of the Young Entrepreneurs Council featured in The New York Times, Forbes, Mashable, and many other media outlets.

Elizabeth’s time coaching clients have the opportunity to go through her exclusive Schedule Makeover^TM life transformation process through phone coaching and custom action guides or in-person training.

Relationships and Stress

reallifee — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 20:36:57 +0000

When you’re feeling stressed, you need the support of friends and family the most. The only problem is that this is usually when you least feel like taking the time, or even having the time, to connect. But don’t stress! Below, Work/Life Balance Coach Elizabeth Grace Saunders, shares her secrets for relationship success:

It’s the stuff movies are made of…

Almost every good plot line includes something about relationships with friends, family members, colleagues or significant others.

And it’s truly a gift to have people that care about you, who want to spend time with you and notice what you do or don’t do. In a way, it’s a validation that your life matters and has significance.

But when you find yourself feeling time pressured, the treasure of relationships can start to feel like an oppressive burden.

In these situations, common (but often unhealthy) responses to additional requests or perceived request on your time are to:

Silently withdraw
Resentfully complete the activity
Sharply lash out

These type of reactions then start to drive a wedge between you and the person on the receiving end and can leave you feeling guilty and frustrated.

But there is a better way.

Here are four steps for completing a sleight of mind trick when you feel overwhelmed by requests from those around you.

1. Treasure the Gift: The opposite of love is not hate, but apathy. Take a moment to appreciate the presence of someone in your life who notices how you spend your time.

2. Consider Your Options: Reflect on the situation and consider whether anything could change. Could you come home earlier? Would you be able to spend less time in front of the computer?

3. Express Your Perspective: Instead of assuming the other person can naturally see the pressure that you’re experiencing, commit to expressing what’s going on inside you. It could sound something like this: “I really appreciate that you want to spend more time with me, and I feel badly that I can’t meet all of your requests because of ______. Are there any particular ways I can show you that you are a priority to me?”

4. Keep Your Commitments: When you say you will do something, follow through. Even if you have to say, “No,” sometimes, people will appreciate it when they can rely on you to stick to your, “Yes.”

Following these four steps, will help you to feel better about your relationships and about yourself. This sleight of mind is not about “being fake” but about choosing how you will respond when you experience the sensation of feeling pressured.

Personal and professional relationships are an investment of time and energy.

But they are worth it.

In some ways the movies are right: your relationships with people that matter to you make the best plot lines–make sure they’re part of your life story.

To your brilliance!

Elizabeth Grace

About Real Life E®

Work Better, Not Longer

reallifee — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 19:32:40 +0000

You don’t have to work 24/7 to get better at something. Instead, concentrate on the quality and focus you bring to your work hours.

In his recent article, “If You’re Busy, You’re Doing Something Wrong: The Surprisingly Relaxed Lives of Elite Achievers,” Study Hacks Blog expert, Cal Newport describes this unique phenomena. With a few tweaks to your practice, you can improve the effectiveness of your work. So check out Cal’s article and accomplish more with peace and confidence today!

About Real Life E®

Why Even Your Surgeon Has a Coach

reallifee — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 20:35:10 +0000

That’s right! We all need coaches. Work/life balance coach and time management expert, Elizabeth Grace Saunders, describes the amazing physical and emotional benefits of coaching…

How would you feel if you knew your surgeon had a coach?

It’s natural if your first thought was: What’s wrong?

But according to Atul Gawande in his excellent article in The New Yorker about Coaching a Surgeon: What Makes Top Performers Better, you should be thrilled.

Atul found that coaching really helped him transcend a plateau in his surgeries.

I agree that coaching can absolutely help you move to the next level.

But I’ve also found that coaching can lead to brilliant results as a sort of physical therapy or occupational therapy.

Here’s what I mean:

Physical therapy: Sometimes due to our natural abilities or some major challenge that we’ve faced, our habits are too weak to support us in a healthy way. (For instance, many of my clients need strength training to “build” their planning muscles.)

Occupational therapy: A coach can help you when major life changes or increases in responsibility require developing new ways of thinking and acting. This is when your life went to the next level but no one gave you the instructions on how to operate in this new stratosphere!

In my experience, both with coaching others and with receiving coaching myself, it can feel a bit embarrassing at first to admit that you really are not sure how to improve. But once you are working alongside someone who understands how to navigate the territory and will encourage you to not give up when it’s hard, everything comes sooo much easier.

To your brilliance!

Elizabeth Grace

About Real Life E®

Vacation Disconnect

reallifee — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 20:30:15 +0000

Even if you can’t take an out-of-town trip, you deserve some”unplugged” time. Check out expert time coach, Elizabeth Grace Saunders’ reflections and how-to suggestions on untethering yourself from your electronic devices.

I recently had a Real Holiday…one where I left behind my computer and all of my other mobile devices.

Was it unnerving to think about disconnecting from the world? Absolutely.

Prior to leaving, these type of voices ran through my head:

It’s so difficult to prepare for technology-free time.
What if someone needs me?
They’ll be soooo much to catch up on when I return.

But I chose to not let fear of being out-of-complete-control stop me from letting go and ended up making an interesting observation in the process: Even though I have good boundaries with technology (no e-mail pop-up alerts, no instant messaging, etc.), some part of me feels constantly on alert when I’m constantly connected.

Within even a few hours of weaning myself off of technology, I sensed an “inversion” of my focus–in a good way. My thoughts and feelings shifted from a vast network of people and priorities to a greater awareness of myself and my surroundings. In turning my devices off, I was able to turn on my ability to experience the moment and be completely present.

Although an “unplugged” holiday might not fit into your schedule right now, I highly recommend that you test out this principle in your own life. Investing time in intentional detachment can help you unwind and connect with yourself.

Here are some tips on how to refresh:

Set aside a block of time free from outside obligations. A day or more is best but even a few hours in the morning or evening will do.
Switch off and–better yet–remove yourself from connected devices. For instance, if you’re cocooning at home, leave your devices in the office. Or if you’re heading out, leave your computer and phone at home.
Keep a journal close at hand to record your thoughts.
Give yourself permission to connect with your intuition and do what you feel like doing in the moment from taking a walk to working on a creative project to staring out into space.
As you near the end of your time, jot down a short list of what you’ll need to do upon “re-entry” so you don’t fear the transition into a fully connected existence.

Time away from technology acts as a “re-set” button that leaves you better connected with yourself and better able to connect with others.

To your brilliance!

Elizabeth Grace

About Real Life E®

How to Wrap Up Your Work Day–on Time

reallifee — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 23:08:14 +0000

Stuck at Work?

I personally use these strategies to stop working on time and still complete the most critical tasks:

In the afternoon, I take a quick assessment of how many hours I have left and what needs to be done to hit my ending goal. This could mean moving on to a new project, pushing to complete an assignment, or revising my expectations for the day.

To really ensure I stick to my end time, I schedule activities right after work. It could be something as simple as a scheduled phone call, a walk with a friend, or going to a networking event. Knowing that I will cause inconvenience to someone else by working late really helps me stop myself. (My clients who have trouble starting work in the morning use this trick at the beginning of their day.)

As a final level of reinforcement, I time block out my evening. Like Tim Ferriss says in The 4-Hour Workweek, you have to clearly define what you will do to fill the void created by working fewer hours. For me that means inviting friends over for dinner or planning a specific projects like going grocery shopping or doing laundry. By giving myself a clear objective, I remind myself that working beyond my set schedule comes at a cost. If I procrastinate or over commit, I know I’m keeping myself from doing other activities. This motivates me to plan my time and my responsibilities so I can stick to 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. and then stop—guilt free!

How do you leave work on time…?

Elizabeth

About Real Life E®

Elizabeth on Forbes: Do You Feel Like You’re Always Working?

reallifee — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 17:49:26 +0000

Even though you may love your job, sometimes the perpetual cycle of work, work, and more work can be just too much. You don’t want to be consumed by work, but somewhere along the way, it just happened. You need to find some balance. Pronto! Otherwise, you’re in danger of burning out.

Fortunately,there are a few simple adjustments to your mindset and daily schedule that can make a big difference. In her newest article, “Why Does it Feel like I’m Always Working?” featured on Forbes.com, expert time coach and work-life balance master, Elizabeth Grace Saunders, discusses simple solutions you can start implementing today. Overcome feelings of guilt, and tactfully stop over-committing by setting boundaries. You can work hard but still have time to play hard- every day!

So take a break from your work, and check out Elizabeth’s Forbes Article now.

About Real Life E®

Elizabeth Grace Saunders is the founder and CEO of Real Life E®, which provides life coaching for individuals who struggle with time management.

Real Life E® empowers individuals who feel guilty, overwhelmed and frustrated to feel peaceful, confident and accomplished through an exclusive Schedule Makeover^TM process. Real Life E® also increases employee productivity, satisfaction and work/life balance through custom training programs.

Elizabeth’s time coaching clients have the opportunity to go through her exclusive Schedule Makeover^TM life transformation process through phone coaching and custom action guides or in-person training.

Elizabeth’s Guide to Setting Boundaries and Saying No

reallifee — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 20:50:08 +0000

Elizabeth Grace Saunders, Speaker, Trainer, Coach, Owner of Real Life E®

In her article, “Setting Boundaries & Saying No…Nicely,” expert time coach Elizabeth Grace Saunders explains how to navigate situations where it could be difficult to say, “No.” Check out this article for professional, courteous scripts that you can use for e-mail or in-person responses.

Stop stretching yourself too thin, and say “YES!” to reading Elizabeth’s article on The 99%!

About Real Life E®

Hope for Clients Battling Depression

reallifee — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 20:20:01 +0000

Shorter days and colder weather can be a bit of a let down for many people. However if you struggle with depression, the changing seasons may not only dampen your spirit but also disrupt your time management, work/life balance, and strong relationship building attempts.

Fortunately, you can find tools and support to function during the darker months of the year. Check out the links below to learn more about depression, and discover helpful resources.

Be gentle with yourself, and hang in there! Spring’s around the corner! To your brilliance!

The Mayo Clinic’s Comprehensive Overview: clear educational summary, including info about symptoms, treatment, causes, and coping.

Check out the links at the bottom of the page to learn more about other types of depression including:

Seasonal Affective Disorder(SAD)

Dysthesmia

Atypical (surprisingly, very typical!)

Postpartum

Male Depression

Other Resources:

Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance

Self-Help and Coping Tips

Living with a Depressed Partner