5 Things You Can Do Now to De-stress

So yesterday, I discussed "going through hell". Even though it is a growing and learning process, it is still a stressful one. There are so many things you can do to de-stress and relax that doesn't take much money if any...

1. Unplug and meditate.
   Sometimes, what we choose to tune into causes us to be stressed and we don't realize it. TV "reali-dramas" are made to invoke emotions and cause us to be stirred. I wouldn't be surprised if there is scientific evidence that it raises our blood pressure and lowers our self-confidence. As addicted to social media as we are...a lot of the times it is good to unplug from it. Give yourself a day a week to unplug from the computer, the Facebook, the Twitter, etc and learn to meditate. There is something calming and refreshing about sitting quietly and doing nothing. Not worrying about anything and clearing our minds. And if meditating is too hard for you, read a book or go outside or hang with friends. The best thing about unplugging from the world is that you get a greater sense of the world around you that we ignore when we are so tuned into our devices and problems.


2. Be creative...even if you're not.
   Now I know there are many people who are not naturally gifted in the art of being creative. That's okay. Whether you are creative, artistic, resourceful or wish you were...be creative. Being creative stimulates your mind and has a calming effect. Here's an idea for the non-creative types: go to the dollar store, buy a coloring book and some crayons or colored pencils and give yourself 30 minutes to an hour a day to "be creative." You'll find that you will feel more relaxed every time you start to color.


3. Serve others.
   Nothing is more refreshing than being of service to others. Helping people who are in a worse situation than you helps you to realize how good you really have it. There are ALWAYS opportunities to volunteer and help out, you just have to find the one that you enjoy the most.


4. Treat yourself.
   You can look at this one a number of ways. Treating yourself could mean buying those shoes you've had your eye on for a while and taking yourself out on a really nice date. It could mean treat yourself to time off...from family, friends, work...see #1. Treating yourself is a way for you to give back to the person you may have been neglecting...yourself. Naturally we want to insure that everyone around us is okay, but as a result we neglect ourselves. It's time we learn to make US our top priority...in the end, everyone will benefit from it.


5. Do more of what makes you happy.
   Have you always been athletic but you haven't been on a court is years? Or maybe you used to be a wonderful singer but you gave it up to pursue another dream. Or even running is something that makes you feel alive, but you've neglected the pavement because of kids, work, or whatever. DO MORE OF WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY!

When life gets crazy, how do you de-stress?

Be A Leader...in three acts

Be Seen. Be Heard. Be There. All components of a great leader! Check out the video below by John Baldoni of Baldoni Consulting, LLC.




XOXO,

SOA

Motivational Monday: ORGANIZE YOUR LIFE!

I was speaking to a few of my friends about their lives, their businesses, and what they think will get them to that next level they so desperately crave. I told them it was simple...organize your life. Have you ever realized when your space is cluttered, your mind is equally as cluttered? Try it now. Think about the last time you tried to get something done and literally couldn't think your way out of a box. Then think about the time you cleaned your space, whether it be your office, bedroom, house, garage how much brighter the sun seemed to be.
So many of us don't really have a thinking problem so much as we have an organizational problem. I too have suffered and suffer from organization sometimes...I know I know...I thought I was perfect too! But once I get myself organized and clean up my space, it all becomes clear.


That's what today's motivational quote is about...organizing your life. But first...


5 helpful tips to get organized

1. A place for everything and everything in it's place. CLEAN UP! How can you expect to get any work done when you have papers, magazines, business cards, and trash all over your work place? Clean that mess up!


2. Create schedules and maintain it. You have 20 events to get to this week...how can you do it all without having to invest in a clone? Maintain your schedule. Google Calendars saved my social life...I go to at least two networking events a week, I meet clients, brainstorm with my business partners and affiliates, motivate and train my interns, on top of all the work I do alone...I needed something to organize all the events that go on in my daily life.


3. To Do Lists are the daily commandments of what needs to be done. My daily to do lists tend to be very long. I've accepted that fact, but I wouldn't possibly be able to get everything done if I couldn't remember what needed to be done. I have a daily and weekly to do list that keeps me on task. I'm not normally a procrastinator but even the most disciplined of people can get off task. Having a to do list ensures that I know what I am doing when and in how much time I need to complete it before I move on to the next task.


4. Manage your time wisely. If you know you have a really important task coming up whether it be a paper, presentation, or deadline, you have to know how to prioritize your schedule to not only make sure it gets done, but to also ensure that you invest the right amount of time to make it a quality product. Turn off the TV and anything else that distracts you. If you are creating something that doesn't need the internet, turn the internet or wifi access off on your computer. Turn on some classical music and work on your task taking a 5 minute break every hour and a 20 minute break every three hours...or when necessary. This allows you to get up and stretch, use the restroom, eat and come back fresh.


5. Commit to reorganization. Just saying you are going to organize your life is one thing where as actually doing it is another. What is the catalyst between saying and doing? Commitment. When you commit to something you are motivating yourself to do it. Don't just say you are going to clean, create a to do list, and manage your time...commit to doing it and then...DO IT!

"Order is the sanity of the mind, the health of the body, the peace of the city, the security of the state. Like beams in a house or bones to a body, so is order to all things."
        Robert Soothey

Stay Empowered,

SOA