5 Tips for Productivity, Organizing & Changing Your Life

December 2, 2010 – 6:00 am

Have you ever had one of those days or weeks where nothing goes as you originally planned? Well, if you have, you are not alone.

The Wall Street Journal reported that the average person spends over 150 hours per year just looking for information.  The Esselte company conducted a study of over 2,600 executives and found that the average executive wastes 6 week a year just looking for lost documents and information.

If your business is not effectively organized, it is costing you money.  If you are like the average executive, I bet that you have a lot of things that you would like to do, but don’t have the time.  You are so busy working you can’t even imagine taking time off to enjoy life.  It is not an easy problem to solve – otherwise there would not be so many places with this problem!  The good news is that you can solve it!

1 – Define Success – What is Your Dream

Start by making sure that you and your team know the vision.  Here are a few questions you can ask yourself as you figure out your “why” for doing what you do.

  • In a perfect world, how would things work for you?  What would no longer happen?  What would happen that is not happening today?
  • What would success look like?  How would you feel?  What would you be able to do that you can’t do now?
  • What are you building? Why does your business need to exist?
  • What could you measure over time to know if you’re making progress?
  • How do you intend to build the business?
  • What are the key projects to be completed this year?
  • If you are not sure how to answer these questions, begin by writing down what you don’t want!

You can be as detailed or as broad as you would like.  Consider your life, your home, your work, your office, or your desktop.   Consider what things might look like.  Consider how you will feel.  Nothing is too crazy.  Don’t limit yourself.  It is your dream.  Write it out.  It is important to understand your “why” because it is the foundation for everything else that you put into place.

2 – Understand You

This sounds really simplistic, but for many it is not.  In fact, most of the time this step is skipped completely!  We learned back in pre-school that trying to fit a square peg into a round hole just does not work.  No matter how we turn it or twist it — it doesn’t fit.  Yet, we try to do it all of the time by putting systems in place that don’t match our personal or our organizations’ styles.

Begin by being realistic about your lifestyle and personal style.  Focusing on the way you live is important to finding the right organizing strategies for your life.  Be realistic about your personal style – it is not about what you should do, it is about what you WILL do.

There are some that think that one system should work for everyone.  It would be nice if the world was that simple, but as we all know, people have different thinking and learning styles.  They even have different rates that they can learn and absorb information.  There are different organization styles too.  Understanding your style and developing systems that fit with who you are sets you up for success.

Are You an “Innie” or an “Outtie”? Understand Your Organizing Style
An “Innie” is someone that functions better when their space is clear of distractions.  An “Outtie” is someone that will forget items even exist if they are enclosed.

 

Organizing Style for Personal Productivity - Innie or Outie
Recognize that I’m not talking about piles on a desk or papers shoved in a cabinet.  If you have piles all over your desk, it does not mean you are an “outtie.”  That means you don’t have good systems.
Consider that organizing systems work differently for different people.  In the picture above you see a standard file cabinet on the left and one that is open and on wheels on the right.  Both are containers for holding files, but one would work better for an “innie” and the other would work better for an “outtie.”

3 – Get Solid Systems in Place – Make Good Use of Routines and Processes

Routines/processes are habits that support your efforts in an effortless way.  To illustrate, let me ask you a few questions (no calculators please):  What is

2 + 2?

4 + 4?

8 + 8?

7,873,923,740,934 + 981,748,174?

When you read the math questions above, could you answer the first 3 quite quickly; but wanted to reach for your calculator for the last one?  Why is that?  It is because when we were quite young, our adult caregivers drilled the basic math facts into our minds until they were routine.  When you first started to learn 2 + 2 it was not as easy as it is now.  That is true of any routine or process you put into place.

Look at the answers you came up with in Steps 1 and 2 above.  Then look at all of the different activities that your business does every day.  Do you have a process manual and an employee manual outlining expectations and procedure?  If not, now is the time to start!  Businesses with well-defined systems and processes not only function better, but are actually valued at a higher rate by business appraisers than those that are run by memory.

4 – Understand the Best Way for You to Retrieve Information

One of the biggest time wasters in the business world today is time spent looking for information.  Accenture conducted a survey of 1,000 middle managers in large companies in the U.S. and U.K. and found that 59% miss important information almost every day because it exists within the company but they cannot find it. The paperless society just never happened. We actually have more paper today than we did 10 years ago!

There are 2 parts to a great information organization system.  1) reference information and an 2) action system.

Reference Systems
Your reference system is what you might think of as a traditional paper filing system.  It contains the information that you need to keep for reference, but is not necessarily accessed on a daily basis.  For ideas on how to get started building your reference system, see effective physical “finding” system.   If you struggle with deciding what to keep or what to let go, read Set Your Target and Throw Your DART! How to use the DART system to get through your paper piles.

Action Systems
An action system is created to manage all of those pieces of paper that seem to stay on your desk because you don’t want to forget to do something. There are a few different ways that you can create an action system.  Here are three resources to help you pick the right one for you:

Which picture looks like your workspace?

Before and After Calahan Solutions Inc Office Miracle Service After Colleen put information organization systems into place (reflected in the picture to the right) she found that she was leaving work earlier and even accomplishing more in her day.

5 – Know Where Your Time is Going and Resist the Temptation to Multitask!

In today’s society, it is difficult to get away from all of the electronic gadgets that keep us “on” all of the time.  Unplugging, even for a short while, is not readily accepted by our co-workers, clients, friends and family.  The false assumption is that the more gadgets we have, the more we can get done.  The reality is that the more gadgets we have the more we can get done half-way.  Completing projects and tasks is harder than ever for most of my clients.

Interruptions Cost You More Than You Think!
University of California, Irvine researchers, Gloria Mark and Victor Gonsalez, found that it takes workers 25 minutes to return to the original task — if they return at all.  In another study, Basex, a New York research firm specializing in information overload, found that office distractions and interruptions ate up 2.1 hours a day for the average worker.  The time it takes for your brain to get back into its original train of thought is costing your company money in unproductive time!  Your brain can really only process one type of thought at a time.  Cultivating the skill of just focusing on one thing for 60 minute time period is an important skill that we are loosing with all of the multitasking that we do today.  So, the next time you have a project that is important consider the following:

  • Block the time on your calendar.
  • If you have something electronic around you cell phone, radio, tv – anything that is on or could come on anything that could bug you – turn it to the off position.
  • Email is the ultimate distraction that most of us face now.  Try to prevent any incoming email from coming in and bugging you.
  • Close all online social networking applications – or better yet, close down your internet browser.
  • Use the restroom and get yourself something to drink so that you don’t have to get up and leave.
  • Close your door so that you cannot get interrupted and consider putting a do not disturb sign on the door.

    Then, work on your project fully focused.  If you find your mind wandering or have a strong desire to check Twitter, resist!

    If you are really guilty of multitasking and doing too many things at once, you might want to put a sticky note on your screen that says ‘Eliminate Distraction and Interruption‘ – the more you can do that the better you can do in business and life and everywhere else.

    Start Small and Build on Successes

    If you or your employees are exhibiting stress due to disorganization, take a step back and start looking at the causes of the stress rather than the symptoms.  Don’t know where to start?  Take caution in making numerous changes at once.  The average person can only work on 3 major changes at once and be successful.  Getting organized takes time and a change in habits.  When the habits are changed and maintained, a feeling of release will happen and more creative work on the business can begin.

    Have some ideas that you would like to “bounce around?”  Have something you have tried and it worked?  Leave your comments in the comments field below.

    To your success!

    image from scalahan.typepad.com
    ___________________________________________________________________________________

    Stephanie H Calahan - StephCalahan - Productivity and Organization Specialist with Calahan Solutions Inc Stephanie LH Calahan (AKA StephCalahan) is a dynamic entrepreneur, nationally known speaker, media personality, author, publisher; productivity/organization consultant, and business coach.  She understands that every person is different and requires systems that work for them.  As the founder and CEO of Calahan Solutions, Inc., she and her consultants focus on conducting presentations, personal coaching, assessments and productivity/organizing services for entrepreneurs & time pressed professionals.  You don’t have to do it our way, because we help you find your way! tm  Learn more: www.CalahanSolutions.com.

    © 2010 Copyright Calahan Solutions, Inc. ñ All rights reserved

    By Dr. Shannon Reece | Posted in Guest Posts | Tagged , , , , | Comments (8)

    Tip of the Week – Dec 1, 2010

    December 1, 2010 – 6:00 am

    There are no obstacles unless you put them there. By a simple change in perspective, suddenly your challenges become opportunities.

    By Dr. Shannon Reece | Posted in Tip of the Week | Tagged , , , , | Comments (1)

    A Queen is a Formidable Force in Business

    November 30, 2010 – 10:20 am

    Have you ever wondered what chess and business have in common?  Both have a powerful player — the Queen — and both require the ability to read and understand your opponent, the gift of “queens” in business.  Playing chess or the business game requires strategy, building relationships, and confidence.

    The Queen is the sole lady on the chess board, the power piece, with the ability to mount an attack from any direction.  She is a true metaphor for women in business, who must understand their opponents, develop rapport, be flexible enough to flow in the direction of the business “game,” and find innovative ways to move past obstacles.  As you’ve seen in this blog series on the Alphabet of Entrepreneurs, women are endowed with these strengths, but must know how to leverage them in business to become a formidable force.

    Plan your moves

    If you haven’t played, chess is something you should consider trying.  The lessons learned on the board directly transfer to the boardroom.  It’s not about planning ten moves ahead, it’s about staying just ahead of the curve by strategizing where your next move will take you.

    Many business owners wait for things to happen to them, rather than driving their business ahead of their competitors.  The mindset of “I’ll wait and see what falls into my lap” will keep you behind the crowd.  And allowing yourself to get too far ahead in the future will leave you missing the vital details that must be attended to in the present.

    According to chess world champion, Garry Kasparov,

    “Ultimately, what separates a winner from a loser at the grand-master level is the willingness to do the unthinkable. A brilliant strategy is, certainly, a matter of intelligence, but intelligence without audaciousness is not enough. Given the opportunity, I must have the guts to explode the game, to upend my opponent’s thinking and, in so doing, unnerve him.

    So it is in business: One does not succeed by sticking to convention. When your opponent can easily anticipate every move you make, your strategy deteriorates and becomes commoditized. So, yes, a sort of courage is paramount. But that courage must be tempered by other less-glamorous qualities…the game requires the discipline to think beyond the present — and beyond yourself.”

    As Garry so eloquently draws the comparison, it’s a balance between the unthinkable and the mundane.  To be great you must be ready to innovate, even when all your ducks aren’t in a row.  But this type of courage needs to be tempered by mindfulness of the, sometimes dull, day-to-day operations.  Success does not come from one without the other.

    Thinking like a champion

    Of “Searching for Bobby Fischer” fame, the real life chess master, Bruce Pandolfini, does not teach his students to be great chess players, he teaches them how to think.

    “My goal,…is to help them develop what I consider to be two of the most important forms of intelligence: the ability to read other people, and the ability to understand oneself. Those are the two kinds of intelligence that you need to succeed at chess — and in life.”

    So what are the keys to leveraging your strengths and becoming a champion?  With some help from the masters of chess, here are 3 tips when it comes to winning in business:

    • Steer clear of the mind game trap – It’s very important to understand your competition, but when it comes to winning in business or chess, you must play the game not the opponent.  It’s okay to have incorporate your emotions in business as long as you don’t allow them to rule your decisions.  Control your thoughts, direct your behavior.
    • Think twice, move once – “You should never play the first good move that comes into your head. Put that move on your list, and then ask yourself if there is an even better move. I have seen Gary Kasparov practically sit on his hands to keep himself from making a move. ‘If you see a good idea, look for a better one’ — that’s my motto. Good thinking is a matter of making comparisons.” – Bruce Pandolfini
    • Successful moves don’t have to be flashy – Sometimes the best course of action is to make the move that may seem inconsequential at first, but has hidden punch.  It’s important to find balance “ between intuition and analysis.” – Garry Kasparov

    Final thoughts

    Similar to the game of chess, women often find themselves alone on the “board” in business, but that in no way diminishes the power they can wield when they successfully engage their gifts.  The women who are landing on top in business are those who understand the importance of flexibility of vision.  Anticipating the moves or reactions of your competition is just as important as planning your next move forward.  Never become complacent where you are, for your opponent will be waiting for that chance to take the advantage.

    © 2010 Reece International LLC/Dr. Shannon Reece. All rights reserved.

    **************************

    If you wish to use this article on your website or online newsletter, no problem, BUT here is what you MUST include:

    Dr. Shannon Reece – The One Trusted Woman in a Man’s Business World

    Starting your own business can be tough, but having the right tools makes all the difference.  Dr. Reece provides the strategies and tactics women need to get their businesses from zero to launch and achieve real results.  For more information visit www.DrShannonReece.com.

    By Dr. Shannon Reece | Posted in Alphabet of Entrepreneurs, Aspiring Entrepreneurs | Tagged , , , , , | Comments (0)

    Question of the Week – Nov 29, 2010

    November 29, 2010 – 10:00 am

    This week’s question is –

    With just one month left until year-end, what challenge will you commit to tackling before the ball drops on New Year’s Eve?

    Why should I join the discussion?

    Because this online forum is a great place for us to exchange ideas, learn from each other and network.  My goal is to unite successful women entrepreneurs to share our insights and solutions to the challenges we most commonly face in our businesses.

    How do I get involved?

    Every Monday I will post a new Question of the Week. This is a great opportunity for you to bring your expertise to the table.  Using the NEW link below, please submit a one paragraph response by Saturday, and the following week I will share our community responses on my blog.

    To submit your response CLICK HERE

    I look forward to your response to this week’s question! If you have any questions you know where to find me. Have a great week!

    By Dr. Shannon Reece | Posted in Question of the Week | Tagged , , , , | Comments (0)

    Inspired by Gratitude

    November 29, 2010 – 6:00 am

    We have reached the time of year when we pause to take measure of the many ways in which our lives have been blessed. In honor of Thanksgiving, last week I posed the question:

    What are you most thankful for this year?

    Five experts were gracious enough to share the things for which they are most thankful. The responses are as varied as our group of experts — but are such great reminders for us all to stop to smell the roses and to find success in the smallest triumphs and blessings. I am most thankful for the opportunity to serve women, and for those who continue to join me in bringing valuable insights to this readership.


    “I am thankful for my life and the coaches that have helped me to grow in 2010.  You see, early in 2009 I was told that I had some serious medical conditions.  They told me I may not see 2010 if I did not make some changes in my life right away.  Fortunately, I was able to connect with the right people who taught me what I needed to do — even when the choices were not easy.  LIFE IS WONDERFUL!

    One thing I have been doing every day for about 3 years now, is counting my blessings.  Every morning and every night before I go to bed, I create (sometimes I write and sometimes I speak) a list of at least 10 things I’m thankful for.  Sometimes the list is filled with “big” or “complex” things and other times it has “simple” things like:
    * a bed to sleep in and a home I feel safe in,
    * the beautiful blue of the sky;
    * the delicious meal my husband made; or
    * the sound of my son’s laughter.

    I call it my “golden list” and over the years I have taught many friends and clients to do the same.  No matter how bad things seem in your life, there are always numerous things to be thankful for.

    I’m a productivity consultant/coach and I have found that clients that practice this are consistently getting more done!  When you focus on the positive things in your life, you are able to concentrate better which ultimately leads to better productivity

    In 2010 I expanded on my golden list to include at least one tweet a day about something I was giving thanks for. Today my tweet will be about the opportunity to share this news with you.  Have a wonderful day!”

    Stephanie LH Calahan (@stephcalahan), Founder of Calahan Solutions

    “After being downsized in 12/08; I literally handed my snow brush to a random stranger in the PetSmart parking lot in Chicago and relocated back to Florida from Chicago. I drove 3,954 miles over Florida going on countless interviews and 20 months later – finally found an amazing job as the new Community Manager for Jane Nation; an online women’s community.”

    Karen Moran (@janenation and @Ad_chickadee), New Community Manager for the online women’s community, Jane Nation

    “That we’re all still here. As you get older you realize that there are no good or bad days. Every day is a good day.”

    Ivan Walsh (@IvanWalsh), Creator of The Web Business Plan

    “I am most thankful for having the support of my friend, family and most importantly my husband. He is completely supporting my entrepreneurial endeavors and is fully confident in my ability to succeed, even in moments when I doubt myself.”

    Lauren MacEwen (@laurencubed), Primary Strategist and Creator of SM Cubed Consulting

    “I am thankful every day for the opportunity to help other people, learn and grow in the process.  I’ve finally figured out what I want to be when I grow up!  And I get to do it every day.”

    Stephanie Padovani (@bookmorebrides), Co-founder of Book More Brides

    This week’s question is –

    With just one month left until year-end, what challenge will you commit to tackling before the ball drops on New Year’s Eve?

    Why should I join the discussion?

    Because this online forum is a great place for us to exchange ideas, learn from each other and network.  My goal is to unite successful women entrepreneurs to share our insights and solutions to the challenges we most commonly face in our businesses.

    How do I get involved?

    Every Monday I will post a new Question of the Week. This is a great opportunity for you to bring your expertise to the table.  Using the NEW link below, please submit a one paragraph response by Saturday, and the following week I will share our community responses on my blog.

    To submit your response CLICK HERE

    I look forward to your response to this week’s question! If you have any questions you know where to find me. Have a great week!

    By Dr. Shannon Reece | Posted in Question of the Week | Tagged , , , , | Comments (2)

    Tips for Staying Focused – Weekly Wrap Up

    November 26, 2010 – 6:00 am

    I hope you’ve recovered from your turkey comma, and your pants aren’t feeling too tight after yesterday’s Thanksgiving food fest.  One big holiday down, one more that will be here before you know it.  The holiday season is in full swing, but that doesn’t mean that your business productivity should suffer.

    This week I searched for the best tips to focus your efforts during the hectic holiday season, and get a jump on your preparation for the first quarter of the New Year.  Rather than fighting the tide of business owners who will be winding down as we approach the close of the year, your time can be spent streamlining your internal operations.

    This weekly wrap up was designed to share the blogs, websites and/or businesswomen that I found particularly helpful this week.  So without further delay, here are my my top picks on the subject of business productivity during the holiday season.  I hope you find them as helpful and interesting as I did.


    Top Blog Posts

    How to Be Productive During the Holidays

    When everyone else is checking out mentally or physically to enjoy the holidays, you can use the extra time to do some behind the scenes building within your company.  This article provides 11 ideas that you can incorporate to make the most of your down time, and be a step ahead of the competition when the holiday season ends.

    Ten Tips for Effective Business Networking During the Holidays

    If you can’t beat them, join them.  If you plan to be attending holiday gatherings, don’t forget to wear your networking hat.  Jason Jacobsohn, a networking expert, offers 10 tips you can use to make the most of your holiday networking opportunities to build existing relationships or create new connections.  The first tip is to attend some holiday parties, and his last tip is to have fun.  Doesn’t sound to bad, does it?

    Friday Focus: Staying Productive at Work During the Holidays

    There are a lot of interruptions during the holiday season with extra days off,  distractions, and the busyness of your personal life, making it even harder to maintain your focus during work hours.  But you still have deadlines, clients counting on you and an example to set with your employees.  So how do you find a way to enjoy what the holiday season brings and keep your head in the game?  This post suggests five strategies and some tough love to have your pumpkin pie and eat it to.

    10 Social Media Tips to Market Your Business During the Holidays

    The Digital Operative Blog posted a blog last year, on leveraging social media during the holidays, that was so entertaining I had to include it in this list.  With the exception of Tip #5, the other nine are tips you should keep in mind all year long when it comes to social media.  If nothing else, this post is going to get you into the Christmas spirit with references to gifts, Scrooge, elves, stockings, Rudolph and even Santa.  Enjoy!




    Featured Site

    This week I am pleased to feature OneForty, a site designed by Laura Fitton, that helps people find thousands of tools they can use to maximize their Twitter experience for business or life.  OneForty is a directory for Twitter tools, with an active community of users who offer reviews and comments to help you find the tools you need.  Find out what others are using by checking out the Toolkits section, ask a question or get great tips from their blog.

    For more information, check out Cathy Ann Sauer’s article on the essence of OneForty.  You can follow Laura Fitton’s tweets by visiting @Pistachio and stay on the Twitter cutting edge.


    Woman of Excellence Award

    I am pleased to present this week’s Woman of Excellence Award to Nancy F. Clark, CEO of WomensMedia, a site dedicated to providing valuable, free information to empower, develop and motivate women in business.  Launched seven years ago with the help of her two friends, Dianne Schilling and Susanna Palomares, this site reaches more than 300,000 women world wide.  Articles center around the main topics of balance, money, leadership, business and personal growth.  In addition to her own blog, Women’s Lunch Talk, WomensMedia draws women leaders in business to share their expertise, because they have the desire to give back to women looking for information to excel in business.

    WomensMedia is a vast library of resources for just about any challenge women face in business.  I am still working my way through the fabulous content.  You can find out more by following Nancy on Twitter @NancyFClark.

    “Honor your talents and act like a woman—a smart woman—who knows how to jump over

    business obstacles, even in heels.”
    – Nancy Clark



    In case you were wondering, I have no affiliate relationship with anyone I call to your attention on this blog.  This is simply my way of spreading the news about information and individuals I have found particularly helpful.

    That wraps up this post.  Until next week, keep reading, keep learning, keep growing!

    By Dr. Shannon Reece | Posted in Weekly Wrap Up | Tagged , , , , , | Comments (5)

    Planning Razzle-Dazzle without the Frazzle

    November 25, 2010 – 8:00 am

    From turkey to tweets, preparing for the holidays and keeping their businesses on the cutting edge, women know how to plan for the future.  It’s at this time of year that the male of the species can do nothing other than stand back and watch in awe as women execute a holiday season to remember without losing their stride in business.

    Why do they do it?

    Certainly not an easy task, women across the country will be in need of some spa treatments or at least some lazy weekend mornings to make up for the break neck speed they manage to maintain from mid-November through the end of the year.  How do they do it?  Or the bigger question, why?  If you polled a variety of women entrepreneurs, I suspect they would respond that they do it because so much of their passion is fed by spending quality time with those they love.  It’s one of the main reasons women leave employee ranks and start their own enterprises.

    How do they do it?

    The research on planning indicates that women come out on top when it comes to making long-term decisions about the future.  Here are some great excerpts on the subject from a few resources:

    “…women, on average, take a broader perspective than men do—on any issue. Women think contextually, holistically. They also display more mental flexibility, apply more intuitive and imaginative judgments, and have a greater tendency to plan long term…”

    Chapter 1 of First Sex by Helen Fisher

    “Women are nurturers and value-driven. They put feminine tough in all they do. They are home managers and as such able to handle a series of complex and varied tasks leading to the desired end product. They are able to grasp the nettle and manage a mixed bag of staff. They have transformational leadership qualities, motivating others by transforming their self-interest into the goals of the organization. They are naturally interactive in style and this encourages participation, power and information sharing and enhances the self-worth of others…Domestically, women are good managers of resources. They are managers of men, material and money in their homes.”

    From Are Women Better Managers than Men?

    “For starters, men and women are thinking differently.  Brain scans prove it, as does plenty of other research.  On average, women gather more data, consider the context, are intuitive, have a sympathising mind and think more long-term.  Ms Fisher calls it ‘web thinking.’  Men, on the other hand, are more focused, think linear, focus on rules and the short-term – ‘step thinking.’ ”

    From Why Companies Need Female Managers

    Women have great talents for simultaneously running home and business, but they can’t pull it off without a lot of pre-planning and resources.

    Frazzle-free Festivities

    Even though Thanksgiving is upon us, it’s never too late to get your ducks in a row to manage your stress and energy through the end of the year.  Here are 4 tips to help you keep your sparkle in the coming weeks.

    • Plan ahead – It’s never too early to begin planning for the road ahead, especially when life gets doubly busy during the holidays.  You will be managing your normal work load, while throwing in holiday parties, time with family, extra cooking, cleaning, shopping, etc.  The first key to survival is to get as much done ahead of time, or delegated to spread the load, so you don’t find yourself scrambling at the last-minute.
    • Choose wisely – It’s impossible to say yes to every invitation and activity during the holiday season, so only commit to the things that will bring you the most joy.  Your happiness should not be allocated to the bottom of the list.  When you have trouble deciding, put it to a family vote, and select the things that will be on your current list of must-do’s and those that will be allocated to next year.
    • Be flexible – It’s time to put all those Yoga classes into play.  The holiday season is wrought with the unexpected.  No matter how hard you try to plan ahead, there will be surprises all along the way.  Maintaining a flexible attitude is a step in the right direction.  Secondly, remember tip number 2, and don’t feel obligated to accomplish everything that comes across your desk.  There are certain things that can be dealt with after the New Year.
    • Be a little selfish – Don’t worry, this tip will not put you on Santa’s naughty list.  The only way to perform at 100% for clients, friends, family and co-workers is to make sure that you don’t sacrifice your health during the holidays.  When it comes to eating right and getting enough rest, it should be business as usual.  There are only so many hours in a day to get things done, so don’t find yourself burning the candle at both ends trying to exceed your personal limits.  Forgoing exercise or a good night’s sleep for another commitment will catch up with you quickly when stress levels are high.  By maintaining your healthy lifestyle choices, even during the hectic holiday season, you increase your chances of making it through without catching the flu.

    On that note, I am off to help my family prepare the “roast beast” for our Thanksgiving table.  Thank you for taking time out of your day to join me here!  I wish you and yours a very Happy Thanksgiving!

    © 2010 Reece International LLC/Dr. Shannon Reece. All rights reserved.

    **************************

    If you wish to use this article on your website or online newsletter, no problem, BUT here is what you MUST include:

    Dr. Shannon Reece – The One Trusted Woman in a Man’s Business World

    Starting your own business can be tough, but having the right tools makes all the difference.  Dr. Reece provides the strategies and tactics women need to get their businesses from zero to launch and achieve real results.  For more information visit www.DrShannonReece.com.

    By Dr. Shannon Reece | Posted in Alphabet of Entrepreneurs, Aspiring Entrepreneurs | Tagged , , , , , | Comments (1)