From Frustration to Self Love - A lesson to share.

Today's Yin class was particularly hard.  Not because of the poses ( In fact, I find that I can get deeper and deeper each class) but because it took me almost 20 minutes to center myself.  20 minutes to calm down, focus and be only on my mat.  That's a long time for me.  

There were distractions.  Someone walked into class late, the music next door was blaring and I'm completely overwhelmed with my business right now.  (Mainly b/c the kids are out of school for the summer and I don't have as much time to designate to it) 

Of course the entire time I was telling myself.. "Erika, this is your problem.  Deal with it." 

So, I used a mantra this class which I normally don't feel the need to do.   'All is full of love"  I said it over and over.  I then began to mentally send my peace in thick white blankets over the other students while 'mantraing' "all is Full of love".  And yes, even the girl that was late, even though at the end of the class the appologized to the instructor not the rest of the class.  What?  I'm over it.. really!

We moved into fire log ( a sitting cross leg position) and I had a bolster propped up in front of me to rest my head.  As I lay my head down on the bolster, I got a glimpse of my hips and felt a brief moment of disappointment at their size.  (Many of you know that I have battle with body image my entire life and I'm working very hard on loving my body) But, no sooner than the disappointment arrived, it was replaced with tears.  How could I have been so blind.

I sent peace out to everyone in the room but MYSELF.  Once I realized this, a voice just said.. "Be kind to yourself, my love."  

This particular practice was internal for me.  I began the class frustrated with circumstances I couldn't control and I couldn't center.  Then I was frustrated because I was so frustrated that I couldn't center.  Finally with the mantra and acceptance of my own love, I was able to reel it in.  Be on my mat and find love for myself.  Now that is a good practice.  

3 Tips to Take Control on Your Time!!

    3 Tips to Become a Time Ninja!

A Step Beyond Basic Time Management

We’ve all heard the phrase time is money.  While this is true, today it’s so much more than money.  Time is a lunch with your daughter or son, an extra family vacation to the beach or even a needed recovery and rest day.  For me, time is that extra three day weekend to completely unplug and look my boys in the eye every time they speak to me. 

How do we invest the time we have NOW to create more time TOMORROW?

As business women we understand the importance of investing our money properly so we can get the biggest return on the money we invested.  We ask ourselves on a daily basis, where can we put our money today so we can have more of it tomorrow so we can spend or invest it on what we want.

An example of this is when I network either on social media or face to face.  I’m not looking for a ‘sale’ or immediate transaction. I’m investing in building relationships for I know this time invested in networking pays off much bigger than a quick sale.  I expand my circle of contacts, I building meaningful relationships and I surround myself with other successful people from which I can learn from and reach out to for advice.  That is investing n my business and myself.

Time is exactly the same!  How are you going to create more time tomorrow?  By leveraging the time you have today!

Here are 3 Tips on how to use your time today to create more time tomorrow:

1.      Assign Success a Time Slot – Just like you would a preventative doctor appointment.

Throughout the day, you are frequently interrupted and pulled in different directions. While you can’t eliminate distractions, you do get a say on how much time you spend on them.  You also decide how much time you will spend on the thoughts, conversations and actions that will lead you to success.

To maximize your results with this tip, assign all the roles you play in life a specific time block on your schedule.  Assign your ‘Mommy’, wife, caregiver, friend and business owner roles a specific block of time. 

Give YOURSELF a time slot too.  Before you go to bed every night, plan when you are going to eat and exercise the following day and write it in your calendar, just as you would a doctor’s appointment.  In order to get the very best out of yourself you must spend time on YOU and your health. In order to give 100% you must be 100%. 

Once you have blocked out accordingly, break down the block into 30 minute increments.  . Maybe it’s an income producing activity that has immediate pay off (calling clients or customers) or perhaps it’s a time investment activity that will yield you more time or money in the future.  

Any activity or conversation that's important to your success in each of your roles should have a specific time assigned to it. In your schedule literally mark a time that you will be doing that particular task.  Keep that time focused solely on the task with as few interruptions as possible.

An example of this is during my block of time in my ‘Business Leader’ role in life.   I know who I am meeting with and what we are talking about and I assign 30 minutes to each meeting. Another great example is during my block of time I label as ‘online fitness expert’.  I specify what time day and how much time I have to:

1.      Return emails.

2.     Respond to Social Media

3.     Create videos

4.     Check in with clients

I’ve found that creating specific responsibilities within each of my life roles allows me save time.  I don’t spend time deciding which activities need to be done.  I’ve already told myself what to do.

If you are still reading this article, please stop, pull up your schedule on your computer or pull out your pen and paper scheduler and physically block out your day according to your different life roles.  Once you do that, within each block organize the specific tasks that need to be done.  That also means write out when you will exercise, eat, pray or meditate tomorrow. 

If you do not have an appointment book or schedule, start one TODAY.

     2. Drop Kick Time Suckers

I own a service based business and I help other women create their online service based businesses.  One of the first things I tell my clients to do is eliminate all time suckers from their life.  And to do this, we must become comfortable with saying no.

While this is very hard for us to do because we have a deep seeded love to help others we must be fiercely protective of our time and eliminate anything that does not contribute directly to our priorities.

Keep in mind, saying yes to something means you are saying no to something else.  Saying no to something means you are saying yes to something else.

There are three ways you can say no. 

·       Eliminate

·       Delegate

·       Purposefully procrastinate

You can put this into effect immediately by making a list.  First, make a list of all your tasks in a given day.  Don’t forget the tasks that may seem inconsequential to you i.e. preparing food, personal development, watching TV, showering etc..)  Please take your time on this list, you will make the time back and then some!

Once this list is completed, assign each task a letter.  Write an ‘M’ (for ME) next to everything YOU must do.  There is no delegating it what so ever. Write a ‘D’ for each task that could be delegated.  Even if you have no intentions of ever doing so, assign it a letter ‘D’!  Lastly, write a ‘P’ for each task that you even question why you are doing it.  Perhaps this is a task that can be avoided all together.

An example of this I assign all my content creation an ‘M’.  There is nobody else that can be authentically me so I MUST create all my posts, blogs posts and ebooks.  However, I assign all my editing for my content a ‘D’.  I know I am not skilled in this craft and I have no intentions of taking the time to learn how to fine tune the craft. 

I assign a ‘P’ to all items that are not a priority in obtaining my weekly goals and that do not contribute to creating more time in my future.  An example is when send my team a newsletter.  I know creating that graphic is not going to add enough value to the email to create more time in the future. I also know they will not close the email immediately if they don’t see a shiny graphic.   I will send the email and when I copy and paste the email as a blog post, I will add the graphic.  

I also assign a ‘P’ to house chores.  I personally enjoy house chores and I believe it’s important to get the children involved.  A trick to be the best Time Ninja is to purposefully procrastinate folding the clothes or cleaning the bathrooms.  I work from home but that doesn’t mean that I can attend to house chores during my work hours.  I purposefully leave the clothes un folded, the dishes unwashed and the bed un made.  When the children are home, we can make it family time and I delegate responsibilities to my children.    

Evaluate your tasks and decide what type of role each task plays in your overall mission to create more time tomorrow.

     3.  Automate

Allow tasks to get done without you being there!  The best way to create more time tomorrow is to spend a little extra time setting it up to work by itself. 

Think about the last time you signed up for a free product online.  You provided your email address and probably received a thank-you email.  After another day or so, you usually receive another email giving you more information.  I promise, they sender is not sitting on by their computer, sipping coffee and keeping track of all sign ups on a spread-sheet.  They have an automated work flow that allows them to work on another revenue generating activity while you received your great free content.  Deconstruct your job description and see how you can fit this into your business.

One technique that really works for me is BATCHING.  I batch all my weekly Facebook Posts (that is my preferred social media platform, yours may be Instagram or Pintrest so use this as it pertains to you and your business) I create relevant and well thought out and relevant posts on Monday morning (yes, I do used recycled material from past posts!).  It takes me 1.5 hours and it’s done!  What I find is more time later in the week.  More importantly, more uninterrupted time!

You can do the same with your social media, your blogging, your newsletter or even your laundry!

The most successful CEOs only get about 30 minutes of uninterrupted time a day.  Think of what you can accomplish with scheduling one hour of focused time every day.  During our moments of concentration and focus is when we are the most productive.  Your ideas come to life, you minimize your distractions to see the bigger picture and become engrossed in the task at hand. 

The most productive people in the world are thinking ahead, not scurrying around in the moment but they can only do this by having structure in their day.  So, be fiercely protective of your time as you would a child because after all, time not spent with future returns in mind is time we forgo doing what we love with who we love in the future. 

Don’t be feel shame for turning others down feel joy and accomplishment that you are saying yes to the things that matter most in your life.  Always ask yourself  “How do I make the most of my time right now to create more time in the future?”

I would love to share more amazing content with you!  Please subscribe to this blog!

3 Tips to Take Control on Your Time!!

    3 Tips to Become a Time Ninja!

A Step Beyond Basic Time Management

We’ve all heard the phrase time is money.  While this is true, today it’s so much more than money.  Time is a lunch with your daughter or son, an extra family vacation to the beach or even a needed recovery and rest day.  For me, time is that extra three day weekend to completely unplug and look my boys in the eye every time they speak to me. 

How do we invest the time we have NOW to create more time TOMORROW?

As business women we understand the importance of investing our money properly so we can get the biggest return on the money we invested.  We ask ourselves on a daily basis, where can we put our money today so we can have more of it tomorrow so we can spend or invest it on what we want.

An example of this is when I network either on social media or face to face.  I’m not looking for a ‘sale’ or immediate transaction. I’m investing in building relationships for I know this time invested in networking pays off much bigger than a quick sale.  I expand my circle of contacts, I building meaningful relationships and I surround myself with other successful people from which I can learn from and reach out to for advice.  That is investing n my business and myself.

Time is exactly the same!  How are you going to create more time tomorrow?  By leveraging the time you have today!

Here are 3 Tips on how to use your time today to create more time tomorrow:

1.      Assign Success a Time Slot – Just like you would a preventative doctor appointment.

Throughout the day, you are frequently interrupted and pulled in different directions. While you can’t eliminate distractions, you do get a say on how much time you spend on them.  You also decide how much time you will spend on the thoughts, conversations and actions that will lead you to success.

To maximize your results with this tip, assign all the roles you play in life a specific time block on your schedule.  Assign your ‘Mommy’, wife, caregiver, friend and business owner roles a specific block of time. 

Give YOURSELF a time slot too.  Before you go to bed every night, plan when you are going to eat and exercise the following day and write it in your calendar, just as you would a doctor’s appointment.  In order to get the very best out of yourself you must spend time on YOU and your health. In order to give 100% you must be 100%. 

Once you have blocked out accordingly, break down the block into 30 minute increments.  . Maybe it’s an income producing activity that has immediate pay off (calling clients or customers) or perhaps it’s a time investment activity that will yield you more time or money in the future.  

Any activity or conversation that's important to your success in each of your roles should have a specific time assigned to it. In your schedule literally mark a time that you will be doing that particular task.  Keep that time focused solely on the task with as few interruptions as possible.

An example of this is during my block of time in my ‘Business Leader’ role in life.   I know who I am meeting with and what we are talking about and I assign 30 minutes to each meeting. Another great example is during my block of time I label as ‘online fitness expert’.  I specify what time day and how much time I have to:

1.      Return emails.

2.     Respond to Social Media

3.     Create videos

4.     Check in with clients

I’ve found that creating specific responsibilities within each of my life roles allows me save time.  I don’t spend time deciding which activities need to be done.  I’ve already told myself what to do.

If you are still reading this article, please stop, pull up your schedule on your computer or pull out your pen and paper scheduler and physically block out your day according to your different life roles.  Once you do that, within each block organize the specific tasks that need to be done.  That also means write out when you will exercise, eat, pray or meditate tomorrow. 

If you do not have an appointment book or schedule, start one TODAY.

     2. Drop Kick Time Suckers

I own a service based business and I help other women create their online service based businesses.  One of the first things I tell my clients to do is eliminate all time suckers from their life.  And to do this, we must become comfortable with saying no.

While this is very hard for us to do because we have a deep seeded love to help others we must be fiercely protective of our time and eliminate anything that does not contribute directly to our priorities.

Keep in mind, saying yes to something means you are saying no to something else.  Saying no to something means you are saying yes to something else.

There are three ways you can say no. 

·       Eliminate

·       Delegate

·       Purposefully procrastinate

You can put this into effect immediately by making a list.  First, make a list of all your tasks in a given day.  Don’t forget the tasks that may seem inconsequential to you i.e. preparing food, personal development, watching TV, showering etc..)  Please take your time on this list, you will make the time back and then some!

Once this list is completed, assign each task a letter.  Write an ‘M’ (for ME) next to everything YOU must do.  There is no delegating it what so ever. Write a ‘D’ for each task that could be delegated.  Even if you have no intentions of ever doing so, assign it a letter ‘D’!  Lastly, write a ‘P’ for each task that you even question why you are doing it.  Perhaps this is a task that can be avoided all together.

An example of this I assign all my content creation an ‘M’.  There is nobody else that can be authentically me so I MUST create all my posts, blogs posts and ebooks.  However, I assign all my editing for my content a ‘D’.  I know I am not skilled in this craft and I have no intentions of taking the time to learn how to fine tune the craft. 

I assign a ‘P’ to all items that are not a priority in obtaining my weekly goals and that do not contribute to creating more time in my future.  An example is when send my team a newsletter.  I know creating that graphic is not going to add enough value to the email to create more time in the future. I also know they will not close the email immediately if they don’t see a shiny graphic.   I will send the email and when I copy and paste the email as a blog post, I will add the graphic.  

I also assign a ‘P’ to house chores.  I personally enjoy house chores and I believe it’s important to get the children involved.  A trick to be the best Time Ninja is to purposefully procrastinate folding the clothes or cleaning the bathrooms.  I work from home but that doesn’t mean that I can attend to house chores during my work hours.  I purposefully leave the clothes un folded, the dishes unwashed and the bed un made.  When the children are home, we can make it family time and I delegate responsibilities to my children.    

Evaluate your tasks and decide what type of role each task plays in your overall mission to create more time tomorrow.

     3.  Automate

Allow tasks to get done without you being there!  The best way to create more time tomorrow is to spend a little extra time setting it up to work by itself. 

Think about the last time you signed up for a free product online.  You provided your email address and probably received a thank-you email.  After another day or so, you usually receive another email giving you more information.  I promise, they sender is not sitting on by their computer, sipping coffee and keeping track of all sign ups on a spread-sheet.  They have an automated work flow that allows them to work on another revenue generating activity while you received your great free content.  Deconstruct your job description and see how you can fit this into your business.

One technique that really works for me is BATCHING.  I batch all my weekly Facebook Posts (that is my preferred social media platform, yours may be Instagram or Pintrest so use this as it pertains to you and your business) I create relevant and well thought out and relevant posts on Monday morning (yes, I do used recycled material from past posts!).  It takes me 1.5 hours and it’s done!  What I find is more time later in the week.  More importantly, more uninterrupted time!

You can do the same with your social media, your blogging, your newsletter or even your laundry!

The most successful CEOs only get about 30 minutes of uninterrupted time a day.  Think of what you can accomplish with scheduling one hour of focused time every day.  During our moments of concentration and focus is when we are the most productive.  Your ideas come to life, you minimize your distractions to see the bigger picture and become engrossed in the task at hand. 

The most productive people in the world are thinking ahead, not scurrying around in the moment but they can only do this by having structure in their day.  So, be fiercely protective of your time as you would a child because after all, time not spent with future returns in mind is time we forgo doing what we love with who we love in the future. 

Don’t be feel shame for turning others down feel joy and accomplishment that you are saying yes to the things that matter most in your life.  Always ask yourself  “How do I make the most of my time right now to create more time in the future?”

I would love to share more amazing content with you!  Please subscribe to this blog!

    3 Tips to Become a Time Ninja!

A Step Beyond Basic Time Management

We’ve all heard the phrase time is money.  While this is true, today it’s so much more than money.  Time is a lunch with your daughter or son, an extra family vacation to the beach or even a needed recovery and rest day.  For me, time is that extra three day weekend to completely unplug and look my boys in the eye every time they speak to me. 

How do we invest the time we have NOW to create more time TOMORROW?

As business women we understand the importance of investing our money properly so we can get the biggest return on the money we invested.  We ask ourselves on a daily basis, where can we put our money today so we can have more of it tomorrow so we can spend or invest it on what we want.

An example of this is when I network either on social media or face to face.  I’m not looking for a ‘sale’ or immediate transaction. I’m investing in building relationships for I know this time invested in networking pays off much bigger than a quick sale.  I expand my circle of contacts, I building meaningful relationships and I surround myself with other successful people from which I can learn from and reach out to for advice.  That is investing n my business and myself.

Time is exactly the same!  How are you going to create more time tomorrow?  By leveraging the time you have today!

Here are 3 Tips on how to use your time today to create more time tomorrow:

1.      Assign Success a Time Slot – Just like you would a preventative doctor appointment.

Throughout the day, you are frequently interrupted and pulled in different directions. While you can’t eliminate distractions, you do get a say on how much time you spend on them.  You also decide how much time you will spend on the thoughts, conversations and actions that will lead you to success.

To maximize your results with this tip, assign all the roles you play in life a specific time block on your schedule.  Assign your ‘Mommy’, wife, caregiver, friend and business owner roles a specific block of time. 

Give YOURSELF a time slot too.  Before you go to bed every night, plan when you are going to eat and exercise the following day and write it in your calendar, just as you would a doctor’s appointment.  In order to get the very best out of yourself you must spend time on YOU and your health. In order to give 100% you must be 100%. 

Once you have blocked out accordingly, break down the block into 30 minute increments.  . Maybe it’s an income producing activity that has immediate pay off (calling clients or customers) or perhaps it’s a time investment activity that will yield you more time or money in the future.  

Any activity or conversation that's important to your success in each of your roles should have a specific time assigned to it. In your schedule literally mark a time that you will be doing that particular task.  Keep that time focused solely on the task with as few interruptions as possible.

An example of this is during my block of time in my ‘Business Leader’ role in life.   I know who I am meeting with and what we are talking about and I assign 30 minutes to each meeting. Another great example is during my block of time I label as ‘online fitness expert’.  I specify what time day and how much time I have to:

1.      Return emails.

2.     Respond to Social Media

3.     Create videos

4.     Check in with clients

I’ve found that creating specific responsibilities within each of my life roles allows me save time.  I don’t spend time deciding which activities need to be done.  I’ve already told myself what to do.

If you are still reading this article, please stop, pull up your schedule on your computer or pull out your pen and paper scheduler and physically block out your day according to your different life roles.  Once you do that, within each block organize the specific tasks that need to be done.  That also means write out when you will exercise, eat, pray or meditate tomorrow. 

If you do not have an appointment book or schedule, start one TODAY.

     2. Drop Kick Time Suckers

I own a service based business and I help other women create their online service based businesses.  One of the first things I tell my clients to do is eliminate all time suckers from their life.  And to do this, we must become comfortable with saying no.

While this is very hard for us to do because we have a deep seeded love to help others we must be fiercely protective of our time and eliminate anything that does not contribute directly to our priorities.

Keep in mind, saying yes to something means you are saying no to something else.  Saying no to something means you are saying yes to something else.

There are three ways you can say no. 

·       Eliminate

·       Delegate

·       Purposefully procrastinate

You can put this into effect immediately by making a list.  First, make a list of all your tasks in a given day.  Don’t forget the tasks that may seem inconsequential to you i.e. preparing food, personal development, watching TV, showering etc..)  Please take your time on this list, you will make the time back and then some!

Once this list is completed, assign each task a letter.  Write an ‘M’ (for ME) next to everything YOU must do.  There is no delegating it what so ever. Write a ‘D’ for each task that could be delegated.  Even if you have no intentions of ever doing so, assign it a letter ‘D’!  Lastly, write a ‘P’ for each task that you even question why you are doing it.  Perhaps this is a task that can be avoided all together.

An example of this I assign all my content creation an ‘M’.  There is nobody else that can be authentically me so I MUST create all my posts, blogs posts and ebooks.  However, I assign all my editing for my content a ‘D’.  I know I am not skilled in this craft and I have no intentions of taking the time to learn how to fine tune the craft. 

I assign a ‘P’ to all items that are not a priority in obtaining my weekly goals and that do not contribute to creating more time in my future.  An example is when send my team a newsletter.  I know creating that graphic is not going to add enough value to the email to create more time in the future. I also know they will not close the email immediately if they don’t see a shiny graphic.   I will send the email and when I copy and paste the email as a blog post, I will add the graphic.  

I also assign a ‘P’ to house chores.  I personally enjoy house chores and I believe it’s important to get the children involved.  A trick to be the best Time Ninja is to purposefully procrastinate folding the clothes or cleaning the bathrooms.  I work from home but that doesn’t mean that I can attend to house chores during my work hours.  I purposefully leave the clothes un folded, the dishes unwashed and the bed un made.  When the children are home, we can make it family time and I delegate responsibilities to my children.    

Evaluate your tasks and decide what type of role each task plays in your overall mission to create more time tomorrow.

     3.  Automate

Allow tasks to get done without you being there!  The best way to create more time tomorrow is to spend a little extra time setting it up to work by itself. 

Think about the last time you signed up for a free product online.  You provided your email address and probably received a thank-you email.  After another day or so, you usually receive another email giving you more information.  I promise, they sender is not sitting on by their computer, sipping coffee and keeping track of all sign ups on a spread-sheet.  They have an automated work flow that allows them to work on another revenue generating activity while you received your great free content.  Deconstruct your job description and see how you can fit this into your business.

One technique that really works for me is BATCHING.  I batch all my weekly Facebook Posts (that is my preferred social media platform, yours may be Instagram or Pintrest so use this as it pertains to you and your business) I create relevant and well thought out and relevant posts on Monday morning (yes, I do used recycled material from past posts!).  It takes me 1.5 hours and it’s done!  What I find is more time later in the week.  More importantly, more uninterrupted time!

You can do the same with your social media, your blogging, your newsletter or even your laundry!

The most successful CEOs only get about 30 minutes of uninterrupted time a day.  Think of what you can accomplish with scheduling one hour of focused time every day.  During our moments of concentration and focus is when we are the most productive.  Your ideas come to life, you minimize your distractions to see the bigger picture and become engrossed in the task at hand. 

The most productive people in the world are thinking ahead, not scurrying around in the moment but they can only do this by having structure in their day.  So, be fiercely protective of your time as you would a child because after all, time not spent with future returns in mind is time we forgo doing what we love with who we love in the future. 

Don’t be feel shame for turning others down feel joy and accomplishment that you are saying yes to the things that matter most in your life.  Always ask yourself  “How do I make the most of my time right now to create more time in the future?”

I would love to share more amazing content with you!  Please subscribe to this blog!