Busy days can send your energy gauge to near zero. You concentrate on how you spend your time, and the push and pull your create is exhausting.
You can “balance the books” with this GenuLines look at both sides of the equation.
Energy Management vs. Time Management
You’ve likely heard the old adage, “Life is a marathon, not a sprint.” You manage your time without paying attention to your energy management.
And now you’re running a sprint rather than pacing like a marathoner.
Research tells us that productivity and success have more to do with how you manage your energy. And they have less to do with time management.
At Work
In your work life you often try to do the things that give you more time.
Eating healthy, staying fit, spending time with your children and connecting with others all can suffer..
These take time and you do have to schedule some of your pursuits.
Have you considered whether you have the energy for those pursuits?
Trying to adhere to certain times to manage everything can leave you exhausted.
You’re not able to relax and enjoy yourself when you’ve “scheduled the time” for it.
Be The “Boss”
The alternative to managing your time is good energy management. This works when you take time to recover from those lengthy sprints.
You’re able to finish the marathon with ease rather than anguish.
Here are some tips for effective energy management.
Write It Down
Make a list of what makes you feel refreshed, more creative and lifts your mood. It’ll help remind you about the benefits of these uplifting activities.
For example, watching a great series or show you’re following on television. Or sipping a cup of tea and listening to music.
These can ramp up your energy levels.
Do your best to take longer breaks. Don’t stick to a time table when it comes to stepping up your energy level.
Have fun with whatever you’re doing. And reward yourself for every goal reached.
Pressed For Time
Do you have lots of projects and it seems you’ll never finish them to be able to relax and enjoy yourself? Break those projects down into parts.
Reward yourself after you complete each one. This beats waiting until you finish the entire project.
Recovery Stops
While you’re on a long sprint, you may feel the need to stop and renew your spirits and your energy. Do it!
You’ll feel so much more like completing the marathon and you’ll be happier at the finish. Managing your energy is a much more effective way to move through life.
Your inner energy thermostat doesn’t pay any attention to the time table you’ve created. Know this and, make it the most important factor in the marathon called life.
What makes you afraid? Is it losing someone close to you? A trip to the dentist?
Thunder and lightning?
Whatever it is, keep in mind that fear is normal. It’s how our body warns us of dangerous situations and that we should be careful.
Yet, sometimes, our fears can become so great that they hold us back from living up to our full potential. We’re stressed and anxious over the smallest things.
Then again fear, in its positive form, can actually be good for us. It can inspire innovative ideas and motivate us to reach new heights.
Today GenuLines helps you make fear your friend. Follow the six tips below, and you’ll know how to turn what was once your foe into an ally.
Let’s get started.
1. Identify the Source
This could be the hardest step, though it’s very much worth it. But first, you need to come to terms with the source of your fear.
Being aware of the root cause will be difficult in the beginning, but it’ll make you stronger. You’ll no longer live in the shadow of that big, insurmountable fear.
2. Own It
You’ve come face-to-face with your fear. Now, it’s time to own it.
But before you do that, you have to actually admit that such-and-such scares you. There are several ways to do this.
First, you can either say it out loud. Do this with someone else in a comfortable setting.
You can also write it down in a journal or diary. The point is to get it out of your head and into a way to deal with it.
That’s when your fear loses its control over you.
It also feels better to get it off your chest and share it with the world. It might surprise you to know that many other people are as afraid as you are.
3. Think Rationally
Fear makes us panic, and panic makes us do stupid things. In fact, studies show that when we panic, our prefrontal cortex shuts down.
This is the region of our brain responsible for rational thinking.
Learn how to think rationally despite your worries and panic. Make fear your friend, and you’ll be able to go a lot farther in life.
4. Take Stock
People deal with fear, stress, and anxiety in different ways. Some people like challenges and the pressure they bring.
Others find it better to work at their own pace without any tight deadlines looming overhead.
Whichever way you prefer, the important thing is not to let fear get the better of you. For example, say you’re afraid to speak in public.
A colleague gets sick and asks you to take over their presentation. In this scenario, you have to pick whether you’ll let your fear overpower you or whether you’ll rise to the challenge.
The latter won’t be easy, but it’ll definitely be worth it in the long run. Tell yourself that others have held presentations before and have lived to tell about it.
So, what’s the big deal?
Remember, your mind tends to blow things out of proportion. So, find a way to deal with the stress and take stock.
It’s the only way you’ll be able to harness your fear and get the job done.
5. Find Support
No one ever failed by having a strong support system. Surround yourself with people who encourage you to do better.
These are the people who listen to you when you’re venting about your fears and anxiety.
There’s research to back the benefits of having a support system. This helps your coping skills. your self-esteem. and your well-being.
Moreover, a sound support system can lower stress, anxiety, and depression rates.
6. Be Positive
Whenever you’re afraid, you’ll tend to focus on negative thoughts and emotions. But then, they fester in your mind and transform into this big, ugly thing that you can no longer control.
Why not try some positivity for a change? Remember, the mind is quite powerful; it only needs a small push in the right direction.
Stay in this mindset and expect things to fall into place.
Optimistic people seem to draw good things into their lives. But did you know that this includes better health, too?
This check-up from GenuLines will show you how that happens.
Improve Your Physical Health by Being Optimistic
It’s no surprise that being optimistic has mindset benefits. But did you know there are physical health benefits to being more optimistic?
Do you believe that some people are born with it and others aren’t that lucky? Yes, some come into the world with a cheery disposition.
But others including you can learn how to be optimistic. Even better news is that being optimistic can improve your general physical health.
The Benefits of Optimism on Your Physical Health
Keep a belief system of “I think I can, and I know I will.” Your goals can come to fruition with hard work and dedication.
Your workouts, exercise routines, and high intensity interval training will improve, too.
Once you develop an optimistic mindset and apply it to those routines, the benefits will include:
A more enjoyable workout
An increased capacity for a sustained commitment to your workout routine
The learned skill of creating momentum and reaching your fitness goals
An enhanced self-confidence helps you succeed in other areas of your life
Reaching goals with more ease with optimistic thinking
A willingness to take on other challenges in life
Experiencing satisfying results of optimistic thinking and affirming your success
A healthier mind and body Improved sleep
Building your self-esteem
Focusing on how hard your workout is or how much you dislike doing it keeps your mind focused on what does’t work. This will only your take you in the opposite direction of optimal physical health.
The Mind, Body Connection of Optimism
Think about the mind, body connection. Have you ever felt disappointment?
What does that feel like? It no doubt feels like a sinking in the pit of your stomach while your shoulders begin to sag.
Your emotions, thoughts, and feelings are all stored in your body somewhere. Nervousness can show up as butterflies or an upset stomach.
Anxiety can cause sweaty palms and trembling. And embarrassment leaves its own visible discomfort.
If you want a better body and a better workout don’t add more hours to your workout routine. Instead try taking on learned optimism.
If you think you can and know you will, your body and mind will begin to show the results. With more effort and less time, you may begin to see better results.
Is it time to re-consider your mindset? The beginning of the year is a good time to give it some thought.
While you think it over keep these GenuLines tips close at hand.
How Changing Your Mindset Can Improve Your Life
“See yourself living in abundance and you will attract it. It always works, it works every time, with every person.” – Bob Proctor
I’m guessing that you don’t often think about how your mindset affects your life. You’ve always thought this way.
Either because of your upbringing or other circumstances.
This in fact does affect your life. By changing how you think you can improve your life.
Abundance mindset, scarcity mindset, fear mindset, fixed mindset, growth mindset, and confident mindset. These of some of the different types of mindsets we have.
Each unconscious and conscious belief affects our lives every moment.
Self Improvement
Here are some ways changing your mindset to an abundance or growth mindset can improve your life.
You aren’t afraid to step out of your comfort zone. Changing to a growth mindset allows you to see the many paths available to you in whatever you’re seeking.
These can include job advancement, creative outlets or something more personal. This allows you to move forward rather than being stuck in the same place.
When you make these changes, you see there are plenty of resources to go around. Now, there will be competition, but you’ll see the opportunities in every aspect of your life.
You become comfortable sharing ideas without feeling threatened or intimidated. This leads to better choices, environments and relationships.
You aren’t afraid of being a part of a team and participating in group situations.
Relationships
Setting your sights on growth helps you build better personal and romantic relationships. You realize people will always have differences.
You find that a relationship involves learning about and from each other. And you grow together and develop skills to work well together.
You’ll begin to judge yourself and others less. You won’t have time to waste on judging what others are saying or doing. Instead you’ll be focusing on making progress in your life.
The growth mindset has you accepting constructive criticism for what it is and using it for growth. It helps you be more confident because you won’t need validation to reassure you that you’re doing it right.
You Can Change
And it will improve your life. You can cultivate, learn, practice and grow new skills.
You no longer worry about what will happen. Instead you’ll commit to the process of doing, finishing and learning along the way.
Your growth will help you become a better person. Your skills will grow and you’ll build relationships.
You’ll step out of your comfort zone to go after what you want and believe you’ll get it.
The words “peace of mind” often take on an ambiguous meaning. They can range from the serenity of a Buddhist monk to being able to sleep at night without a racing mind.
The phrase “peace of mind” has become watered down over time.
But there’s actually a valid reason for the various definitions of these words. We’re unique individuals navigating through life with a lot of perspectives and experiences.
So achieving peace of mind must also differ in its definition.
Your path to this state requires you to be your own trailblazer.
Whatever approach you take to reach piece of mind, it’s only important that you do.
Having It All
You can have all the drive, motivation, and intelligence in the world. But if you lack focus the road in front of you will always appear blurry.
We’ve already looked at the fact that peace of mind varies from person to person. But there’s one definition that encapsulates it.
– Peace of mind is the ability to appreciate and respect the person you are, realize that you are not perfect and that mistakes are inevitable. And you want to keep a limit on the regret and second-guessing you leave behind.
Looks Are Deceiving
There are many examples around us of people who, from the outside looking in, seem to have it all. They’re dominating the game of life.
Unfortunately, a lot of these people feel anything but successful in their own minds.
Sure, they may look like they’ve raced down the path of success. While this may be true; they’ve arrived at the finish line with a lot of extra baggage.
It could be that they made some unethical business decisions to accumulate a fortune. On the way they neglected those closest to them in pursuit of personal goals.
The point I’m getting at is that peace of mind is not a destination you reach.
In reality, it’s the WAY you reach this destination. As the ancients might say, “it’s not the destination, it’s the journey.”
Going For Broke
As you go through life, make sure to never fall into the “succeed at all costs” way of thinking. This may get you many of the material things of value the world has to offer.
But the enjoyment will fade out at some point. Another way of saying this is do things the right way.
Most of us have some form of moral compass. This could be our religious beliefs, cultural values, or personal code of ethics.
These things serve to speak to the person we are and the person we are to become. In your pursuit of success in this life, never jeopardize what is right to get ahead.
Make a habit of staying true to yourself. You’ll sleep well with a clarity of consciousness.
And that comes from knowing you did things the RIGHT way.
We’re told to keep an open mind, but it this really necessary? I mean, there are plenty of closed minded people in society, and they seem to do okay.
Here’s a GenuLines look at both sides of the question.
A Closed Mind Versus An Open Mind
There are two different mindsets that pretty much determine how you look at life. They’re at the root of belief systems, opinions, and thought processes..
We’re talking about open-minded and close-minded approaches.
People under almost the same circumstances can have differing attitudes about a situation. One person can feel devastated and sorry for themselves.
The other can see the problem as a learning opportunity. And they may use it to improve themselves in some way.
Or, something that seems positive can leave a person ungrateful or unsatisfied.
Living life with an open mind is the better way of navigating through life’s ups and downs. This mindset put you in a better position to enjoy the good times and to cope with the bad.
Today we look at common examples of how keeping an open mind is the better choice.
Conflict
We experience conflict in the workplace and at home. It touches our relationships with friends and family alike.
During their interactions people bring differing opinions and perspectives to the table. Let’s say a group wants to reach an agreement.
The closed-minded individual tends to see things from their own viewpoint only.
This way of thinking ends in a stalemate. Not only does progress stop, but there’s damage to relationships.
But, the individual with an open mind can empathize with others in a way that moves everyone to a middle ground. Having an open mind is an important approach when working through disagreements.
Struggle Sessions
How often do we see people struggling with the same issues over and over? Yet they never seem to resolve them.
There are plenty of examples of this.
The person who gets into and out of relationships on a regular basis. The coworker who fails to progress in a company after years of grinding it out at the same position.
Or the person who falls off the wagon despite the same new year’s resolution made every year. Usually this failure pattern results from approaching these situations with a closed mind.
Closed minders find it tough to change their tactics to deal with the issue. They make the same mistakes over and over again, failing to learn from them.
Taking Responsibility
Maintaining an open mind helps you to own up to your mistakes. This helps you adapt to similar situations moving forward. An open mind powers your progress in any situation.
These are far from all the examples that show the superiority of an open-mind. But the message is loud and clear.
The neutrality of your circumstances is open to your interpretation. Having an open mind enables you to find the silver lining that the closed mind doesn’t see.
The idea of failure can send a shiver up your spine. But it’s time to give it a second look.
This GenuLines look at failure flips the script in your favor. .
Failure Is Your Friend
There’s no shortage of content about success. A quick search about any business-related subject will show you a slew of stuff.
Search Amazon using the word “success”. What are your search results going to be?
Hundreds and hundreds of books whose subject revolves around being successful at something.
Now, this is not actually a bad thing. Everyone wants to be successful at whatever it is they’re doing.
This is especially true in a business environment.
Good Business
In business, success means a satisfied and happy customer base. It means demand for your product or service exceeds supply.
It means having a lean and flexible organization. Most of all, it means a comfortable profit margin.
The thing is, success isn’t all about success. Let me put that another way.
When all you do is concentrate on the positive end results of being successful, you miss the point. You see, it’s ironic, but real success isn’t about succeeding.
Instead, it’s about failure.
Hush Hush
No one wants to talk about failure. People tend to avoid both the word and the concept.
Listen to talk about failure and you find it’s treated as a moral lesson. The person who failed becomes an example of how not to do things.
Could some internal personal flaw have caused the failure? This kind of thinking can be damaging.
It perpetuates the myth of winners who succeed with almost no effort. That their win was due to some sort of superior moral compass.
The truth is that you must fail to succeed.
Oscar Wilde said that experience is the name that we give our mistakes. Nothing could be truer.
Learn From Your Mistakes
Failing teaches you the lessons that you need to learn on your way to your goals. The most successful people understand this.
They have internalized the lessons of their own failures. They have used these lessons to get where they are today.
Real success isn’t a game. It’s not a reality show.
It doesn’t fall upon the shoulders of the chosen few.
Real success comes from failing, often more than once. It’s in these moments of failure that you learn how to avoid future mistakes.
You’re in charge of your life, but it doesn’t exactly come with an instruction book! Feels like a Rubik’s Cube sometimes.
It’s a puzzle that GenuLines will do it’s best to help you figure out.
What Am I Doing with My Life? Tips for Figuring Things Out
Do you often find yourself wondering what you are doing in life? Many people reach a point where they feel they lack direction in their lives.
Instead of living life to the fullest, they only go through the motions.
If this sounds like you, there are things you can do to help you get out of the rut you’re in. Below, you’ll discover some useful tips for figuring out what it is you want from life.
Consider Your Passions
If you want to know what direction to go in, it’s helpful to think about the things you’re passionate about. The things that motivate and inspire you will change on a frequent basis.
For example, what you want today may look very different to what you wanted a few months ago. You change and adapt over time according to your experiences.
You want to keep assessing what it is you want.
Figuring out the things you’re passionate about will help you to understand where to go next. And what you need to do to get there.
Address Your Fears
Even if you know what it is you want to do, you might be stuck in fear. It’s one of our most powerful emotions.
Fear can stop you from going after the things you want in life.
So, if you’re going to move forward and figure out what it is you’re doing in life, you’re going to need to address your fears.
Figure out where the fear is coming from. Then, be willing to work through them so you can stop them controlling your life.
Assess Your Current Goals
Do you have any goals you’re working on right now? Chances are, if you aren’t sure what you’re doing in your life, you won’t have any goals to work towards.
This can contribute to the problem.
You need to set goals to keep motivated and positive. When you have things to work for, it gives you a purpose each day.
As you see yourself progressing you’re more motivated to get where you need to be, Make sure you set small, specific goals that are easy to achieve.
You Don’t Need To Have It All Figured Out
There will always be doubts and things you want to do better. You don’t have to have it all figured out all the time.
In fact, going with the flow can open you to a lot of opportunities you would otherwise miss.
Feeling like you don’t know what you’re doing in life can be lonely and frustrating. The above are only some of the things you can do to figure out what it is you want..
You’re serious about making your life a success. But is all that effort really paying off?
Today GenuLines looks at some indicators that help you answer that question.
10 Signs You’re On The Road To Success
The meaning of success can be a bit tricky because it’s so subjective. Rarely do two people share the same exact experiences.
But there are certain milestones that are general enough to help give us a sense of direction.
These milestones help pick us up when times are hard, lift our morale. They serve as a reminder of how far we’ve gotten and how much we’ve accomplished.
They also act as a beacon to help guide us if ever we stray from our goals and objectives.
Here are 10 of the most common signs you’re on the road to success:
1. You have plans and you’re passionate about them
Most people think success is all about the goals. And while that’s true, the bigger part of success is having a framework.
Something that will help navigate you until you reach those goals. You don’t want to let others’ definition of success influence your vision.
2. You learn from your mistakes
Acknowledging your shortcomings can be tough. But looking at things from a wider angle will give you mental clarity.
You’ll be able to try things in a different way next time around. Plus, being able to adapt means you’ll find more creative ways and insights to achieve your goals.
And learning from others’ mistakes make gives you valuable knowledge from their experiences.
3. You strive for more
Having constant goals that you’re trying to reach is a sign that you’re motivated and excited about life. Seeing the future before it plays out is an important trait of successful people.
They know what they want and make plans to get it. And they treat obstacles as learning experiences.
4. You welcome feedback
Criticism can be harsh, especially as you get started. But you need to see it as helpful advice, instead of personalizing it. Use it as a guide to help improve yourself.
5. You spend your time wisely
Planning your schedule in an efficient manner helps you get as many things done as possible. You don’t often get sidetracked.
You’re focused and punctual. If you’re an early riser you get excited about what the day has in store for you.
6. You have initiative
You aren’t afraid to get your hands dirty, and work outside your comfort zone. You’re aware that no one will turn your dream into a reality except you.
So be willing to roll up your sleeves and jump right in. Always look for better and newer ways to achieve your goals.
7. You’re excited about learning new things
Be curious about everything. You’ll gain a little bit of knowledge that you didn’t have yesterday.
8. You work well with others
When you work well with others and play on each other’s strengths, you all come out winners. And best of all, you reach your goal faster and with better results.
One negative aspect of working with others is that it’s easy to assign blame. But confident people step up, take responsibility.
They work hard at finding an alternative solution. And they’re happy when others are successful
9. You know your weaknesses and strengths
Working to improve your weaknesses and polish your strengths is itself a sign of success. You exude confidence and a sense of inner stability.
And who wouldn’t want to work with someone like that?
10. You’re tenacious and not quick to give up
Even when things aren’t going your way, you don’t see giving up as an option. You have goals in mind, and plans to follow to reach those goals and nothing can stand in your way.
You stay positive in the face of adversity, and you don’t settle for less.
Keeping a good attitude helps you stay on the road to realizing your dreams. Kinda hard to argue with that.
Today GenuLines examines how your mental attitude can take some of the bumps out of that road.
How Your Mental Attitude Helps You Prosper
You’ve heard the one about ‘The Power Of Positivity’ right? Yes, it’s a famous book that made someone famous.
And it’s become even more famous because other famous people agree with this famous saying. And they live by it, or at least that’s what they tell everyone that they do.
Let’s find out for ourselves.
Being Positive Helps You To Be More Positive
Positivity has a wonderful characteristic. It’s a feedback loop of positivity.
When you’re more positive you feel better about yourself and your life. And that positivity builds on itself.
Unfortunately, negativity works in exactly the same way. But that’s for miserable people and we’re not going to be like them, are we?
To some, this will make complete sense immediately. But I can already hear some ‘Negative Nellies.’ They’re saying, “How can I be positive about my life when it’s so bad?” There’s a simple answer. It’s loved by children, and it’s called ‘Let’s Pretend’.
The Prosperity Of ‘Let’s Pretend’
Your brain doesn’t know the difference between what’s happening to you and what’s imagined. Think about spending all day imagining that everything was great.
You felt happy about yourself and your life. You would think that everything was great and that you were happy about yourself and your life.
Isn’t that great, and a positive thing to know?
But if things aren’t particularly great you can pretend and make your brain think that they actually are. But how does this apply to prosperity?
If you feel and think you’re prosperous, who on earth is there to say that you’re not. You might not have the biggest house or newest car.
Yet if you don’t need those things to be happy and peaceful in your life, then what do they have to do with true prosperity? If you’re in an internal state of happiness and peace, then you are more likely to be open to opportunities.
Your internal state influences your external state. Have a go at making yourself more prosperous by being more positive.