Blog Layout

Are You Investing Your Time Effectively?

LisaMarie • Dec 09, 2019

 

Have you ever uttered the sentence, “I don’t have enough time.”


Or, do you have a list of what you would do if you only have “enough” time?


I grew up as a list maker.


I’d even add things to my list after I did them as I was obsessed with being efficient and getting things done.


My days were spent running around trying to complete my “to-do’s” that I rarely had time to spend with people who I said mattered most to me.


Today, I get more done without losing what matters most.


See, most people operate on autopilot.


You may have settled into a comfortable life giving up on your own dreams because you were told it was time to grow up and get a real job.


Growing up becomes about bills to pay and taking on “serious” responsibilities like mortgages and car payments — until one day you get a wake-up call.


A health scare


A loved one who suddenly dies


A missed opportunity


Then – and only then – you set out wondering how you got where you are. And, see where you aren’t.


At Design Your Destiny Live, I tell attendees not to wait for that wake-up call to design their destiny.


The time is now.


The world needs you and your brilliance.


Recently I taught a class on “Turning Productivity into Profitability”.


This is simply about effectively investing your time in what matters most to you and getting a return on your investment.


We all get 24 hours a day – Oprah, Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr, etc.


Courageous leaders get that every minute matters and see it as a blessing, not a stressing.


Becoming hyper-focused with your lack of time creates more lack.


I learned this through the Power of the Pause.


Throughout the day, I practice being still just for one minute.


It often feels like a very, very long time.


Yet, you get 60 of these every hour – and you get 24 hours each day.


A minute of pause allows me to life my head and get perspective.


I can ask if what I am doing is off-point and needs adjustment, or is the best use of my time in the moment.


A minute allows me to take a breath and be open to receiving rather than forcing.


A minute allows me to check in to see if I need to take care of myself.


On the other side of a well-invested minute, I will be more effective and positioned to make better use of the minutes remaining.


Action:

The return on that minute invested pays big dividends.


The Upside Challenge of the week is to schedule several 1-minute breaks into your calendar every day this week. Practice a) relaxed breathing, b) checking in about what you are doing, and c) checking in about what you need.


When you take a minute, notice what happens. The world needs you and your brilliance.

By Lisa Marie Platske 14 Mar, 2024
The worst part of my business is seeing people with potential and watching them squander away their opportunities, understanding that if they put the work in and did it with consistent effort, they would be successful. Massively successful. Sure, they may have to make a few sacrifices. How do you think I got to where I'm at today?!? Instead, I see many folks with potential choose the path of least resistance, making excuses for their plight. I didn't get a silver spoon; rather, I graduated from The School of Hard Knocks. You've got to believe you can achieve what you want -- and that you're worthy to have it. This determines what's possible as it's the seed that will produce delicious fruit or not. You can't choose actions and make decisions from a place of lack or scarcity. That only leads to negative results. To change the success cycle, you have to first see the outcome you want, and then believe it's possible because your mind can't tell the difference between what is imagined and what is real. This goes back to the body of work that Aristotle and Plato brought to the world. If you can start to envision what your life will be like putting in the effort and getting the results, you can change the momentum in your life. Most people only envision the result -- and not the work. They see the car they want to drive or the house they want to live in, and forget to envision what they are willing to do to put forth the effort, energy, and work to have what they want. I've learned the more I do the hard things, the easier my life gets. When I do the easy things, the harder my life gets. Believe in yourself and take the necessary actions. If you don't think what you want is possible, borrow my belief in you. The World Needs You and Your Brilliance. ACTION: The Upside Challenge this week is to pick one area of your life where you've been making excuses or taking the path of least resistance. Identify the potential you have in this area that you have not fully tapped into if you were to do the work. Visualize in detail what it would look like and feel like if you put in the effort and achieved the success you desire. Let yourself believe at your core that you are capable of making it happen. Then, write down 1-3 small, specific action steps you can take this week to start making progress. They should feel challenging and actionable. Remember, the only limits on your potential are the ones you place on yourself. That's the power of Upside Thinking.
By Lisa Marie Platske 11 Mar, 2024
There's a simple daily practice that will increase your success, and you just may be undervaluing it. If you knew doing it would GUARANTEE ~ clarity, ~ happiness, and ~ meaning, would you ignore it because it was simple? I'm talking about the power of gratitude. Gratitude isn't an emotion. It's also not a "nice-to-do" practice. Gratitude is a habit that, when implemented, has the ability to remind you of your commitments and why they matter. There are studies that link it to emotional well-being. Regardless of what shows up to derail you and take you off track, gratitude has the ability to keep you on course. Start your day with it in the morning for clarity on your daily tasks. End your day by acknowledging all you did and expressing thanks, even for the challenges that popped up. Speak it aloud and tell someone. Gratitude practiced daily uplifts everyone around you. I spent the last week on the farm with my baby sister. Our time together was an immense blessing to me and my business. I'm deeply grateful for the people in my life, as well as having the ability to rest and refuel my tank before traveling to speak and see clients again. How about you? Who are you most grateful for right now? ACTION: The Upside Challenge this week is to start and end each day by writing down 3 things for which you are grateful. Take just a few minutes in the morning and before bed to reflect deeply on what you appreciate and why. Think about small joys as well as big blessings. Keep your list somewhere you'll see it often as a reminder to stay grateful. Speak it out loud and choose to share your list with someone. Gratitude shared multiplies its benefits. Remember, the World Needs You and Your Brilliance. 
By Lisa Marie Platske 07 Mar, 2024
Receiving is better than giving. This is something that took decades for me to learn, and I feel it’s deeply misunderstood. Most people struggle to receive, having grown up with the mantra, "It’s better to give than receive." Yet, if that’s true, where does what you have to give come from? Didn’t you have to receive something first – in order to be able to give?!? And if you are giving something, doesn’t someone else have to be open to receiving it?!? It’s incredibly important to be a receiver of goodness in life. A great example of this is... I’m a hugger. When hugging, you have the opportunity to do both. See, the effects of touch on the body are long-lasting. For children and adults alike, the physiological effects of positive touch are: ~ Reduced stress and anxiety ~ Stronger immune system ~ Increased circulation And research shows babies who receive affection have a greater chance of living happier, healthier lives. That’s why when I choose to hug someone, it’s an action I am deeply present for. I’m transferring my energy – my soul imprint – onto the person I’m hugging. Some people want to pull away because they haven’t yet learned how to receive and are uncomfortable with the giving that’s going on. Have you learned how to be a good receiver? For without receiving, there can be no giving. That's putting leadership into action. On a side note, 1.3 million social media messages have been about giving - while there are only 80,000 on receiving! ACTION: The Upside Challenge this week is to consciously practice receiving from others with an open heart. When someone extends an act of kindness, words of affirmation, a gift, or even just their presence - don't deflect or downplay it. Fully take in what they are offering you without judgement. Receive the love, guidance, and support that life continually provides. Being a generous receiver is just as important as being a generous giver. The world needs more conscious leaders who know when to step back and receive what is being offered for their highest good. 
By Lisa Marie Platske 04 Mar, 2024
Delicate times. That’s the best way I can describe the world today. My choice to remain upside with all that swirls around me and in me doesn’t mean I’m oblivious to the pain going on in the world. Most days I’m engaged in difficult, and often emotionally-charged conversations, and at times with people whose views differ from mine. Most days I experience bouts of uncertainty, questioning what I’m being asked – dare I say, called by the Holy Spirit -- to do with my life. Many days the conversations are with folks, ranging in age from 21-71, who are dealing with addictions, trauma, and grief. Usually, there is also anger associated with each of these situations. That doesn't mean they're raving lunatics. You probably couldn't tell as the anger, guilt, and shame are internal. I'm honored to do this leadership work because I understand it. Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote, “ For every minute you are angry, you lose sixty seconds of happiness. ” After 9/11, I was angry. Very, very angry. This anger was the culmination of years of anger, and until I learned where my anger came from and I shifted the way I saw the world, I rarely felt really happy. I see a lot of that going on right now. In 2001, I made the decision I didn’t want anger to be my operating system where I traded in my happiness for the pain that was behind the anger. There are things that are going on in the world right now that anger me greatly, and I focus my energy on taking positive action. And, I make room to grieve. Happiness is a state of being. While you may experience joy here and there, if your neuro-network allows anger to run the show, you stop yourself from choosing happiness and being happy. By holding on to anger for too long in any given situation, you harm yourself. There are certain techniques I use to release anger and grief. For starters, to release anger, I identify what it is I am angry about and why. I examine the content and the context. Then I decide to take the energy created by the emotion and consciously direct it into a constructive action. By taking positive action, I de-energize the situation, detach from the content to focus my action, and am freed up to move forward without baggage. I also do a forgiveness exercise. While simple, it's not a 'once and done' activity. You deserve to be happy. The best leaders get this. Not from a place of ignorance, rather from a place of choice. ACTION: The Upside Challenge this week is to practice consciously releasing anger and choosing happiness instead. When you notice yourself feeling angry about a situation, pause and reflect : - What specifically is triggering this anger? Name it. - What past experiences or patterns may this be bringing up for you? - How might this situation look from the other person's perspective? - What constructive action could you take to improve things? Then, make a deliberate choice to release the anger and redirect that energy into positive change, rather than fueling negativity. Let go of what you cannot control. Forgive others and yourself. Finally, do something that brings you joy - listen to uplifting music, get outdoors, call a friend, play with a pet. Your leadership is defined not by an easy life. It is by how you meet adversity, wisdom, compassion and courage. The world needs beacons of hope that remind us happiness is a choice, in any moment. 
More Posts
By Lisa Marie Platske 14 Mar, 2024
The worst part of my business is seeing people with potential and watching them squander away their opportunities, understanding that if they put the work in and did it with consistent effort, they would be successful. Massively successful. Sure, they may have to make a few sacrifices. How do you think I got to where I'm at today?!? Instead, I see many folks with potential choose the path of least resistance, making excuses for their plight. I didn't get a silver spoon; rather, I graduated from The School of Hard Knocks. You've got to believe you can achieve what you want -- and that you're worthy to have it. This determines what's possible as it's the seed that will produce delicious fruit or not. You can't choose actions and make decisions from a place of lack or scarcity. That only leads to negative results. To change the success cycle, you have to first see the outcome you want, and then believe it's possible because your mind can't tell the difference between what is imagined and what is real. This goes back to the body of work that Aristotle and Plato brought to the world. If you can start to envision what your life will be like putting in the effort and getting the results, you can change the momentum in your life. Most people only envision the result -- and not the work. They see the car they want to drive or the house they want to live in, and forget to envision what they are willing to do to put forth the effort, energy, and work to have what they want. I've learned the more I do the hard things, the easier my life gets. When I do the easy things, the harder my life gets. Believe in yourself and take the necessary actions. If you don't think what you want is possible, borrow my belief in you. The World Needs You and Your Brilliance. ACTION: The Upside Challenge this week is to pick one area of your life where you've been making excuses or taking the path of least resistance. Identify the potential you have in this area that you have not fully tapped into if you were to do the work. Visualize in detail what it would look like and feel like if you put in the effort and achieved the success you desire. Let yourself believe at your core that you are capable of making it happen. Then, write down 1-3 small, specific action steps you can take this week to start making progress. They should feel challenging and actionable. Remember, the only limits on your potential are the ones you place on yourself. That's the power of Upside Thinking.
By Lisa Marie Platske 11 Mar, 2024
There's a simple daily practice that will increase your success, and you just may be undervaluing it. If you knew doing it would GUARANTEE ~ clarity, ~ happiness, and ~ meaning, would you ignore it because it was simple? I'm talking about the power of gratitude. Gratitude isn't an emotion. It's also not a "nice-to-do" practice. Gratitude is a habit that, when implemented, has the ability to remind you of your commitments and why they matter. There are studies that link it to emotional well-being. Regardless of what shows up to derail you and take you off track, gratitude has the ability to keep you on course. Start your day with it in the morning for clarity on your daily tasks. End your day by acknowledging all you did and expressing thanks, even for the challenges that popped up. Speak it aloud and tell someone. Gratitude practiced daily uplifts everyone around you. I spent the last week on the farm with my baby sister. Our time together was an immense blessing to me and my business. I'm deeply grateful for the people in my life, as well as having the ability to rest and refuel my tank before traveling to speak and see clients again. How about you? Who are you most grateful for right now? ACTION: The Upside Challenge this week is to start and end each day by writing down 3 things for which you are grateful. Take just a few minutes in the morning and before bed to reflect deeply on what you appreciate and why. Think about small joys as well as big blessings. Keep your list somewhere you'll see it often as a reminder to stay grateful. Speak it out loud and choose to share your list with someone. Gratitude shared multiplies its benefits. Remember, the World Needs You and Your Brilliance. 
By Lisa Marie Platske 07 Mar, 2024
Receiving is better than giving. This is something that took decades for me to learn, and I feel it’s deeply misunderstood. Most people struggle to receive, having grown up with the mantra, "It’s better to give than receive." Yet, if that’s true, where does what you have to give come from? Didn’t you have to receive something first – in order to be able to give?!? And if you are giving something, doesn’t someone else have to be open to receiving it?!? It’s incredibly important to be a receiver of goodness in life. A great example of this is... I’m a hugger. When hugging, you have the opportunity to do both. See, the effects of touch on the body are long-lasting. For children and adults alike, the physiological effects of positive touch are: ~ Reduced stress and anxiety ~ Stronger immune system ~ Increased circulation And research shows babies who receive affection have a greater chance of living happier, healthier lives. That’s why when I choose to hug someone, it’s an action I am deeply present for. I’m transferring my energy – my soul imprint – onto the person I’m hugging. Some people want to pull away because they haven’t yet learned how to receive and are uncomfortable with the giving that’s going on. Have you learned how to be a good receiver? For without receiving, there can be no giving. That's putting leadership into action. On a side note, 1.3 million social media messages have been about giving - while there are only 80,000 on receiving! ACTION: The Upside Challenge this week is to consciously practice receiving from others with an open heart. When someone extends an act of kindness, words of affirmation, a gift, or even just their presence - don't deflect or downplay it. Fully take in what they are offering you without judgement. Receive the love, guidance, and support that life continually provides. Being a generous receiver is just as important as being a generous giver. The world needs more conscious leaders who know when to step back and receive what is being offered for their highest good. 
By Lisa Marie Platske 04 Mar, 2024
Delicate times. That’s the best way I can describe the world today. My choice to remain upside with all that swirls around me and in me doesn’t mean I’m oblivious to the pain going on in the world. Most days I’m engaged in difficult, and often emotionally-charged conversations, and at times with people whose views differ from mine. Most days I experience bouts of uncertainty, questioning what I’m being asked – dare I say, called by the Holy Spirit -- to do with my life. Many days the conversations are with folks, ranging in age from 21-71, who are dealing with addictions, trauma, and grief. Usually, there is also anger associated with each of these situations. That doesn't mean they're raving lunatics. You probably couldn't tell as the anger, guilt, and shame are internal. I'm honored to do this leadership work because I understand it. Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote, “ For every minute you are angry, you lose sixty seconds of happiness. ” After 9/11, I was angry. Very, very angry. This anger was the culmination of years of anger, and until I learned where my anger came from and I shifted the way I saw the world, I rarely felt really happy. I see a lot of that going on right now. In 2001, I made the decision I didn’t want anger to be my operating system where I traded in my happiness for the pain that was behind the anger. There are things that are going on in the world right now that anger me greatly, and I focus my energy on taking positive action. And, I make room to grieve. Happiness is a state of being. While you may experience joy here and there, if your neuro-network allows anger to run the show, you stop yourself from choosing happiness and being happy. By holding on to anger for too long in any given situation, you harm yourself. There are certain techniques I use to release anger and grief. For starters, to release anger, I identify what it is I am angry about and why. I examine the content and the context. Then I decide to take the energy created by the emotion and consciously direct it into a constructive action. By taking positive action, I de-energize the situation, detach from the content to focus my action, and am freed up to move forward without baggage. I also do a forgiveness exercise. While simple, it's not a 'once and done' activity. You deserve to be happy. The best leaders get this. Not from a place of ignorance, rather from a place of choice. ACTION: The Upside Challenge this week is to practice consciously releasing anger and choosing happiness instead. When you notice yourself feeling angry about a situation, pause and reflect : - What specifically is triggering this anger? Name it. - What past experiences or patterns may this be bringing up for you? - How might this situation look from the other person's perspective? - What constructive action could you take to improve things? Then, make a deliberate choice to release the anger and redirect that energy into positive change, rather than fueling negativity. Let go of what you cannot control. Forgive others and yourself. Finally, do something that brings you joy - listen to uplifting music, get outdoors, call a friend, play with a pet. Your leadership is defined not by an easy life. It is by how you meet adversity, wisdom, compassion and courage. The world needs beacons of hope that remind us happiness is a choice, in any moment. 
More Posts
Share by: