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Having a hard time finding focus?

November 14, 2016 by Jane Boyd

Finding focus

It can be hard to find focus sometimes.

A few months ago, I was talking with a colleague who was having a hard time finding focus in their work. They spoke of feeling pulled in multiple directions and of many obligations — both at work and with their family. As I listened, I could hear how frustrated they were feeling. It was obvious that a few things needed to shift for them. They needed to create a path that would get them moving forward in a more focused way. A path that was achievable and that would help to reduce the level of distractions they were experiencing. They needed to find a way to feel a true sense of control over their life.

Working together, we set out to make a list of ideas and strategies that, when practiced, had the potential to really assist them. Here’s a few key things we put on that list . . .

  • Reduce interruptions when focus is needed! This meant finding the least distracting spot to work, eliminating the constant notifications on their computer and smart phone and planning ahead to maximize productivity during the quietest moments of the day.
  • Stop working. Really! This was critical — often my colleague would keep working long into the night — when they were overtired and actually not productive at all. Instead of pushing themselves to keep on going we agreed that they would set a regular time to stop their work. This would support them to move on in their day and to be sure they were enjoying time with family and friends more frequently.
  • Look after self. These were simple self care ideas — but they mattered. Going to bed earlier and getting up earlier. Finding moments in the day to breathe more deeply, calming busy thoughts in their mind and being more mindful throughout the day. It also included eating more real food and less junk food – and — actually remembering to eat. Oh – and getting their body moving. Going for walks or for a swim several times a week.

Today, things have improved. My colleague tells me they feel more focused and less distracted. These improvements show in the projects they are working on and in how they are generally feeling. They seem more at ease. They are also more aware of what works and doesn’t related to maintaining ongoing focus and eliminating distractions.

Finding your way to focus can be difficult. Sometimes the more we try to achieve focus the more distracted we become. It can be good to get out of your own head and discuss your thinking with another person. You’d be amazed just how many other people also struggle with distractions and maintaining focus. Other people can offer you solid ideas and suggestions that can make a real difference.

Do the things you need to do — so you can reduce the distractions in your life and improve your overall focus. Finding focus will make everything so much easier, faster and more rewarding.

Put Your Mind to It

The next time you find yourself having difficulty with focus or you feel distracted from your work — take note. Ask yourself what is happening that is causing you to feel that way? Consider what you can change up in your life. Talk about it with a close colleague or friend and get their input.

More from Successful-Blog on Focus

The Most Important Thing You Can Focus On Today

Distraction or Opportunity?


Jane Boyd is a Partner in GeniusShared. She is also the CEO of 45 Conversations Media & Education Ltd, a Canadian education and training company based just outside of Vancouver Canada. She works with educators, business, community and government in the areas of early learning, work-life, community development and employee engagement.

Filed Under: Productivity, Sharing Genius Tagged With: distraction, focus

Sometimes We Outgrow Our Stories

October 31, 2016 by Jane Boyd

Sometimes we outgrow our stories.
Sometimes we outgrow our stories.

The other day I was having a conversation with a friend. We were sharing stories from days gone by about each of our lives. We hopped from one story to the next — based on what each of us were sharing. It was really an incredible discussion as we were each learning from the other through the power of the stories we were telling.

Over the last few years I’ve been much more aware of the way I share my own personal stories with others. Of what it is that I’m putting out into the world. And of how the stories I tell impact others as well as myself. It’s become somewhat of an acquired skill — being truly aware of exactly what my stories are and how I share them. Of what they mean to me. I suppose you could say I have a new level of self awareness when it comes to the stories I tell myself and others.

Anyway, there my friend and I were sharing stories. Funny stories, sad stories and stories that make you think — that cause you to question your perspective on things. We reached a point in the discussion, where it seemed like the right moment for me to share a story that I often tell. One from my past that has always brought to mind a series of mixed thoughts and emotions. I told the story just as I always have. And the response was the same as it often is — one of interest and engagement. Yet, as I was telling the story I realized something. I wasn’t feeling the same way I usually did about this particular story. In fact, the further I got into the story the more I realized that I might just have outgrown the story. That perhaps it was actually no longer as relevant to my life or the person I am today. By the time I was finished the story, it was as though I knew the story wouldn’t be sitting on the same bookshelf of stories in my life any longer. It truly was a story from my past — and it no longer represented who I am today.

It’s important to remember that we decide the stories that decide our lives. And that sometimes we outgrow our stories — because we change, move on or let go of things that once held onto us. Learning to recognize when it’s time to retire a story so you can move on to write new stories in your life is essential. It’s the difference between building your future vs living in the past.

Put Your Mind to It

The next time you find yourself sharing stories about who you are, your life and you past — take a moment to reflect. Are they really the stories you want to tell about yourself? Do they align with the person you are today?

More from Successful-Blog . . .

What are the four elements of human freedom?

Five ways to attack the hard things in your business


Jane Boyd is a Partner in GeniusShared. She is also the CEO of 45 Conversations Media & Education Ltd, a Canadian education and training company based just outside of Vancouver Canada. She works with educators, business, community and government in the areas of early learning, work-life, community development and employee engagement.

Filed Under: P2020, Sharing Genius Tagged With: Jane Boyd, stories, stories we tell ourselves, the stories we tell ourselves

It’s Not Your Passion, But Your Purpose

September 5, 2016 by Liz

Everyone feels lost sometimes.

Everyone feels lost sometimes.

I don’t think I know anyone who hasn’t been lost in their head at one time or another — even those folks overachieving all over the Internet. We all find those moments that we wonder about who we are and what we want. But the question is not whether everyone gets lost, but how we get ourselves back on the road to the life we want.

Ask everyone how to get back to moving forward, and soon enough someone will say, “Follow your passion.” Follow your passion? What if my passion is sitting on the beach, listening to music?

When faced with the questions of who we are and what we want, the road to moving forward follows your purpose. Passion is only half the story. However you define success in business or in life, a critical component is finding your purpose — your unique ability to help others that involves both your mind and your heart.

Purpose is both credibility and passion. Credibility is at the heart of knowing who we are. To find your credibility, ask yourself what you’re already known for, what you’re good at, what you’ve accomplished. Passion is at the heart of knowing what we want. To find your passion, name what you talk about, think about, and do every day — without payment — simply because it makes you feel like you’ve got a contribution to make. In other words, concentrate on combining what you do well with what you really like.

If you’re an ex-lawyer fascinated by marketing. You might find your crossroads showing lawyers how to market their business. If you’re a mother who wants to start a small business, research small businesses for mothers or by show mothers how they might get started in business. Then help others who feel lost find their unique space.

It’s hard to feel lost when you’re helping people find their own way.

Be irresistible,

Liz

Put Your Mind to It

Set your mind to find the crossroads of your credibility and your passion. You’ll find a problem that you have solved for yourself in your own, unique way. Consider how you solved that problem for yourself. Then go solve that problem for everyone else.

More from Liz . . . about Not Passion, But Purpose:

Are You Seeing the Things that Make a Difference to Your Business and Your Life?

Choosing and Deciding: How Do You Sort a Path to Opportunity?

Filed Under: GeniusShared Newsletter Read, Personal Branding, Personal Development, Sharing Genius Tagged With: passion, Passion-Meets-Purpose, purpose

Getting Past Fear

August 22, 2016 by Liz

Screen Shot 2016-08-26 at 6.20.34 PM

I felt the more embarrassing fear of people’s judgment.

When I decided it was time to write again, I avoided the computer for the longest time. On the rare occasion that I managed to sit myself down to write, I’d get caught up answering email or reading articles around the web, not doing writing I had sat down to do. Some people would call what I felt was writer’s block or procrastination. But those words name the behavior, not its source — fear.

Fear is a silent villain. Until we see it, we can’t make it go.

Once I could speak loud enough to be heard and had the energy to think new thoughts, I found myself on shaky ground — I was afraid that I no longer had a “voice” that is relevant to the world. But I didn’t realize that at first. At first I was lost in overthinking. I felt like a trapeze artist to fly without a net for the first time.

At first, I was lost in rationalizations . . . I’ve been gone for so long, I don’t know what the audience is thinking. . . . I don’t know what their problems are now. . . . were the most common ones.

It wasn’t until I finally listened to myself that I found out what the problem was. I was consistently there every time I talked about what held me back. I thought I was stopped by what other people think or do. I was sidetracked before I even got to that by the words I don’t know. . . . Now I was getting somewhere. That was something I could know.

When I recognized my fear, I could consider it rationally rather than trying to rationalize it. I told myself I couldn’t possibly know everything. So what was all of this “I don’t know” fear about? I didn’t fear for my safety or fear getting lost. What feared was what people expected of me. I had faced that fear before. That fear is about fighting with ghosts. No one can win the approval of everyone.

I felt the fear of people’s judgment. Which people? My family? No. My friends? No. My third grade class? The city of Chicago or the entire population of the Internet? The world doesn’t have time to decide whether I do my best?

We have to find our true value by deciding for ourselves.

Be irresistible,

Liz

Put Your Mind to It

Take a few minutes to think about what you value in yourself. Do you give yourself the credit you’re due?  Decide what you know, what you do, and what you expect from yourself. Live up to that.  

More from Liz . . .
about Getting Past Fear:

What Is the Best True Story You Could Tell about You?

Are You Using History Strategically . . . to Claim Your Business and Life Future?

Filed Under: Sharing Genius Tagged With: fear

How I changed the story I was telling myself

August 15, 2016 by Jane Boyd

On Stories & Taking Risk

It was another day of meetings — the last — of what had been three full days for an important advisory committee I was serving on. We were in the wrap up stage of the day; the time where each member of the committee was to share key closing thoughts and advice for government officials.

Luckily — or perhaps unluckily — the feedback started at the opposite side of the room. This meant that I would be close to the last to share my thoughts. I knew that I had things to share; critical feedback. Ideas and suggestions that would help the key officials who were there to listen. I believed my words could make a difference.

Yet, as I listened to those who were speaking before me — I became concerned that my feedback would not be “good enough.” Even worse, I began telling myself that there was no way I was as smart or as informed as all the others who were at the same table I was.

By the time, it was my turn to speak — the story I was telling myself — was that my expertise was non existent. And that the words I wanted to share — my words — were of little importance. Amazingly I still, somehow, managed to stumble through my thoughts and get my words out. As I did this, I was overwhelmed with fear. And, silently, I began comparing every word I spoke out loud to all the others words that had already been said. As you might imagine, nothing profound emerged from me. And my words sort of hung in the room with what seemed like an eternal silence, long after the fact. Nobody said anything. In fact, I was sure I saw a few sideways glances between folks. To say it was awful — just doesn’t begin to describe how I felt.

On that day, I left that meeting room with the story I had told myself — that I was not as smart or as informed as all the others — fully cemented in my mind. And guess what? I chose to let that story stick with me — for more than 10 years. It hung over me every time I went into meetings that were with more than a few people. It was with me when I met in team meetings with clients. And when I attended other committees I was also serving on. In time, I began avoiding such meetings — and narrowing my circle of clients — as well as friends and colleagues. I did all this — because of a story I told myself.

I carried that story — and all the subsequent thinking that came with it — until the winter of 2011. It was then; that something happened and that made me realize the story I had been telling myself was a lie. And that I — Jane Boyd — was every bit as smart and informed as the next person — and — that yes, my words and my voice mattered. In fact, they mattered a whole lot.

So — what happened? What made me realize I had been telling myself a story that was a lie?

In hindsight — it seems so simple — but here it is:

I got tired of being quiet. Of not saying what was truly in my mind. So I took a risk.

I decided to stop being quiet.

What followed, set me on a journey that led to me learning about the power of the stories we tell ourselves. And that eventually enabled me to slay a great many of the stories that had been holding me back. The more stories I eliminated and reframed — the stronger my voice and my words became. Not only in person, but in writing too.

The truest stories are the ones that don’t hold you back or keep you quiet. They are the ones that not only empower you — but — reinforce all the good things about the very person you are.

Be brave,

Jane

Put Your Mind to It

Think of a moment when you began telling yourself a particular story.

  • What is the story?
  • Is it beneficial to you?
  • Is it really your true story?

Life affords us the opportunity to keep, reframe or throw away every story we tell ourselves. What do you want to do with this particular story?

More from Successful-Blog. . .

about Stories & Taking Risk

You’re not “just” anything. Dare to dream.

  • by Rosemary O’Neill, Co-Founder/President of Social Strata, Managing Editor of Successful-Blog and GeniusShared community member.

Jane Boyd is a Partner in GeniusShared. She is also the CEO of 45 Conversations Media & Education Ltd, a Canadian education and training company based just outside of Vancouver Canada. She works with educators, business, community and government in the areas of early learning, work-life, community development and employee engagement.

Filed Under: P2020, Personal Development, Sharing Genius Tagged With: risk, story, story we tell ourselves

Liz Strauss is back sharing her voice online once again

July 21, 2016 by Jane Boyd

Liz StraussI wanted to let you know that Liz Strauss is back, sharing her voice online once again. Liz and I are working together to bring you new thoughts on success and updates from the GeniusShared community.

Every Tuesday, we are now sending out a regular email newsletter. The first edition went out this week. Each newsletter contains a short feature post from either Liz or I as well as updates about things that are happening within the GeniusShared community or right here on Successful-Blog. We will also be sharing much more about Liz’s new book — Anything You Put Your Mind To — which is being published September 21, 2016.

If you would like to sign-up to receive our weekly email newsletter, simply complete the form below.

Both Liz and I, are looking forward to helping you share your genius and do anything you put your mind to — in business and in life.

Kind regards,

Jane

Filed Under: Sharing Genius Tagged With: GeniusShared, Jane Boyd, Liz-Strauss

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