5 Great Ways to Motivate Yourself

Category: Motivation
Motivation is a key to success. If you are a motivated person, then you will very likely be success in everything you do. In fact, research shows that motivation is the key behind the expert minds. People who are motivated will be very successful in their learning process. And so will in other areas of life.

The problem is, it’s not easy to be motivated, let alone be motivated for the whole day. There are times when challenges and problems strike us and make us feel bad. Or maybe there is no real problem, but we just feel that our energy level is low throughout the day.

Well, don’t let this happens. Be motivated and energized throughout the day ! Here is how:

1. Rise early
   I don’t know about you, but for me, rising early is a kind of magic. It makes me feel more enthusiastic and energized throughout the day. Maybe it’s because by rising early I can start the day fresh without having to rush on everything. I would have more time to be prepared mentally and physically to face the day.
2. Pick “quote of the day”
   Pick your favorite quote in the morning and keep it in mind throughout the day. Of course, the quote should be something that motivate and inspire you. Then speak out the quote to yourself throughout the day, especially when you think that you need extra motivation. This way, it will be easier to get rid of negative thoughts because you always have something positive to say to yourself.
3. Find the positive side of everything
   One main cause for losing motivation is thinking negatively about the events which are happening to us. Every time you think negatively about something, you actually lose a part of your energy. Do it for the whole day and you will feel very exhausted and even intimidated.
   So find the positive side of everything. There must be something positive we can get from everything that happens to us. If your effort end up in failure for example, then you know that you can learn something from it. And learning is a positive thing. If you must do something boring, just think of a useful thing you can get from it. There is always positive side on everything, so focus on it and not the negative one.
4. Focus on giving
   Contributing to others is always motivating. It works for me. I don’t know why, but maybe it’s because by doing so I become less focused on my own problems. It doesn’t mean that I run from the problems, it just means that the problems seem less daunting and intimidating. Why ? Because I’m not just thinking about myself.
   Also, there is something about giving that gives you extra happiness. Brighten someone else’s life today and somehow your life will also be brightened.
5. Decide to be a winner
   It is your decision that makes the difference between winning and losing. Nothing can make you lose if you don’t allow it to do so. So decide to be a winner. If you decide to be a winner then you will be tough and brave when facing all challenges throughout the day. You will not let problems overcome you. Instead, you will go out and conquer those problems ! You are the winner, so who can resist you ?

15 Ways To Get Really Motivated

7 Easy Ways To Stay Motivated

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10 Ways to Beef up Your Leadership Skills

Have you ever heard someone say, “Actually, I have to admit that I think I am really bad at managing other people. My staff all hate me and I'm incapable of doing my job”.

The answer is no, of course. No one says this either because they don't believe it, or because they don't want to appear incompetent. Unfortunately research tells us that from the employees' perspective, there aren't that many terrific managers out there.

What should we take out of this dichotomy? Perhaps at the least, we could all admit to ourselves that there is room for some improvement in the way we lead others. After all, it's not the sort of skill that is easy to get 100% right all of the time. It might just be that we don't specifically know what improvements to make, so here's 10 ways to start:

1. Get a reality check.

Finding out what others think of our leadership style can be real eye-opener, and is often the most powerful driver for change. Using a 360 survey where you receive feedback from your staff, peers and manager, gives you some concrete information on a sometimes intangible subject. Use an existing tool (and there are some highly regarded ones out there) or else simply let your staff know that you are seeking feedback from them in order to improve your style.

A word of caution though, your staff may not feel safe in giving feedback if they believe you are going to use it against them, or become defensive about what they say. It's up to you to create a safe environment so they feel comfortable in being open and honest with you.

2. Don't use the power of your position to get things done.

If people are questioning why certain things are done, or the logic of decisions, never pull rank in response. A critical component of effective leadership is getting the buy-in from your team and colleagues. You don't get buy-in by telling them that the decision is the right one because you are the boss and you made it. Your team may not always agree with what is being done, but they are more likely to respect you if you take the time to explain your rationale.

3. Don't think of employees as things that need to be controlled or managed.

Instead, give them the latitude to take actions and make decisions. Trust is a vital component of leadership. If you can't trust people to do their jobs well, then you either have the wrong people in the jobs, or you have the right people but you haven't trained them sufficiently. Let them do what they are there to do, without leaning over their shoulders all the time, or demand to know how they spend each minute of their time.

4. Listen, listen listen.

If there are unhappy or disgruntled people in your business, you can guarantee that at some stage they've tried to tell you what the problem is. It's likely you weren't listening (or didn't want to listen), or perhaps your initial reaction made the person think twice about bringing the problem to you. Truly listening is one of the greatest skills to develop, regardless of your role. Good listeners are genuinely interested, convey empathy, and want to find out what's behind the conversation. Great leaders are great listeners -without exception.

5. Stop providing solutions.

Managers often achieve their positions after being technical specialists, and so will have an opinion or view on how to "fix" situations or problems. They believe that it's faster to tell someone what to do, or do it themselves, than give their employees an opportunity to figure it out. By always providing the answers, managers take away opportunity for their employees to learn and come up with alternative (and potentially better) ways of doing things.

6. Always be constructive - always.

Language and communication skills set great leaders apart from mediocre ones. Don't patronise or be critical of others - take complete responsibility for how you are heard. If you catch yourself about to make negative remarks, take a breath and rephrase your words to get your message across without the emotional attachment. Great leaders always find a way to say things calmly and constructively.

7. Judge your success by the success of your team.

The true success of a leader can be measured by the success of the people that work for them. As a manager of others, your prime responsibility is to ensure the success and development of your team. If they are successful, you will automatically be successful. Focus on building their skills and removing obstacles in their way. If you can achieve this, you will see the results in the productivity, motivation and satisfaction of your employees. This in turn filters through to bottom-line results.

8. Don't do things just because they will “look good”.

Nothing is more transparent than managers who make decisions and behave in ways simply to look good to their superiors. If you want to improve as a leader, one of the qualities you need is integrity. The integrity to make decisions because they are right, and the integrity to stand up when you truly believe something is not in the best interests of the business. Whether or not it is in your personal best interests is much less of a consideration.

9. Include humour in your diet.

Nobody likes to work in an environment that is devoid of any fun. People are more productive when they are enjoying themselves. Creating a workplace where fun is permitted and encouraged can make a significant difference, and it's even more effective when the boss participates. It increases team spirit, and encourages people to see you as a person, not simply as the boss.

10. Let people get to know the real you.

Being open about yourself helps to break down the barriers that hierarchy puts in place. When your employees know the person behind the façade, that's when you start to build the foundations of good leadership - trust and respect.

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Source: http://digg.com/business_finance/10_Ways_to_Beef_up_Your_Leadership_Skills

Top 20 Ways to Reclaim Your Life

1. Drink more OJ

Researchers at the University of Alabama fed rats 200 milligrams of vitamin C twice a day and found that it nearly stopped the secretion of stress hormones. If it relaxes a rat, why not you? Two 8-ounce glasses of orange juice daily gives you the vitamin C you need.

2. Put a green dot on your phone

This is your secret reminder to take one deep breath before you answer a call, says Susan Siegel, of the Program on Integrative Medicine at the University of North Carolina school of medicine. Not only will you feel better, but you'll sound more confident.

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3. Spend quality time with a canine

Yours or someone else's. According to research at the State University of New York at Buffalo, being around a pet provides more stress relief than being around a two-legged companion. As if we needed a study to determine that.

4. Go to Starbucks--with your coworkers

Researchers at the University of Bristol in England discovered that when stressed-out men consumed caffeine by themselves, they remained nervous and jittery. But when anxious men caffeine-loaded as part of a group, their feelings of stress subsided.

5. Shake it out

When you're facing that big-money putt, shake out your fingers, relieving the tension in your forearms, hands, and wrists and shifting your focus to the only thing you can control: your preshot routine. You won't think about making--or missing--the shot, says Alan Goldberg, Ed.D., a sports-psychology consultant in Amherst, Massachusetts.

6. Bring a radio to work

And set it to the blandest music station you can find. According to a study at Pennsylvania's Wilkes University, Muzak lowers your stress levels at work, while also reducing the risk of the common cold. We knew Celine Dion had a purpose.

7. Shut up and smile

Freaking out about a speech? Smile, look at the audience, and keep quiet for 2 seconds, says T.J. Walker, president of Media Training Worldwide. It'll slow you down and create the impression that you're relaxed and in control. The audience will then feel more comfortable, leading you to actually be relaxed and in control. Now start talking. Unless you're a mime. In that case, as you were.

8. Talk with your hands

To keep calm in a job interview, rest your arms on your lap, with your elbows bent slightly, and have your fingers almost touching, says Walker. This will keep your body relaxed, which will keep your tone conversational.

9. Run fast

Bike hard. Punch the heavy bag. And we don't mean your mother-in-law. A University of Missouri at Columbia study found that 33 minutes of high-intensity exercise helps lower stress levels more than working out at a moderate pace. What's more, the benefits last as long as 90 minutes afterward.

10. Hit the sauna after your workout

In an Oklahoma State University study, those who combined sauna use with group counseling had greater stress relief, feelings of relaxation, and sense of accomplishment compared with those who only had their heads shrunk.

11. Remember the lyrics to your favorite song...

...name at least 30 states, or assemble the All-Time Band of Guys Named James (the James Gang doesn't count). In other words, give your mind any all-consuming challenge, as long as it has a definite finish--unending problems cause more stress, says Toby Haslam-Hopwood, Psy.D., a psychologist at the Menninger Clinic in Houston.

12. Lay The Journey to Wild Divine

It's a CD-ROM game that works like this: Three biofeedback sensors worn on your fingers sense your stress level and translate it into your ability to perform tasks such as levitating virtual balls or controlling birds in flight. The more you play, the more mastery you gain over your emotions. Go to CreativeLivingInstitute.org for more information. It sells for about $150.

13. Find a breathtaking view

Now take a breath --and a good long look. You'll walk away from the brink with a sense of context and a bigger perspective, which will make the 5,000 things on your to-do list seem less daunting, says Allen Elkin, Ph.D., director of the Stress Management & Counseling Center in New York City.

14. Imagine you're on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire

When dealing with a screaming child in a car or any other acutely stressful situation, ask yourself how long you could listen to it if someone gave you $100,000, suggests Elkin. Suddenly, it's not so awful, is it?

15. Say you're sorry

What, now the kid is screaming on a crowded airplane? Immediately apologize to everyone around you. By acknowledging that you may have made a mistake or hurt someone else, you can help clear the air, and that will reduce your stress level, says Charles Emery, Ph.D., an associate professor of psychology at Ohio State University.

16. Forgive

Now someone else's kid is screaming on a crowded airplane? And the mom is too wrapped up in this week's People to do a thing about it? Let it go, says Carl Thoresen, Ph.D., a psychologist at Stanford University. Realizing that you can't control someone else's behavior is difficult, but it's one of the best ways to destress.

17. Add trees to your commute

Even if it takes you out of your way, it may make your ride less stressful. An Ohio State University study found that scenic drives were more calming than those involving strip malls and endless, disheartening asphalt.

18. Water a plant

It's nurturing, it doesn't take up much space, and for 10 seconds, the world is not about you, which can be a huge psychological relief, says Elkin.

19. Ditch the dingy shower curtain

And hang up something in a cool color like green or blue. According to Leonard Perry, Ph.D., an extension professor at the University of Vermont, cool hues are more soothing.

20. Schedule medical tests for early morning

Rather than spend the entire day anxious about an afternoon DRE, get fingered first thing in the a.m., when your cortisol levels are already naturally elevated, says David Spiegel, M.D., medical director of the Stanford Center for Integrative Medicine.

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Source: http://www.menshealth.com/cda/article.do?site=MensHealth&channel=health&category=stress.management&conitem=b92a99edbbbd201099edbbbd2010cfe793cd____

11 Ways to Improve Clarity and Start Getting Results

Once you have found your purpose in life, you will have more than enough to do in never enough time. Here are some ways to make your experience even more joyous:

1. List the top three objectives of your current endeavour. To do this, weigh the most important goals and assign them relative importances. You obviously have to decide which ones are not in the top three. Can you see where this is going? No two things are equally important.

2. Be sure and confident about what you are doing and why and pursue exactly one project, single-mindedly to the end, until completion. This means you have to make decisions. Do not stand in your own way. Concentrate all your efforts and energy on one target at a time. Read more

3. Be able to present a written list, at any time, with your top priorities. Practice and pretend to be pitching your services and your goals every day.

4. Define your #1 goal, its #1 project and its respective #1 task and start working on it, once you understand that this is the only thing there is, right now.

5. Do not worry about the future. Stop worrying altogether. Apply your rage to the present moment. Transform rage into vigor. Do not fight the future and do not fight in the future. Be clear about the present, about this very moment.

6. Your rewards are nothing to worry about either, they will come to you when their time has arrived -- worrying will only delay them and prevent you from receiving what you deserve.

7. Realize that you do not have to suffer to achieve what you want. You decide whether suffering is part of your experience or not.

8. Drop any goal that isn't worth pursuing anymore; do not let your countless started, semi-finished, and never followed-up upon projects divert your focus. They are worth nothing and only add to your sense of failure. Get rid of the clutter.

9. Set up a hierachy of time and desire. You cannot have everything you dream of immediately. Even if you skip sleep and eating, you are not going to accelerate the pace with which your dreams are made real.

10. Set yourself up for success by accepting what you have, as the ground in which to plant the seeds. Do not resist the situation you're in for you set up your future failure as long as you fail to accept the present.

11.Do not break down and destroy your previous achievements in order to follow a new idea. Recognize the foundations that are laid out for you and your creation. Build on top of what you have -- whatever that may be.

There is another way that runs parallel: see and set your goals as plans to improve your current experience of the present, whatever their outcome may be, regardless of the time it takes to successfully complete them, if they are ever going to be completed, that is.