The Bermuda Triangle of Productivity via Fuchsia Macaree on Tumblr

I get stuff done. No, seriously! I am pretty good at making lists, ticking things off, being organised,  doing one thing after the other without major signs of overwhelm or tardiness. But recently, I have been feeling rather bugged down by email and never ending to-do lists so I felt compelled to share my favourite tools and posts with you on the topic of productivity.

My biggest enemy in the way of a productive day is email.

I get anything between 50 to 200 emails a day. From clients, prospective clients, colleagues, project collaborators and bloggers I follow. Never mind Twitter, Facebook and Skype notifications and messages. I can easily find my day wasting away by merely reacting to all of those. Everytime the LED light on my Blackberry flashes my hand twitches wanting to reach for it. And yes, I have also been found guilty of responding to emails at 3.45am in the middle of the night before. So something had to change!

Recently my friend and Tony Robbins Results Coach Cherie Healey shared this training video by Brendon Burchard, Founder of the High Performance Academy, with me. In that, Brendon says:

“Email inboxes are nothing more but a convenient organising system for other people’s agendas.”

Instead of allowing others to control your work day, he suggests to start the day with these three questions and pro-actively create:

1) What am I excited about today? or What COULD I create to be excited about today?

2) What am I grateful for in life today?

3) What am I committed to making happen today no matter what?

He also put together a useful 1-Page Productivity Planner which helps you to focus on 1-3 projects, the people you are waiting on and need to reach out to and the top priorities that you must complete today, no matter what. (I also call them the 3 MIT’s: Most Important Things.)

But the most important lesson of all: Open your inbox only twice a day! Oh dear.

After creating a silent profile on my Blackberry, switching off Outlook sound and pop up notifications, decluttering my office and desk recently, I have now resolved to switching off the Data function on my Blackberry for prolonged periods of time. Night time for example. Or whilst writing this post. It means that no email or push notifications from social media are coming through.

But it also means that I have a lot less distraction and therefore am back in control of my own focus and attention. Aaah!

My favourite productivity hack blogs

Zen Habits:

• Top 10 Productivity Hacks
• Email Sanity: How to clear your Inbox when you’re drowning

The Next Web’s Life Hacks:

• How to keep your email inbox empty in two simple steps
• 9 Steps to create an efficient work space
• 13 Simple ways to stay efficient while you work

I hope you’ll enjoy these!

Love,

Jana xx

P.S. In less than a month I am off to my US Work and Play Trip. I will be in:

• Chicago from the 14th to the 18th of June,
• Los Angeles (Marina del Rey) from the 19th to the 23rd of June,
• San Francisco from the 24th to 28th of June and in
• Portland, OR,  from the 2nd to the 10th of July.

If you live in those cities and fancy meeting up for an informal chat or a coaching session please just let me know and I’ll happily arrange it! Coaching fees will be at a super duper rate of only $100 per hour whilst I’m out there. Just because.

P.P.S. Due to a new and exciting business opportunity I am involved in and that takes up a lot of my attention, I am taking my client intake right down to a maximum of 5 clients at a time with immediate effect. If you want to get in for the months of June or July, please let me know NOW! For more info on my two packages go here.

With her grand vision of creating an online magazine empowering the young women of Brazil, the winner of this year’s Annual Passion Project Scholarship is:

Ligia Tolentino Ribeiro,

Editoria Feminina,

Minas Gerais, Brazil

I am absolutely honoured to work with Ligia over the next 3 months and help spread an important message to the young girls of her home country. I look forward to watching you spread your wings and fly immensely, lady!

To all other applicants: Thank you so much for taking part, it was such a difficult decision to make! All of you deserve the help and support and so many times I just wished I could work with all of you :-( Unfortunately there can only be one winner…

I wish you well with your fantastic ideas, soul searches, new paths and projects — please be encouraged, not disheartened, and go at them with even more passion and commitment now!

Lots of love,

Jana xx

Recently I have come to the conclusion that life is not about happiness or even living on purpose… I think it is all about feeling alive. Being fully present, feeling your heart beating, the chest full of joy and excitement, giddy in the bones. Those are the days we don’t forget. The days that have a soundtrack that will remind you of the roller coaster emotions years later.

Today, I am sending you gift box of my most favourite heart lifting experiences, flooding your day with life and joy.

These things make me feel on top of the world:

1) Singing out loud in the car. And I don’t mean a nice little hum here. I am talking of a full on, your voice getting hoarse kind of shout-along to your most favourite tune. For me, this would be to Emeli Sande at the moment, or The Weepies.

2) Dance like nobody is watching when nobody is watching. Preferably in the kitchen. iPod headphones in the ears, volume on loud.

3) Swimming naked in the ocean at midnight, like I did with my friend Olga in Barcelona in 2006. We just suddenly had the idea, it was warm and so we just slid off the clothes and jumped right in. One of my most cherished memories ever.

4) Running full out on a track. Pushing myself as hard as I can, breathing really deeply, opening my chest, stretching my leg muscles to my absolute capacity – getting to the limits of my physical abilities make me feel invincible.

5) Going for a brisk walk in icy cold rain, no phone, no company, just hearing the birds sing and rain hitting the ground. This is great for connecting with your heart and soul and mother earth.

6) Laughing until the belly hurts with my closest friends. It is one of my most important appointments of the week to spend time with a group of incredible women on Tuesday mornings. It rejuvenates me and makes my heart sing.

 7) Drinking coffee with my sister. Having a real heart to heart, especially since we don’t see each other often, never fails to touch me and be in awe of  the beautiful woman she has become. I am incredibly honoured to be her sister and share her life with her.

8) Jumping out of bed at 5am out of sheer excitement about a new work project. This has happened a lot lately. More about this soon. Nothing better than being unable to have a lie-in because you just want to rock and get working on something in the early morning hours.

9) Hitting ‘Send’ on an all important email.

Taking a risk by contacting a complete stranger. AND THEN GETTING A RESPONSE BACK A FEW HOURS LATER, making a new connection with someone you admire. Total buzz!

10) Passionately talking about a topic that really makes your heart sing with someone that is just as excited as you. Like talking about food with Ania or about training with Team GB’s William Sharman.

11) Working on a project that is much bigger than yourself. Speaking with the newly created team that’ll help me organise the European Revolution Summit in Berlin next year makes me go “Eeeeeek!” Love those girls and always feel inspired by collaborating with others that have the same vision.

12) Making a new business deal or attracting a new client you are absolutely stoked to work with because they are such awesome people. Sometimes, I have to pinch myself that I get to work with such brilliant men and women.

13) Being presented with an opportunity that is so cool, you could have never even dreamt it up! 

14) Knackering yourself at Cross Fit Training and reaching the 60th push up that you thought you could never do.

15) Buying flight tickets for an overseas trip that makes you want to pee in your pants with excitement. Travelling and getting out of your comfort zone, discovering new places and people is one of my favourites for sure. Like my upcoming Work and Play Trip to the US in June and July.

16) Experiencing a new culture together with your loved one. Last year I spent 2 and a half weeks in Marrakesh together with my husband, soaking up the different culture, amazing food and brilliant landscapes and places. Bliss.

17) Being coached by amazing colleagues who stretch you beyond what you thought was possible and really help you to step through your own fears. Thank you ladies, you know who you are.

18) Working on leaving a legacy.

I get giddy when creating projects like the European Revolution and jump out of bed for the work that has the potential to impact lots of people far into the future.

What makes you feel so alive you want to burst with joy and excitement? Share in the comments.

Love,

Jana xo

P.S. If you are ready to take action on an idea that makes you wanna scream with excitement, don’t forget, you have only until the 30th of April to apply for the Annual Passion Project Scholarship!

Image by Etymology

It is time.

Your time!

Have you been desperately wanting to work with me but your wallet is simply gaping empty? Has there been a side hustle, a love, a dream, a big hairy and audacious goal slowly cooking in the back of your mind?

Then this may just be your lucky day!

As in the previous year, where I helped the wonderful and talented Marthe from The Freedom Experiment rock her blog and life as a location independent writer, I am offering a new scholarship again this year.  That’s right, 3 months (6×45 mins sessions) of totally personal kick ass coaching to help you get your dreams off the ground. No catch!

Sounds good! What do I need to do?

Fill in the Application form here, click submit, keep your fingers crossed, and then SHOUT!

Make yourself heard on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest or Brazen Careerist, ask your friends and family to root for you, be creative and share the love for Love Work Now #LWN.

That’s it!

Applications are now open and will close at midnight GMT on Monday the 30th of April – the lucky winner will be announced on Friday, the 4th of May 2012 here on the blog and via email to the winner.

Maybe not for you but you know someone who’d love this? Share it!

This is what Marthe said about working with me:

“Jana is totally adorable and a force of positive energy. She has an optimism that is really contagious and I’ve always found myself in a really good mood after our sessions. As a coach, Jana is practical and has a really great feel of what you need right there and then. She shares her wisdom and experience happily, and I always get really inspired to read the resources she recommends on the subjects we talk about. Usually, I find it a little hard to trust people, but I had no trouble opening up to Jana. She’s a really good listener, and she’s also not afraid to speak when she feels you need a little wake-up-call. I truly recommend Jana to anyone who is looking for a coach!”  - Marthe

Looking forward to hearing from you!

Love,

Jana xx

[This is Part 3 of the SINS Series, go here for Part 1 and Part 2]

Let me tell you a little story: It was a sunny summer day in school, I must have been 17 or so, maybe a little younger. My classmates and I went outside for our big lunchtime break and so we sat in the sun, chatting. Opposite of me sat, cross legged, Sara, a lovely, funny girl. I had always liked Sara. I looked into her big blue eyes, her blonde hair flicking happily in the wind, her cherry red lips open with a sweet smile showing off the perfect white teeth. I thought: God, she is so beautiful!

And that was the moment.

The moment I decided that I was not as beautiful as her. That she was prettier, better than me.

Me aged 18. Nothing wrong is there? Or is there?!

After Sara followed many more women, backing up this new belief. I noticed how pretty the girls in my school were, in my dance club, at dragon boat races. They were thinner, had bigger boobs, danced better, were stronger or faster than me. They all had one thing in common, I had decided: they were simply prettier than me.

Later on, they also became sexier than me. More attractive and exciting for men. When I was told that I was beautiful, I washed away the compliment with my hand. They are just saying that to be nice!
And though it never really upset me at the time, the thought got a hold of me then.

So it happens that I found myself at age 30, having lost considerable weight and being in the best shape of my life that I STILL looked in the mirror thinking: well that’s nice, but.

It frightens me.

What if my looks will never be “good enough” to undo the decision made in my teens?

Throughout my training, aspiring to other fit and athletic women like this one, another thought crept in: “I could never look like that”. You know, like, I am much taller, got heavier bones, broad shoulders, different genes… but they! They look pretty. I never will.

Whilst thinking these two thoughts alone did not keep me from sticking to my regimented workouts and dietary changes, they did and still do show up in other ways.

Picture this: It’s three o’clock in the afternoon. You’ve had a healthy nice chicken salad for lunch, a good protein rich breakfast, snacked on nuts and a bell pepper. So far, in your eyes, you have been a ‘good girl/boy’ today. But it’s 3pm and you’re getting a bit of an energy dip so you go to the cupboard and look at the choice on the shelf: almonds, dark chocolate, digestives, dried apricots. What would you pick? More often than I’d like to admit, I choose the digestives. 80 calories a piece. On really bad days I ate 6 of those. That could have been a full meal. You may not think that that is such a big deal and maybe it isn’t. But it made me feel awful! The joke is that you have this apparent great treat and the moment it has disappeared down your throat you feel crap. Disappointed. That you gave in.

So I looked at this behaviour with my weight coach Margaret. What was the thought that made you grab the biscuit?, she asks. And there it rolls off my tongue: “That it doesn’t matter” I say. More probing establishes that I believe that it doesn’t matter because

“I’m never gonna look that way anyway.”

Whether this thought is true or not doesn’t matter as much as whether it is helpful. Thinking that basically it’s not worth bothering because I won’t ever be able to look as pretty as them — that is NOT a helpful thought when trying to tone up and lose weight.

Over the course of the time I have paid more attention to this and here are other stories (read: lies) I tell myself that may sound familiar to you:

10 BIG lies I am telling myself almost daily:

1. I can work out later/ tomorrow / less hard because…
2. I deserve this treat/ food / time off…
3. Life is too short not to have any [chocolate/cake/ice cream in my case]
4. It won’t make much of a difference if I eat this
5. My diet is already so good compared to most people
6. WTF… [resignate]
7. What if I stop losing weight?
8. I just really want this right now, so I’ll just have it. (I deserve it, right?!)
9. There is not enough.
10. More is better.

…and many, many more.

These thoughts have formed my road block to the body I really want. Not the food, wrong exercise regime, lack of commitment.

Just thoughts.

You can step on the scale and see a number. That’s a fact. The number can even be the same as yesterday. But you decide today, through your thoughts, what you make that number mean. Is it a good day or bad day? Are you a failure, fat or on the right track? (By the way, I stopped weighing myself regularly, because of this. It drove me nuts! I’ll weigh myself maybe once or twice every two weeks, just to know roughly.)

The meaning you assign to that number is what makes you feel a certain way. So I ask you: if you wanted to step off the scale feeling great, or picking the biscuit and actually enjoy it or pick the nuts and feel great about it: what would you have to think in order to feel that way?

We are only human. We will be weak, especially when given a big choice (evil evil buffet restaurants!). Our willpower does run out during the course of the day, our emotions are stronger than all the rational reasons in the world to NOT eat that chocolate.

So what to do?

Tips on dealing with unhelpful thoughts

1) Eliminate the choice. Just don’t buy what you know is your weakness.

2) Decide and commit. It is much easier to decide to work out 6 days a week and stick to that than it is to train on some days and not on others because you are having to go through the decision making process over and over again.

3) Shape the path. Make it easy for yourself to follow through by creating accountability, getting help from others, selecting good nutritious foods etc.

4) Make really really small changes, one at a time. (No use in deciding to ‘be healthy’ and stick to a new ‘diet’ for a day or two and then throw in the towel because it is too hard.

5) Learn your way to change. I have found that this has helped me more than anything else. The more I know about processed foods,  the effect of nutrients on my body and why certain things are simply bad for us, the more information my rational brain has to rely on when making – the right – choices.

6) Have a big enough Why. Merely ‘losing weight and being healthy’ would not keep me going. Especially not when it’s pooring down with rain and it’s Interval Training Day or when I have travelled the whole day and tomorrow is Christmas and I am just tired. My Why? I want to be in the freaking best shape of my life! I want to show myself that I already AM this pretty, young, sexy woman that I thought I could never be. Now THAT’s a strong emotional pull for me.

7) When you make small changes be specific: Instead of “less alcohol” say 1 glass of wine a week, instead of “more veg” decide to have a handful of vegetables with every meal, instead of working out make a specific plan of what you do when. You get the gist… Simple trick but it works.

8) Read ‘Switch’ by Chip and Dan Heath to understand how to talk to the rider, guide the elephant and shape the path. Or watch this video:

9) Listen to the stories you tell yourself, become aware of them and then ask: Is that really true?

What kind of thoughts and stories do you tell yourself? Let us know in the comments below and I’ll add my thoughts on how to turn those around.

Don’t believe everything you think!

With love,

Jana xx

P.S. If you liked this, have a look at If you liked this, keep reading  Part 1 – How I lost Almost 8 Kilos of Fat and Changed my Life; and Part 2 – About Eating Chocolate, Battling with Food and Making the Change.