Yesterday’s goal of a gentle and quiet spirit was eye-opening. There were several times during the day that the kids called from the other end of the house and I answered automatically without a gentle and quiet spirit. Then, in the instant after I would realize that I had not gone to my children to answer them directly. So, throughout the day there was a sense of awareness that was not there before, and by the end of the day, I will say that I did much better!
And, I am still calling prospects on my list daily, as well as reading a little each day (I picked Gary Chapman’s book The Five Love Languages to finish next – partly because it is on my Kindle and therefore, really easy to read a little while waiting for a child, etc. I LOVE my Kindle!), and I’ve continued to cross things off the Master To Do List.
Today’s goal is also a personal goal, and that is to establish a consistent family meal time. There is much research showing that having a family dinner has a positive effect on your family, and your children, in particular. When my father-in-law was recently here for a visit, we had a family meal time every evening, and it was a wonderful experience. So, in talking to my husband, we agreed to make this change. Rather than eating at different times or eating in front of the TV, we will meet at the dinner table for a family dinner. I’ve set 5:45 as a dinner time, and will work toward that.
Here’s to family bonding! See you tomorrow!
To your success,
Dr. Laura
Yesterday went well, until I got the mail. Then I found myself distracted from my original goal of finishing the book, The Power of Motherhood. The reason for the distraction? The latest edition of Above Rubies magazine (it’s free – go subscribe now!) was in my mailbox. Ironically, the woman behind the Above Rubies ministry is Nancy Campbell, who also happens to be the author of the book I was finishing, The Power of Motherhood.
Of course, I had to deviate and read the Above Rubies magazine first! So, with two webinars last night on my plate, I did manage to finish reading the book at 11 pm. A little late for going to bed for me, but worth it.
On to today – day 4 of the 31 Goals in 31 Days Challenge – and it’s going to be a more personal day.
One of the things that I have a tendency to do (probably out of laziness to a degree) is raise my voice and yell across the house (and we have a big house) when the boys call or when I want to tell them something. Not only does this wear out your voice, but it is also not a good example either.
One of my favorite Bible passages is in 1 Peter 3:
1Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, 2when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. 3Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. 4Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.
As you can see, it does not say a loud and yelling spirit, but rather, a gentle and quiet spirit. So, today’s goal is simple. Do not raise my voice. This means when the children call, I will get up and go to them so that I can answer (which, will give me the opportunity to serve), and it also means that if I need to speak to them, I will go within a distance that will not require me to raise my voice.
This goal also has a second part to it, and that is to talk to my children on their level. So, not only will I go to them, but I will also get down on their level to speak to them, looking them in the eye. This allows greater communication between mother and child, and also honors what God commands in 1 Peter 3, a gentle and quiet spirit.
See you tomorrow!
To your success,
Dr. Laura
It’s day 3 of the 31 Goals in 31 Days Challenge and yesterday I had another productive day. As you might remember, day 1 was to update my Master To Do List, and day 2 was to update my prospect list and call 5 people.
As often happens, just updating the Master To Do List is enough to start the ball rolling in the area of productivity. So, while I completed 14 items off the list on day 1, I was also able to complete 17 additional items on day 2. Now, the pace won’t be like this forever, but it was exciting to get so much done in 2 days!
The goal for day 2 was to update my prospect list and call five people. I ended the day with 115 people on my prospect list (Remember the size of your list determines the size of your business – you want to have a lot of people in your funnel at all times!), and as usual, once I start making calls, I tend to make more than I plan, because when you break through the first call (which is the hardest one to make), you get on a roll. So, I ended the phone calls (I only called for about 1 hour) with 11 calls completed. I left 5 messages, 1 number was busy, talked to 5 people. Of the 5 people, one is getting back to me about booking a show today, 2 said no to booking a show, but are looking at a catalog for ordering, and 2 booked shows. So, overall a good hour spent.
Now, on to day 3. I’ve posted before about being a starter and not a finisher, well, usually, I don’t have that problem with reading books. I am the kind of person who reads one book at a time and finishes it before moving on to the next one. However, somehow I’ve gotten myself into the situation where I am currently reading 4 books at once. I don’t like this, and it makes me feel torn between which one to read, and it doesn’t help comprehension either to jump from one book to another.
So, today’s goal for day 3 is to finish one of the books I am reading. I am currently reading The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman, The Power of Motherhood by Nancy Campbell, What Is A Family? by Edith Schaeffer, Promptings by Kody Bateman, Founder of SendOutCards. I’m going to finish the book that is closest to the end today, which is the Power of Motherhood.
Until tomorrow….
To your success,
Dr. Laura
Well, yesterday was Day 1 of the 31 Goals in 31 Days, and I must say that I had one of my most productive days by far!
After making my Master To Do List, I went on to clean my desk (this was the item that I had chosen to complete off the list first because it would have the biggest impact). Well, in cleaning the desk, I ran across several things that needed to be done, and since most were under 2 minutes, using the 2 Minute Rule, I completed them right away.
As I was clearing my desk, I had my Master To Do List nearby to jot down anything that came to mind. Items you come across can trigger the remembrance of something else, and as my mind wandered a bit when I was cleaning the desk, I would also remember other things that I had forgotten to write down when making the list originally.
With my desk clear (and 10 or so odd 2 minute or less things accomplished), I was so motivated that I kept on working. I am astounded yet again at the amount of work that can be completed when you are focused and the space is clear! I was able to do 14 additional items off my Master To Do List. I probably should also mention that I did not start any of this until after 2 pm. So, that’s about 24 things completed in a span of just a few hours!
Moving on to day 2. It became apparent to me yesterday as I was writing the Master To Do List, that another list of mine needed updating. This is my prospect list. So, today’s goal is to update my prospect list. In the process of writing everything down yesterday, I had several people come to mind that I needed to contact for booking a show, follow up for joining my team, or for other reasons. So, I wrote them all down in a separate paper. Today, I’ll add these people to my prospect list, along with phone numbers, so that I can call them for follow up.
The second part of today’s goal is to call 5 of the people on the list this evening. Who knows, however, as usually it’s the first phone call that is the hardest and when you get on a roll, you can call many people in a short period of time. It’s been my experience that I can contact about 20 people in 45 minutes, and for my direct sales business, I usually book about 4 shows from that 45 minutes, with 1-2 additional people wanting more information about my business. With my network marketing business, I generally make about the same number of calls, and find that when I get a hold of people, I can book about 10 presentations in that 45 minute span.
So, on to the prospect list update. See you tomorrow!
To your success,
Dr. Laura
P.S. If you need help with your direct sales or network marketing business, check out my FREE CDs: 7 Simple Secrets to Creating a Wildly Successful Direct Sales Business and 7 Simple Secrets to Creating a Wildly Successful Network Marketing Business – learn from an 11 year industry expert and trainer how to build a successful business!
Tags: "To Do" List, 2 Minute Rule, 31 Goals in 31 Days, Direct Sales Success, Network Marketing Success, Prospecting
Well, it’s day 1 of my new adventure – the 31 Goals in 31 Days Challenge, and I’m going to start out the way I always regroup when I feel like things have gotten out of hand and a little chaotic (I am only human too!).
My goal today is to update my Master To Do List and do one item from the list that would make a big impact. I want to do this to start out fresh. Updating my Master To Do List always makes me feel more in control and ready to “tackle the world”.
What is a Master To Do List? It’s a brain dump. So, today I am walking through my home and spending a good hour going room to room. When I get to a room, I just sit there and look around and see what visual reminders are there. A project that needs to be finished, something that needs to be fixed, etc. In addition, I spend about 15 minutes just thinking about what I want to do in the future. It could be take a trip, or complete a book. The time frame for these items doesn’t matter – what matters is that you get them out of your head (where they are taking up brain energy) and on to paper (so that you don’t have to keep “remembering” them every time they come to mind).
The Master To Do List is where you draw items from that will go on your Daily To Do List. It’s a holding spot. When you think of something that needs to be done, add it to the Master To Do List, so that you always have an updated list of things you want to complete at some point. I use this list when planning out my week on Sunday and in planning my day the night before.
Today, after updating my Master To Do List, I decided that the thing that would have the most impact on the list is to clean my desk! I am such a big advocate of cleaning your desk so that when you come in to work, it is inviting and you want to be there. Right now, after having company in from out of town, and kids papers and business information spread all around, it looks like a tornado hit my desk. This visual clutter is not good for productivity (even if I could find everything that I was looking for), so it will make a big impact to get it cleaned up. And, I’m keeping it that way. With a few new baskets for sorting, I’m all set.
Looking forward to day 2 tomorrow…
To your success,
Dr. Laura
Okay, so I’ve been mulling over doing this type of challenge ever since my brother David started his 100 goals in 100 days. He’s right in the middle at this point, and honestly, reading his posts makes me feel guilty for not doing something like it!
So, here’s the concept: Over the next 31 days (I have a home business based on Proverbs 31, so I went with the number 31!), I will have 31 goals (one a day) that I will complete. And, to hold me accountable, I’ll blog about my goals every day. I opted for a shorter time frame since with 2 small children and running successful businesses, I didn’t see how 100 goals in 100 days would work for me. But, the concept was too good to pass up!
Now, I live a multi-faceted life, so some of these goals will be business related (and since I have both a direct sales business, a network marketing business and my own company, some of the goals will relate to one or another, and some goals will be applicable to all), and some of the goals will be personal and family related.
I’d love to challenge you too! Consider doing this 31 Goals in 31 Days Challenge right alongside me, and feel free to leave what you are doing in the comments section!
So, tomorrow, the journey begins. Until then…
To your success,
Dr. Laura
Tags: 31 Goals in 31 Days, Goal Setting
Among my circle of close friends, I am somewhat known for my creative finances. One of the main areas of creative finances that people have asked about is my grocery bill. For a family of 4, we spend on average about $200 a month. Yes, you read that right – $200 a month, not a week!
I am creative with my finances because I choose to be, so that I can save and spend money elsewhere, and contribute to leaving a legacy for my children. Now, this is not a post about groceries, but the thought occurred to me that I apply the same basic principles to finance, whether it is for my business or for my household budget.
So, on that note, I’ll share with you some of the things I do to save on groceries and on business expenses. Look for the underlying creativity to help inspire you get creative with some of your finances. It’s time to think “outside the box”. By the way, a great resource is the Complete Tightwad Gazette by Amy Dacyczyn.
To save on groceries and other household goods:
- Buy in bulk
- Cook from scratch
- Buy basic ingredients
- Plan a menu for a month, and then only go grocery shopping once a month (less times in the store = less money spent)
- Stick to your grocery list
- Shop for the sales, and stock up accordingly (especially on non-perishable items)
- Look for recipes that use inexpensive ingredients
- Purchase meat and chicken close to the expiration date (it’s usually discounted then) – then I brown the meat or cook the chicken and package it in 1-2 lb bags and put in the freezer
- Practice cooking more than what you would eat and freezing the surplus
- Avoid processed food – you are paying for the processing
- Experiment with recipes and keep only the recipes that are good, that your family enjoys and that are easy on the budget
Okay, a few business tips:
- Use free resources when possible – I use Paypal for some of my reoccurring transactions, which has a “business account” that you can get free. This allows you to create buttons, etc.
- Shop around for the best prices for a service – I switched from Paypal Pro (which has a $30 monthly fee) to a merchant account with Propay (which has an annual fee of $59) – the ability is the same, as well as the per transaction fees. I also used this concept for my autoresponder and switched from Aweber (because they up your fee at small increments) to IncomeBuddy (because their fee increase is much less and more spread out) for my autoresponder (not to mention the fact that I know the owner of IncomeBuddy and I trust him).
- Only go to the store once a month for supplies – plan ahead so that you don’t need to take an emergency run to the store because you ran out of printer ink. Remember the more times in the store, the more money you spend.
- Participate in savings programs. We have the Staples rewards program here locally, and I get money back to use toward more Staples purchases. It’s free to participate, and I already purchase the supplies anyway, so why not get some cash back?
- Use one credit/debit card for your business – this helps when separating business expenses and also helps you track your expenses better. We use a credit card that has the best rewards program we have found (the Travelocity Mastercard) and then put everything on it. But, remember to pay it off every month (or use a debit card).
- Before making any major purchase, think about why you “need” this product, and what value the product will give you for your business. Also, do research to pick out the best brand for the price (use Consumer Reports, etc.). This was the case with my purchase of the Flip camera, which has ended up to be worth it’s weight in gold for my business. Not only was it easy to use, I have recorded hours and hours of videos for my two video training series to date (www.YouNeedMoreTime.com and www.SimpleDirectSalesSuccess.com), plus we have also enjoyed using it for personal videos, so it was a great investment.
- Think minimum for your business – what’s the minimum you need? Shop around for those basic needs (internet service, phone (we use Vonage for the business line, and are in the process of switching cell phones to Straight Talk for their lower rates), autoresponder, web hosting, etc.) and compare prices.
- Take time to get organized in your business – you will be more efficient and this will also keep you on top of what you need for your business so that you can plan ahead before it becomes an emergency trip/purchase.
At this point, it’s fun to see how creative I can be with my finances. I love to see the small totals for expenses at the end of the month, and weigh all of my decisions to purchase or subscribe to something based on my return for investment. How will this improve my “bottom line”? Will this purchase allow me to increase my profit? Will this purchase allow me to increase my time? When you view creative finances as a game, it can become a very fun and profitable experience.
To your success,
Dr. Laura
P.S. Obviously, another way to get creative with your finances is to increase your income. If you are in a direct sales company, pick up my free CD: 7 Simple Secrets to Creating a Wildly Successful Direct Sales Business, where I will help you increase your income with your direct sales business. Or, pick up the entire 28 week video training series!
Tags: Creative Finances, Home Business Success, Network Marketing Success, Success Tips
Having your priorities in order is a topic that has been on my heart lately. I have heard over and over again that a common complaint is that people don’t have time to do what they need to do.
Well, in my opinion, that’s not exactly true…
I believe that we DO have enough time to do what we need to do (this may not be the same as what we want to do). It’s just how you go about looking at your situation.
First, realize there is a BIG difference between those things that you need to do and those things that you want to do. I believe that you can get everything that you need to do done every day. But how do you decide what you need to do? For me, as a Christian, I look to God to help guide me in this area. There are certain things that I believe God wants me to do as a wife and mother, and I believe He always gives us enough time to get the things done that He sets as our priorities.
Which, brings me to the title – Are Your Priorities in Order?
So, secondly, after praying for guidance, I look at my priorities. This is where needs vs. wants can really clash. My priorities are God, family, others, work, in that order. My priority as a wife and mother is more important than work obligations. Which means that some days what I want to get done for work does not get done, because I am busy doing things I need to do for a higher priority.
What are your priorities? You may want to look at your values when deciding your priorities. Then take your to-do list and put them side by side. How does your to-do list stack up with your priorities? In my day, there are certain elements that are always there: time with God, taking care of my husband’s needs, spending time with each child, cooking, and keeping the home neat. Then, work and my to-do list is fit in around those priorities. Not the other way around.
It’s really important to keep this perspective of priorities and values. It is what dictates how my time is spend. God gave us all the same amount of time every day. How will you spend your 24 hours? The bottom line is that when your priorities are in order, and your to-do list and time is scheduled based on those priorities, you will always get what you need to do completed, even though there will be many days when you do not get everything you want to do finished. But, that’s okay! I have found that there is a great peace when our priorities are in alignment with what we are doing each day. And, when you get creative in the time management area, you will find that you can also get accomplished many of the things on your “want” list as well.
The great visual of this is trying to put rocks, sand and water into a jar. If you start with the small things (sand, water) that are not priorities, then when you try to shove in your priorities (rocks), they will not fit. However, when you first start with your priorities (rocks), then the other small things (sand, water) will fit too!
So, go find the rocks in your life and come back into alignment by determining what are your priorities and how can you dictate your time based on those priorities and values.
To your success,
Dr. Laura
P.S. If you need more information about time management, pick up my free CD: 7 Secrets to Saving 24 Hours of Time Every Week!
Tags: "To Do" List, Priorities, Time Management
Here’s a dose of inspiration for you today, courtesy of what might be an unlikely source…Will Smith. Enjoy!
To your success,
Dr. Laura
Tags: Achieve, Believe, Focus, Goal Setting, Never Give Up, Perseverance, Priorities, Success Tips, Will Smith
Need help with organization or time management?
Introducing… The Great Organizing Giveaway – 127 free organizing resources just for YOU! This year, organizing professionals from the USA and Canada, 127 to be exact, worked together to deliver The Great Organizing Giveaway. I’m honored that OrganizeNOW was asked to be a part of this first ever event.
Watch this short video and then go to The Great Organizing Giveaway to claim your 127 free goodies! (P.S. I’m #12 under Your Office/Business.)
To your success,
Dr. Laura
Tags: Great Organizing Giveaway, Organization, Time Management
