Mo·ti·va·tion

mōdəˈvāSH(ə)n/

noun

1. the reason or reasons one has for acting or behaving in a particular way.
   "escape can be a strong motivation for travel"

   synonyms:motive, motivating force, incentive, stimulus, stimulation, inspiration, inducement, incitement, spur, reason; 
   informalcarrot
   "his motivation was financial"

   • the general desire or willingness of someone to do something.
     "keep staff up to date and maintain interest and motivation"

     synonyms:enthusiasm, drive, ambition, initiative, determination, enterprise;
     informalget-up-and-go
     "keep up the staff's motivation"

““My get up and go has got up and went.” - Anonymous”

Blah.

We have all felt that way at some point. Because motivation is a very personal thing. Some are motivated by money. Others are motivated by fame. But research suggests that what really motivates us is a feeling of significance. Feeling that you are making a contribution, that you are seeing progress in the activities you do, fuels satisfaction in work, play, and relationships. 

How can you create a space, a day or a life that fosters feelings of significance and meaning? It would be fantastic if we got that encouragement from the others, and sometimes we do, but the most important source of inspiration has to come from within.

Engage with Yourself

Finding meaning in your life - particularly if many of the tasks you perform in the course of the day seem rote and meaningless - may seem daunting.  A method I suggest is to take time every day to reflect. During that daily reflection period ask yourself some simple questions.

1. What are three things in my life for which I am grateful?
2. What are three things that I want to happen today, this week, this month, this year?
3. If I were to make those three things happen, how would it feel?

Do this exercise daily without judgement. The purpose is to identify the good in your life, to list your aspirations, and to turn those aspirations into specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-bound (S.M.A.R.T.) goals. 

The people around you may not nourish you, and every activity may not engage you. But you can nourish and engage yourself. Once you begin to see where you are, understand and identify what you want, and set goals for getting there, you will attract the opportunities and the individuals you need to have that juicy life. 

"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." - Laozi 

Let today be the day you take one step toward the life you want and deserve.

Three Tools of the Trade

We often define technology as digital. However, another definition of technology is "the application of scientific knowledge for practical purposes." While I enthusiastically embrace all forms of technology, today I present to you our scientific knowledge or repeated experience with non digital products that I use daily. 

It's not always about the latest and greatest gadgets or applications. It is about finding the right tools to aid your productivity practice. Scientific knowledge is derived from repeated experimentation and practice. Repetition or replication leads to discovery and progress. My repetition or practice using these tools makes an incredible difference in my work.

Great tools should not be complicated or expensive. Simplicity, reliability and ease will help you to increase your productivity to its maximum potential. Because your most important tools are your time, energy and attention (TEA), make every purchase, every item you use be something that serves your TEA.

Below are three "low tech" suggestions for tools that I like and use. These are tiny things, but it is the tiny stuff and the tiny habits that can make a juicy day, week, month, life.

My Top 3:

1. A quality bound journal. Write, reflect, plan. And my bound journal is a fantastic complement to my favorite digital tool - Evernote.
2. A good headset. Yes, headsets are dorky, but very useful. Freeing your hands while talking on the phone is super productive - not to mention ergonomic. I have some great recommendations for wired and wireless headsets.
3. A high quality pen or pencil. The right tools make an incredible difference in my productivity. I love fountain pens, roller ball pens, and mechanical pencils. 

What are your favorite low tech tools? Look at the items that you use to communicate, to reflect, to plan. Are those tools working to serve your TEA?

The Productivity Mindset

A great deal of what influences our productivity is our mindset. Our mindset is shaped by all of the experiences we've had since birth. Cultural context, geography, physical and mental health all play an incredible role in shaping how we approach and use our time.

In our modern world, it is no secret that the abundance of information, the number of choices we have and an accelerated pace of daily life is a recipe for brain overload.

Often too much of a good thing is just too much.

Begin a Mindset Shift

Profound changes can happen in your life when you examine what is mentally holding you in a state that doesn't work well. Changing your mind will change your reality.

A critical step on the road to that change is to ask yourself, "What is my goal?" "Why do I want to change?" Those questions may seem simple and straightforward, but the answers will reveal so much. Thoughtfully answering those questions will bring you clarity on the potential benefits of changing - what it looks like and feels like to be in charge of your day, your week, your life.

But that's only the beginning. A practical, tactical approach is needed to address how you will achieve a mindset shift. And those steps include the most challenging part - the practice.

Every person's story is different, and your productivity solution will be unique to you.

When you enlist the services of a coach,  you gain an important productivity partner.

I am here to stand beside you, cheering and encouraging, on the road to dramatically shifting your way of seeing and approaching your time, energy and attention (TEA).

And when you savor your TEA, you will thoroughly enjoy the juice of life.

The Art of TEA

It is suggested that a cup of tea may offer an individual many health benefits. Here, at MyProductivity.Coach, I use tea, juice and other beverages as metaphor. When I talk tea here, I mean Time, Energy and Attention. I believe TEA is, as water is to life, essential to healthy productivity.

Time

There is hardly a statement that is truer than this: Time is the most valuable thing we have. Time is more valuable than money. How we spend our time is a reflection of what we value. If you do not value your time, you do not value yourself. And, sadly, others will follow your example and devalue your time too.

Energy

Energy is the action, the thing we put into motion. Energy leads to consequences - positive or negative. Where are you investing your energy?

Attention

When we prioritize, consciously or unconsciously, we decide what gets our attention. What gets our attention, gets our energy. What gets our energy, gets our time. Remember what I said about time?

Your TEA?

What flavor is your TEA?  Are you savoring it?

If not, I can help you to find a brew that is just right for you.

Tactical Tips: Buying Time

Procrastinators have more fun. We work less and we live more. 

How do we do it? Automation.

These days, you can automate EVERYTHING. You are only limited by your imagination. Every minute of every day, someone is starting a service or inventing a product that will take care of the things you’d rather not do.

Bill paying?

Set up online banking. Seriously, that is so 20th century.

Do you remember the last time you went to the bank? The bank wants you to bank from home. Banker’s hours are 24 hours. Take a picture of that check from Aunt Sally and deposit it using your phone.

Saving and Investing.

I am not prepared to endorse any specific financial product or service. What I will say is this: There are several automated investment services that you can sign up for and control from your handheld devices. In some cases, investing automation does a better job than most humans. You just might get rich while you sleep!

Learn that smart phone!

With most digital devices, you can track your budget, track your diet, track your sleep, pay your friends, order take-out food, order eat-in food, order groceries, track your exercise, track other vital health stats and refill prescriptions. There is one large online retailer, named after a South American river, that can deliver almost anything on a subscription basis. The electronic assistant in your phone can open apps, create appointments, draft texts and emails, read your text and emails, add to-dos, etc. And you can do it from anywhere that has internet connectivity.

Use Keyboard Shortcuts.

This 20th century technology still applies. Please Google "keyboard short cuts."

You’re welcome.

Tame the Internet

There are countless recipes for automation of your favorite apps using a service called IFTTT (If This, Then That).

The Rest of Life

Laundry? You can automate it. Household services and errands? Heat and cool your house? There are automated products and services for all of it.

What about work (and other personal tasks) you ask? Well... it depends. If you have routine tasks that you avoid, you may benefit from the services of a virtual assistant. Think travel arrangements, expense reports, time sheets, data entry, invoicing, routine medical appointments, shopping for food and clothes. The list is endless.

There are tons of theories about why procrastinators procrastinate, and there are techniques for overcoming procrastination. But until you get around to tackling that problem, you can find solutions to get stuff done, leaving time for more procrastinating!

And you may not have to even leave the couch to do it.

Are You on Time?

What does it mean to be on time? In some cultures, time is flexible. In some, to be 15 minutes early is to be on time, to arrive at the appointed time is late, and, after that, well... 

Have you ever missed an opportunity because of time management or mismanagement?

Time really is finite. Once a moment passes, it cannot be retrieved. There are no do-overs. 

Knowing your deepest desires is critical to mastering the time you have. Time mastery is so much more than trying to pack in as much as possible into a day. That is certainly one approach, and it works well for some. But does that approach work for you?

I write here about Time, Energy and Attention, and sometimes another E-word - the experience you want to have in this life. That is why it is imperative to know and understand what you want and why. Those answers will drive decisions about time planning, inform how you expend your energy,  and lead to where you place your attention.

Working together, we will achieve mastery of all three. Join me and let's slay your day!