In today’s workplace, if you don't control your schedule, it will control you.

How do you balance the necessary evils of meetings, email, team chat, and "busy work" with focused time for the things you truly care about?  We need concrete strategies to help us focus in a world designed to distract us.

Time blocking is a simple, yet effective way to take back control of your workday. 

Try time blocking if you...

• Juggle many different projects/responsibilities 
• Spend too much time in “reactive mode”, responding to email and messages
• Find their day chopped up by meetings
• Battle constant interruptions throughout the day
• Struggle to find the time and mental space for big-picture thinking

Time blocking is a time management method that asks you to divide your day into blocks of time. Each block is dedicated to accomplishing a specific task or group of tasks. Instead of keeping an open-ended to-do list of things you’ll get to as you’re able, you’ll start each day with a concrete schedule that lays out what you’ll work on and when.

The key is prioritizing your task list in advance. A dedicated weekly review is a must. Ask yourself what’s coming up for the week ahead and make a rough sketch of your time blocks for each day. At the end of each work day, review any tasks you didn’t finish — as well as any new tasks that have come in — and adjust your time blocks for the rest of the week accordingly.

With days that are time blocked in advance, you won’t have to constantly make choices about what to focus on. All you need to do is follow your time blocked schedule. If you get off-task or distracted, simply look at your schedule and get back to whichever task you blocked off time for.  

So start blocking time today.

 Having a sense of purpose for your life is Important.

“Purpose” is defined as the reason for which something is made, done or used.  Having a sense of purpose is important to your physical, mental and emotional health.

So, what’s your purpose? According to William Damon, author of A Path to Purpose, it’s “a stable and generalized intention to accomplish something that is at the same time meaningful to the self and consequential for the world beyond the self.”

That meaningful intention can help you stay focused on the things that matter most—your family, friends, and career. It helps you prioritize your life, allowing you to walk away from certain people or activities that don’t serve your purpose. It’s the main reason to stay motivated when things get tough, so you can set and meet short- and long-term goals. It makes you feel like you are making a difference in the world.

When you have a sense of purpose, you tend to have:

• Increased optimism, resilience, and hope
• Experience feelings of joy, happiness, and satisfaction
• Better physical health
• Increased career satisfaction
• Being a leader in the workplace
• Higher income

Damon believes people fall into one of four categories when it comes to having a sense of purpose:

1. Purposeful: You’ve found something that is personally meaningful to you that contributes to the greater good. You’ve sustained interest over a long period of time, and you can clearly articulate your “why.”
   
2. Dreamers: You think about, and express, great ideas, but you have not yet taken any practical action.
   
3. Dabblers: You’ve engaged in potentially purposeful activities without committing to one in particular or sustaining your efforts over a long period of time. You may struggle to articulate your “why.”
   
4. Disengaged: You don’t have a sense of purpose in life and don’t have any desire or need to find one.
   

Which category do you think you fall into at this point in your life? Purpose is not something we simply “find” and we're done with it. It’s a journey. And on this journey, we are taking action to better understand and fulfill our purpose.

Every personal vision statement varies depending on the goals, values, and priorities of the person writing it. There are many parts to include in your statement:


• Your personal vision statement should include both short- and long-term professional goals. For example, a short-term goal could be to find a career that aligns with your passion, while a long-term goal could be to own a company that aligns with that same passion.
• You’ll want to be clear on the principles and values you wish to uphold when working towards your goal. 
• Desiring to contribute to your community or your organization should be included in your personal vision statement as well.
• Your vision statement should also include what you are most passionate about. For example, maybe your long-term career goal is to become a teacher because you are passionate about education. Including your passion will help keep you motivated.




How to write a personal vision statement

Here are steps you can follow when crafting your personal vision statement:

1. Determine your top strengths. Identifying your strengths and determining how they can help you achieve your goals is an important step in the process of writing your statement. List out your skills and then narrow them down to the strengths that are most relevant and useful to your career goals. Use these strengths as stepping stones to making improvements in your professional life.
   
2. Write down your values. Make sure your values align with your career goals. If they counter each other, you may want to re-evaluate your career aspirations.
   
3. Choose the career you want to pursue. Getting specific about the career you want to pursue is important and will allow you to create actionable steps you can take to get there.
   
4. Write your personal mission statement. Using the above information, compose a 40- to 60-word mission statement that encompasses your goals, values, and skills. The first sentence should include the career you want to pursue and the specific job title. The second sentence should include your reasoning for wanting to go after this career. For example, you may want to pursue a career to follow your passion.
   




How to use your personal vision statement

Once you’ve crafted a mission statement, it’s time to use it. Here are a few ways to use your vision statement:

1. Read it every day. Keep your personal vision statement somewhere close by where you can see it regularly. You could write it on a small piece of paper and carry it in your purse or wallet, or tape it to your computer so it’s within your sight daily.
   
2. Use it when making decisions. If you’re searching for a new job or making another important career decision, you can use your personal vision statement as a reference to ensure you’re taking the steps to get where you ultimately want to be.
   
3. Tell someone else about your personal vision. Consider telling a close friend or relative about your personal vision. This will help hold you accountable for following through on it.

Personal vision statements are a great way to identify your long-term career goals, help you achieve short-term goals, and support you as you pursue professional experiences. Regularly referring to your personal vision statement can keep you on track and is a great tool when making big decisions in your life. 

What is a personal vision statement?

A personal vision statement is a statement of what you want to accomplish in your life, both personally and professionally. It can be used as a guide when determining the career to pursue, making important life decisions, planning how you’ll accomplish goals, and realizing your life dreams.

Identifying and creating a statement that encompasses your career goals will give you motivation when facing career challenges and deciding whether to switch careers to further your professional success.

Why is a personal vision statement important?

Establishing a personal vision statement is important for many reasons.  A vision statement can:

• Help you identify the aspirations that are most important to you
• Keep you on track toward reaching your professional goals
• Inspire you to keep workings towards your long-term goals, even when the going gets tough
• Give you a feeling of direction and commitment in your professional life
• Provide you with concrete and actionable steps that help you move forward with your goals

What to include in your personal vision statement

Each personal vision statement will vary depending on the goals, values, and priorities of the individual writing it. There are several components to consider including in your personal vision statement:

• Short- and long-term goals: Your personal vision statement should include both short- and long-term professional goals. For example, a short-term professional goal could be to find a career that aligns with your passion, while a long-term professional goal could be to own a company that aligns with that same passion.
  
• Principles and values you want to stand for: When working towards your goals, you’ll want to be clear on the principles and values you wish to uphold.  If honesty and integrity are values you want to stand for, you likely won’t cheat your way to the top of your organization. 
  
• The difference you want to make: Do you want to contribute to a certain area in your life? Maybe you want to contribute to your community or your organization. This should be included in your personal vision statement.
  
• Your passions: Your personal vision statement should also include or at least reference what you are most passionate about. For example, maybe your long-term career goal is to become a veterinarian because you are passionate about the welfare of animals. Including your passion will help keep you motivated.  
  

We all have a purpose but what helps direct it is a vision. What is vision?  Vision is defined as an act or power of anticipating what will or may come to be. Vision gives direction so our goals and purpose can become a reality.  To understand where we want to be in life, we must have a clear vision over our life.  Once you understand that vision clarifies purpose, life becomes simpler and more meaningful. 

Vision Chooses Our Friends

Vision chooses our direction in life, our friends and the company we keep. People spend time with people who have a vision and who are disciplined in their vision.  When you hear someone proclaim, “I’m a Self-Made Millionaire”, don’t be fooled by the propaganda because no one is a self-made millionaire, anyone who is successful financially, is successful because of their ability to communicate their vision and surround themselves with people who were willing to invest in their vision.

Vision Decides How We Spend Our Time

How we spend our time is connected to our vision. If our vision is important to us, we are specific about how we spend our time.  For example, if you decide you want to be the Salesperson of the Month, in the next few weeks spending time on partying after you leave the office might decline, the amount of sleep you get at night might increase and the time you invest in your work while at work will align with your vision. In order to reach your goal and purpose the time you spend will determine your actions to achieve your vision.  Vision will not allow you to waste time. 

Vision Creates Your Habits

Vision creates your habits. To prepare, you might read a book about sales techniques for 30 minutes, first thing every morning to give you more knowledge, once you get in the office, you might listen to a real estate podcast by a successful real estate person to learn common threads on what made them successful.  You might even sign up for weekly coaching to help with your accountability. Create and follow habits that bring you closer to your vision and purpose. It’s important to know that the way we spend our time, energy and resources can contribute and bring us one step closer than we were yesterday.  Create your vision and watch where life takes you. 

Whether you are a naturally grateful person or you find yourself more on the pessimistic side, a gratitude mindset is a skill we can all develop. Showing gratitude is very important for your mindset.  Finding easy practices you can commit to doing each day is the best way to feel the effects. 

Start actively tuning into the positive events in your life and anything that makes you feel good. Try one (or more!) of these tips today:

1. Start appreciating everything you go through and remember to say “Thank You.”
2. Get into a habit of writing down three things you’re grateful forin a daily gratitude journal.
3. Tell a loved one why you appreciate them. The added bonus is it’ll probably make their day too.
4. As you fall asleep or in quiet moments, make a mental gratitude list starting with each letter of the alphabet.
5. Visualize something you love (a person, place, pet or object) and let your imagination bring it to life. Let yourself fill up with warmth. 

Because gratitude can boost your mood, it's no surprise that it can also improve your overall mental health. Approaching life with a more positive mindset can do more than just improve your mood. It can have cascading benefits in other areas of your life.

While these gratitude exercises can give your mood and outlook a welcome boost, it can take time for them to impact your mental health and overall well-being. Be patient and continue practicing gratitude. Turn the exercises into little rituals. In time, you may notice your stress levels drop and relationships strengthen. Then, you’ll have even more reasons to be grateful.

Are you still struggling to implement good habits? Do this: Instead of focusing on what you want to achieve, focus on who you want to be as a person. This is the concept of identity-based habit.

When it comes to habits, there are two types of habits you need to understand:

• Outcome-based habits 
• Identity-based habits

In James Clear’s best-selling book, Atomic Habits, he explains, with identity-based habits, the focus is on who you want to become. These types of habits are important for clearly identifying who it is you want to become in the future. 

On the other hand, with outcome-based habits, the focus is on what you want to achieve. These types of habits are the weekly, daily, minute-by-minute habits that take you from where you are now to achieving whatever goal you have set for yourself.  

Identity-based habits are the types of habits that aim to change your inner particles – your DNA, your beliefs, your personality. Not simply change the processes you do in your life.

With identity-based habits, you don’t start going to the gym because you want to lose weight. You boldly declare that, from now on, you’ll be a healthy person. The process looks like this: 

• Your decide the type of person you want to be
• Then prove it to yourself with small wins

A person who pursues outcome-based habits is solely focused on the outcome of losing weight. For this to happen, they eat well and go to the gym. But when this goal is reached, they quickly return to their old ways of living. 

You keep the habits until you reach the goal. Once the goal is reached, since you are the same you, you resume doing the things that led to gaining weight.

The idea of identity-based habits offers a simple framework to abandon your bad habits and adopt good ones. But with this disclaimer: Simple doesn’t mean easy! Once you understand the idea of identity-based habits. You will know what to do. But it will be hard to do. Change won’t happen overnight. Like everything meaningful in life, it requires work and persistence.

So, what’s the verdict in relation to identity-based habits vs outcome-based habits? We shouldn’t dismiss habits focused on outcomes.

Outcome-based habits are not bad per se. There is a chance that if you continue to exercise daily, you will convince yourself that you need to be a healthy person. If you regularly do something, this can shift your identity.

Something similar can happen when you start with outcome-based habits. You set a goal. You focus on reaching that goal, and along the way, you realize that you want to be a healthy person. You want to be a person who exercises regularly. Then, your identity shifts. And your outcome-based habits become identity-based habits.

For example, trying a new profession. You don’t know if you are good at sales. You don’t know if you’d enjoy it. You first need to try so you give yourself a chance to explore the profession. 

In this regard, outcome-based habits can be quite helpful. You can set a goal to learn how to sell for 60 days. Once the two months is over, you can decide how to proceed… remain a salesperson, or not. 

If the answer is yes, you can then focus on acquiring identity-based habits that will make you a great salesperson. If not, you can search for a different outlet.  So think about the successful salesperson you want to become and focus on the actions that will get you there.  

If you’re considering making a New Year’s resolution for 2023, you should know that your brain is working against you. That’s because we have reptilian brains that want to protect us, which includes a “fight or flight” reaction to change, says Jeremy Campbell, CEO of Black Isle Group, performance improvement consultants.

“We’re still very prehistoric in terms of how we’re wired,” he says. “We’re programmed to be more negative and to find reasons not to do things. We often rely upon motivation, and motivation runs out usually after two or three weeks. That’s why New Year’s resolutions often don’t work.”

Another reason resolutions are challenging is because we tend to think that on the first of January, something will magically change. “What most people want is the outcome, but they don’t want to do the work,” says Campbell. “If you do want to make some changes, there are better ways to go about it.”

Campbell says habits are more powerful than resolutions. He shares these six principles that help you adopt habits:

GET CLEAR ON THE GOAL

First, be very clear on the change that you’re after. For example, if you want to become more fit, do you want to run a 5K, finish an ultra-marathon, or take a short walk without being out of breath?

“Make sure that you know exactly what that goal looks like, and you can visualize it and describe it,” says Campbell. “The clearer you are on the output you’re after, the better your chance of reaching it.”

BREAK IT DOWN

Next, break down the goal into small chunks. “New Year’s resolutions often don’t work because we want instant gratification,” says Campbell. “We also tend to do too much.”

For example, when pursuing a goal to become fitter, most people go all in. They go for a long run or spend an hour and a half at the gym, when a 20-minute walk would be perfect and more likely to be sustainable. By breaking down the big goal into smaller actions, you’ll be more likely to stick with it.

MEASURE WHAT YOU DO

The third step is to measure what you do.

“Diarize it because that increases the chances of you actually taking the action,” says Campbell. “If I want to smash a sales target, I’ve got a diarize every single day that I’m going to phone a prospect.”

Know what you’re going to do and when you’re going to do it. You’ll increase your chances by taking those actions of planning and measuring.

BE CONSISTENT

Consistency is what gets results, and Campbell likens it to a self-esteem bank account.  “The more consistent you are with your actions, the more you start trusting yourself,” he explains. “This is where the habit starts to form because it becomes part of who you are and what you do.”

Consistency is also the hardest of the six steps, and Campbell suggests gamifying the process. “If you make it fun, you’re much more likely to do it,” he says.

For example, form a streak, which is like a psychological contract with yourself. “Organizations like Peloton are brilliant at this, sending you notifications that say, ‘Don’t forget to get on your bike tomorrow so you don’t lose your streak,’” says Campbell. “That type of gamification is proven to work.”

GET A CHEERLEADER

Whether it’s hiring a coach, finding accountability buddy, or joining a Facebook group, it’s important to have someone cheering you on.

“Do something that puts you outside of your comfort zone by telling people what you’re going to do,” says Campbell. “Being held accountable helps you stick to the plan.”

CELEBRATE YOUR WINS

Finally, take time to acknowledge your wins by looking back each week and reflecting on what’s gone well. “Human beings often focus on the things that haven’t gone well,” says Campbell. “By celebrating your victories, you’ll find motivation to keep going.”

Habits take a while to form, due to our reptilian brain. “It goes back to the fight or flight,” says Campbell. “We’re naturally very cautious about things because we are protecting ourselves. And we protect ourselves from change.”

The New Year brings a societal push toward doing something different, and Campbell says it’s perfectly fine to avoid resolutions altogether.

“If you do want to make some changes, forming habits with these principles can get results,” he says. “But if you don’t want to change bad enough, don’t do it. You’ll save yourself a lot of heartache.”