The Happiness Centre

Insider tips: How to prioritise tasks

Do you ever feel like there's too much to do ... and not enough time? When I'm coaching Executives or coaching myself, I am reminded of this fact: "We all have the same amount of time. It's what WE DO WITH IT that's important." Be it Bill Gates, Warren Buffet, Richard Branson ... they all have the same amount of time as we do ... however a key distinction for me is revealed in the CHOICES they make about WHAT they focus on and HOW they use their time. Driven by dreams and aspirations for building The Happiness Centre and other exciting business projects, I can sometimes feel overwhelmed with the tasks 'to do' to accomplish my goals. It's never a question of capability .... because I know I can 'do' the 'tasks' ... but my topic of discussion with my Coach this morning was: What new thinking could replace the 'haziness' of task-overwhelm with a renewed clarity of priority-driven outcomes again? It was worth my time today to re-learn how to better PRIORITISE and use my valueable time (once it's gone, time is GONE!). Read these insider tips from my current Business Coach, Alistair Schreiber (one heck of a smart guy when it comes to strategy and finances in business and I love his South African 'get on with it' frankness!!) >>>>

Abundant business for therapists

It's a common story for the huge number of therapists I meet: whilst being talented practitioners, they struggle to financially make ends meet, which becomes a self-fulfilling cycle of struggle, low vitality and lack of financial resources.

One of my collegues, a very successful therapist of over 7 years experience with thousands of clients, yesterday mentioned that in his particular niche, few full-time therapists earn more than £10,000 a year. The story is similar for life coaches, where the average income is (if I recall correctly) around £14,000 per year and most return to part time or full-time work within a year of training. I often wonder how they make ends meet ... or perhaps they're living a low-carbon lifestyle for the benefit of the planet?! I jest not. It's a tough space to live in - I have been there myself which inspired me over the years to Coach individuals and Therapy Centre teams on Marketing Success for Therapists - applying both the mindset and practical action required to attract and retain clients.

However, I do occassionally (and joyfully!) meet FINANCIALLY ABUNDANT independent therapists who say: "I don't have room for any more clients! I have too much business!"  It was particularly refreshing today to learn more about the abundant client secrets of leading Bates Method (eyesight regeneration) expert, Lizzie May who generously shared her tips for the prosperity of her London practice ...

Choose your environment

How truly satisfied are you, with your living location and environment? Last year, I took some time to evaluate my living environment. I realised I'd been unconsciously "tolerating" urban elements - air quality, traffic noise, busy-ness, lack of green space ... funky Hoxton Square, whilst absolutely great for beers in the park, simply didn't seem as interesting or fulfilling to me, now I was choosing 'naturally high vitality' as a core value! Urban life in London was no longer the environment to help me stretch my potential. A winning solution came from connecting 2 of my core values - "naturally high vitality" with "true financial freedom" with a dose of inspiration from two of my favourite wealth-creation experts Nicola Cairncross (check out The Money Gym online) and Andy Shaw (read 5 chapters of his book online "Money for Nothing and your Property for Free") ...

True Re-creation

It's easy for me to forget about creating balance. I fill my diary with what seem to be 'important' activities, in pursuit of goals. Then also remind myself that happiness is not a pursuit - it's a way of being! So as we were sweltering in the London heat on Friday afternoon and Justine, our outstanding New Zealand Ops Manager asked, 'Want to come surfing?' I was in two minds: what I should do, as opposed to what I wanted to do.

The Daily Dilemma! Should versus want - which was to win? Playing on my ipod this week had been the absolutely essential 7 Habits of Highly Effective People - a must read/listen to for those into QOL (quality of life). It contained a timely reminder that highly successful people focus on their need for true recreation or "RE-CREATION". What management guru Stephen Covey reminded me of was ...

1 in 100 will be wealthy

Passion and profit. Can these two things really go together for practitioners and therapists? Particularly considering most self-employed practitoners are lucky to earn a living wage. I guess the answer is more like: how can our industry afford not to learn how to create financial freedom.

Take any 100 people at the start of their working careers and follow them for 40 years until they reach retirement age, and here’s what you’ll find.

According to the Department of Health & Social Security: just 1 person will be wealthy; 4 people will be financially secure; 5 people will have to continue working; 36 people will be dead; and 54 people will be dead broke – dependant on their meagre Social Security benefits, relatives, friends even charity for a minimum standard of living. So that’s only 1% achieve financial freedom.

If you're needing a head-shift with money, then I highly recommend attending ...

Subliminal Software

This is one of the coolest bits of software ever for people like us. Subliminal messages work... and all it takes to influence your mind, is a simple 100-millisecond message flashed before your eyes. Someone once told me: you're always in a trance ... it's just whether YOU have chosen the message or someone else has chosen it for you. How true.

I'd much rather be consciously programming myself for success at every opportunity, so this software is one of the best finds ever. Derren Brown, the UK mentalist, has recently been bringing the public's attention to how easily we are influenced by daily sublimal messages around us in everyday life. What might be subtley influencing you today that has perhaps gone unnoticed? This software encourages you choose what to feed your mind subliminally:

http://www.subliminal-power.com/?afl=15697

Use it for embedding confidence, energy, motivation, healthy habits and positive attitudes. Perhaps the most famous and controversial experiment using subliminal messages was performed by researcher Dr James Vicary. He flashed the messages "I want popcorn" and "Drink more coke" for just 100-milliseconds in front of a movie audience. Nobody "saw" the messages, but during that sitting popcorn sales shot up 57.8% and coke sales rocketed 18.1%. How does it work?

http://www.subliminal-power.com/?afl=15697

Use it for embedding confidence, energy, motivation, healthy habits and positive attitudes. Perhaps the most famous and controversial experiment using subliminal messages was performed by researcher Dr James Vicary. He flashed the messages "I want popcorn" and "Drink more coke" for just 100-milliseconds in front of a movie audience. Nobody "saw" the messages, but during that sitting popcorn sales shot up 57.8% and coke sales rocketed 18.1%. How does it work?

Aspartame

Whilst at The New Living and Lifestyle Show in Brighton this month, I met a wonderfully healthy, informed, ethical man called Chris who truly opened my eyes to the artificial sweetener named 'Aspartame'. It constantly amazes me at how many additives are found in foods, that have been scientifically proven to be harmful. Which of these products do you consume regularly, that may contain Aspartame?