Today’s chat is open! If you’re following the chat, introduce yourself…who are you and what do you do? #productivitychatSheila Hawkins

@AlaiaWilliams What do you do and how’s your to-do list looking? #productivitychatSheila Hawkins

@ThirdEyeGrp I’m a small business operations + organizing consulting. I also produce business networking events #productivitychatAlaia Williams

@AlaiaWilliams Great! What productivity challenges do you face daily? #productivitychatSheila Hawkins

@ThirdEyeGrp for me – prioritizing myself and biz over that of my clients. #productivitychatAlaia Williams

@AlaiaWilliams That is a big challenge for most women. I see it all the time. #productivitychatSheila Hawkins

Sometimes what women don’t realize is that if we don’t take care of ourselves first, we can’t take care of our fam & biz #productivitychatSheila Hawkins

Making self a priority: When you create your calendar the first thing that should go into it are your "me time" & days off #productivitychatSheila Hawkins

@ThirdEyeGrp very true. I see that in myself but definitely have trouble changing it when it comes to taking action #productivitychatAlaia Williams

@ThirdEyeGrp day off? what’s that? haha. #productivitychatAlaia Williams

@AlaiaWilliams LOL. I used to say that often. #productivitychatSheila Hawkins

@AlaiaWilliams I have SO been there! It took a while to make the shift too #productivitychatSheila Hawkins

Make Yourself  Priority # 1!
You Can’t Take Care of Anything Unless You Take Care of You First.

When I plan my coming year I look at a blank calendar and determine what weeks and days I’m taking off for myself and fam #productivitychatSheila Hawkins

Step 2: After planning days off, schedule business planning days to coincide with the milestones in your goals #productivitychatSheila Hawkins

@AlaiaWilliams Right now, if you don’t have any time off scheduled, make the promise to yourself to schedule it today #productivitychatSheila Hawkins

Hi #productivitychatChasing Joy (Arlett)

@Chasing_Joy Hey there! Thanks for joining us. How are you? #productivitychatSheila Hawkins

Attention ladies: Do you schedule days off and/or "me time" when you plan? Come join us as we discuss it #productivitychatSheila Hawkins

No but I should RT @ThirdEyeGrp: Attention ladies: Do you schedule days off and/or "me time" when you plan? #productivitychatChasing Joy (Arlett)

@Chasing_Joy You’re not by yourself. So many women work for their biz and everything else & don’t include self #productivitychatSheila Hawkins

This is for everyone in the chat and those who see it afterward-SCHEDULE "ME TIME" in your calendar for all of 2013 #productivitychatSheila Hawkins

When you get on a plane the flight attendant tells you to put your mask on first before you help anyone else… #productivitychatSheila Hawkins

You can’t take care of anything else or anyone else unless you take care of you first. You must be a priority! #productivitychatSheila Hawkins

Why Do You Think You Give Other Things Priority Over Yourself?

So ladies @AlaiaWilliams @Chasing_Joy why do you think you put other things and people before yourself? #productivitychatSheila Hawkins

Do you think not making yourself a priority is something that you learned or is it because there’s so much to do? #productivitychatSheila Hawkins

@ThirdEyeGrp its just with work. I put the clients work ahead of my own and then I fall behind. Im ok on the personal side #productivitychatAlaia Williams

@ThirdEyeGrp i feel like since they are paying me, they are the top priority #productivitychatAlaia Williams

@AlaiaWilliams Got it! Clients are definitely top priority but remember if biz has to stay strong too #productivitychatSheila Hawkins

@AlaiaWilliams Ah, okay, so you have to add time to work on your biz, or you could delegate some tasks #productivitychatSheila Hawkins

@AlaiaWilliams You can schedule certain days for particular things. ie a day for accounting, writing, blogging, etc… #productivitychatSheila Hawkins

@AlaiaWilliams …that helps you keep up with everything that needs to be done inside of your business #productivitychatSheila Hawkins

@AlaiaWilliams You may only need 1 day to do all internal biz activities. Depends upon the work load. Delegate if you can #productivitychatSheila Hawkins

@ThirdEyeGrp it can probably be done in a day! #productivitychatAlaia Williams

@AlaiaWilliams Perfect! Choose your day, make it a recurring calendar item and you’re ready to go. #productivitychatSheila Hawkins

@Chasing_Joy Great! So how many days would you like to take for "me time", vacation, etc per year? #productivitychatSheila Hawkins

per year I’d like 52, one aweek @ThirdEyeGrp #productivitychatChasing Joy (Arlett)

@chasing_joy Choose your day of the week and add to your calendar. I take part of Fridays at times to lengthen my weekend #productivitychatSheila Hawkins

I’m thinking Saturday @ThirdEyeGrp #productivitychatChasing Joy (Arlett)

@Chasing_Joy Once you choose your weekly day off, choose weeks/parts of weeks to have off too #productivitychatSheila Hawkins

I need help figuring out which activities to Delegate. #productivitychatChasing Joy (Arlett)

@Chasing_Joy Okay, start with the things don’t have to be done by you #productivitychatSheila Hawkins

I should make a list RT @ThirdEyeGrp: @Chasing_Joy Okay, start with the things dont have to be done by you #productivitychatChasing Joy (Arlett)

@Chasing_Joy Exactly! If the task doesn’t need your expertise or isn’t confidential, you might be able to delegate it #productivitychatSheila Hawkins

@ThirdEyeGrp Delegate a few things at first, then add more. Let go of everything that you can. #productivitychatSheila Hawkins

Delegate, Delegate, Delegate!!

Delegating frees up your time and allows you to focus on the money generating things in your biz #productivitychatSheila Hawkins

Two key points:1) Make time for yourself-you are a priority 2) Delegate what you can so that you can do what you do best #productivitychatSheila Hawkins

How Does Your To-Do List Look?

So, how does your to-do list look? Overcrowded and got your frustrated? Not enough time to get it all done? #productivitychatSheila Hawkins

How many times do you find yourself spending time on things that are urgent? #productivitychatSheila Hawkins

Get control of your to-do list. Start by look at your to-do list and calendar determine what’s important and what’s not #productivitychatSheila Hawkins

Once you figure out what tasks are important and which aren’t, you can start eliminating things from your to-do list… #productivitychatSheila Hawkins

They don’t have to be done, just eliminated or placed farther out or delegated so that you can focus on what’s important #productivitychatSheila Hawkins

@ThirdEyeGrp procrastination is a real killer! #productivitychatAlaia Williams

@AlaiaWilliams Yes, that’s one of the biggest challenges I see with my clients. It is the thief of time. #productivitychatSheila Hawkins

@AlaiaWilliams The key to eliminating procrastination is getting down to the REAL reason you do see http://bit.ly/ProTEG #productivitychatSheila Hawkins

Procrastination is one of the biggest challenges I see with my clients

I’m late to the party @ThirdEyeGrp distractions and procrastination are my monsters. #productivitychatE Claudette Freeman

@ecfcreative Hey Claudette! Glad to see you. Bright shiny objects are usually are challenging for creative folks like you #productivitychatSheila Hawkins

@ecfcreative Those are the most popular distractions I see with creative people, especially those who are really gifted #productivitychatSheila Hawkins

@ThirdEyeGrp yes they are-my forever moving brain always thinks I should just take a moment and do this or that #productivitychatE Claudette Freeman

@ecfcreative Get a notebook and keep it w/you while you work. Instead of following the BSO, write the idea down… #productivitychatSheila Hawkins

BSO? #productivitychatE Claudette Freeman

@ecfcreative BSO= Bright Shiny Object 🙂 #productivitychatSheila Hawkins

@ecfcreative …at the end of the day/week get the ideas into your calendar. This keeps you focused w/o losing ideas #productivitychatSheila Hawkins

Aaah okay – I can def see using a notebook to capture ideas. I’ve downloaded note apps to cell & Kindle #productivitychatE Claudette Freeman

Strange for me @ThirdEyeGrp is I do better at delegating business duties that home duties, that’s where distractions are #productivitychatE Claudette Freeman

Not sure any of others on chat today have this, but I struggle with not picking up a task I’ve delegated. #productivitychatE Claudette Freeman

Do You Get Distracted Working From Home?

@ecfcreative Distractions are with home duties? Is it working at home that presents the challenge? #productivitychatSheila Hawkins

@ecfcreative if so, create a list of rules to abide by during work hours for you and household members. #productivitychatSheila Hawkins

I think part is working at home. I can say I forgot this & get up and do it. Or I need to do this and get up & do it. #productivitychatE Claudette Freeman

@ecfcreative It’s like out of sight out of mind. Place follow up times/dates in your calendar & ask for status updates too #productivitychatSheila Hawkins

@ecfcreative Allow that to be part of your biz systems so things don’t fall through the cracks #productivitychatSheila Hawkins

Think I need to check my resources & use better. DELEGATION is my word for next the month. Mastering it I think is key. #productivitychatE Claudette Freeman

@ecfcreative Delegation is a beautiful thing! #productivitychatSheila Hawkins

Delegation is something I will definitely need to master to move forward in productivity and profitability. #productivitychatE Claudette Freeman

@ecfcreative Delegation is key when it comes to increasing productivity and positively impacting your bottom line #productivitychatSheila Hawkins

@ecfcreative Then rules are the solution. I had to do that when I started working at home. Determine work & home hours… #productivitychatSheila Hawkins

@ecfcreative Once you determine that, make your rules. One 4 me was no interruptions; ask during breaks only #productivitychatSheila Hawkins

@ecfcreative If no one’s at home w/you during work hours, the rules will be for you only and maybe some for them when home #productivitychatSheila Hawkins

Thanks for the advice @ThirdEyeGrp. It’s appreciated. #productivitychatE Claudette Freeman

@ecfcreative You are quite welcome! Always my pleasure. #productivitychatSheila Hawkins

Oh…don’t forget, I have a gift for those who joined the chat today. I’ll send it via DM #productivitychatSheila Hawkins

Cool! RT @ThirdEyeGrp: Oh…dont forget, I have a gift for those who joined the chat today. Ill send it via DM #productivitychatChasing Joy (Arlett)

Okay, it’s time to wrap things up. As I mentioned I’ll send the gift via DM to all those who participated today… #productivitychatSheila Hawkins

My "What Matters Most" eBook will take you through step by step process for cleaning up your to-do list & gaining control #productivitychatSheila Hawkins

Thanks @ThirdEyeGrp #productivitychatChasing Joy (Arlett)

@Chasing_Joy My pleasure always! LOVE what I do. Thank you for being here. #productivitychatSheila Hawkins

FYI this chat will take place on the 1st & 3rd Sunday each month. Hope that you all will join me again. #productivitychatSheila Hawkins