Reading time: 4 – 7 minutes
I was a little concerned when I saw what Cheryl Richardson had set us for the challenge last week in her Life Makeovers book. About six months ago we had our home office, which is where I work, totally re-modelled. I had been running my coaching practice with a desk and filing cabinet system that just wasn’t up to the job. So we bit the bullet and got a company called Conquest Fitted Furniture to redesign the space and then fit it. We have been delighted with the results…
This is where I work now, you can’t see all the new cupboards in the photo but I am sure you’ll get the idea. It’s such an improvement on what I did have. I can thoroughly recommend both Conquest and sorting out the space in which you work. Cheryl is spot on when she says it can make a massive difference to your life. When you think how long most of us spend at work, it is a shame we often don’t give enough thought to the environment surrounding us.
Anyway, when I first read the chapter I wondered what on earth I was going to be able to do to have a spring clean as suggested. But then I remembered that I had been meaning, for months, to have some extra lighting in one area fitted. So I have used this nudge from Cheryl to do call the electrician and I know it will make a big difference especially as we move towards the winter months here in England.
Then the other thing I have done is to update the photo above my desk of my children. As Cheryl said, the creature comforts are as important as the other aspects of the room and the new photo makes me smile every time I look at it. I am planning to add a small flowering plant to my desk. I know how much I love flowers so I think this will also make a big difference. I think perhaps a miniature rose will do the trick.
I wonder what you tried and what the effect was? I know a week is not a long time to actually have a major office clear out, but were you at least able to find time to plan when you can do it? Could you do it before Christmas? If you can, why don’t you block out the time you think you need in your diary right now.
Feel the fear and do it anyway! : SUSAN JEFFERS
This is the quote at the start this week’s chapter Stretch Yourself. I am sure many of you will have heard the quote before and perhaps even read the work of Susan Jeffers. For those of you who haven’t I have added a link to her web site where you can sign up for a free news letter and there are some other free things you might like to try too, it’s on the right hand side of this page under ‘Check this out’.
Cheryl Richardson is encouraging us to practice extreme self care by challenging us to stretch ourselves in some way. To do this we have to start by working on a clear vision for our work and/or life. She says that by linking our personal success (in whatever field we are in) to a larger vision, the achievements we have become more fulfilling and motivating. According to Cheryl, if we can work out how what we are doing fits into the larger picture we will find it easier to stretch ourselves and thus do more in the world.
So ask yourself these questions:-
1. What is my vision?
2. How does my work serve others?
3. How do I want it to serve a greater good?
Write down everything that comes into your head; thoughts, feelings and ideas. Then create one simple sentence from it all which is your vision. For example
I contribute to a healthy society by raising my children to be loving and compassionate adults
or
I contribute to the protection of the earth by recycling everything that I can and using the earth’s resources wisely
Then once you have your vision roughly mapped out (don’t worry about getting it perfect at this stage), then identify one fear or concern that is holding you back from pursuing the vision in a larger way. This might be one of the following
Fear of the reaction of others
Fear of failure
An inability to ask for help
Fear of rejection or being judged
The final element of the challenge is to ask someone that you respect to help you overcome the main fear that you have, so that you can more thoroughly achieve your vision.
Cheryl recommends a book as a resource for us to use called The Path: Creating Your Mission Statement for Work and Life by Laurie Beth Jones. I have just ordered a copy and I’ll try that out for us all when it arrives. Watch this space for feedback
But in the meantime have fun with this challenge and remember it is about stretching ourselves. I am sure there have been times in your life when you’ve had to do something you didn’t think you could. Remember how great it feels when you finally do it!
Have a good week
best wishes
Liz x
Reading time: 5 – 8 minutes
I can’t tell you how chuffed I am at the results I have had on improving my sleep!!! I hope you have been as successful. I can’t hardly believe what a difference one small change that I have made has had! So, I hear you asking, what did you do Liz?
Well I started leaving the window in my bedroom open over night! As you may remember Cheryl Richardson recommended doing a number of things for our review of sleeping habits. I found myself intrigued about the idea that the quality of the air in the room could make such a big difference. So I did some further research on the internet and found various sites which confirmed how important the air quality can be. Air purifiers are quite expensive if you get a ‘proper’ one, so I didn’t really want to go that route without being sure it would work for me.
Given that here in England we are in the summer months, having the windows open over night is not quite the problem it will become in a few months time! So I persuaded my husband that we should try improving the air by having the windows open. I didn’t expect such a dramatic difference, I can tell you! But I have gone from a situation where I was waking several times a night to sleeping basically the whole night through. WOW…
Needless to say I have been looking at air purifiers as a result and am planning to order one asap so that even during the winter I can keep the air quality in the room good. I’ll let you know how I get on, and if anyone has any recommendations for a good purifier, available in the UK market, please let me know.
After that success I have been looking at the clutter in the room too. For us, it is always books that start to get in the way. We love to read and so there are always a collection of read and unread books in the room and it doesn’t take long before they start to get in the way of the room being a ‘sanctuary’. A trip to our local charity shop is imminent now…
We also have had a look at our bedding and decided to get some new sheets and covers. Not an easy thing to do as it can be tough to get the balance between male and female wishes on bedding, don’t you think! ‘Flowery’ versus a ‘bit masculine’…. you know what I mean I’m sure. So we drew a blank in the first shop, but I will keep trying.
I am determined that once we have the new sheets I will also take up Cheryl’s other suggestions of changing the sheets more often. It can feel like a lot of effort to change the sheets (or is that me being lazy?). But I do LOVE the smell of new sheets, so I am going to change them at least twice as often.
Anyway, an eye opening week for me. How did you get on? Did anyone try the relaxation exercise. With all of the above I am afraid I completely forgot about it, so I’d love to hear if it worked…..
So this week we move out of the bedroom and into the office and have a spring clean in there! As I have found, the environment around us can be harmful to our health without us even realising. We often spend a lot of time in an office every day and if for some reason, that environment is not great it can have a major impact on our lives.
Analyse your life in terms of its environment. Are the things around you helping you towards success – or are they holding you back? ~ W. CLEMENT STONE
Ask yourself the following:
1. How clean is your office?
We’re not just talking about dust here, have you cleared out the clutter in your office recently? If the cleaners in your building are not up to scratch, why not finish the job properly yourself?
2. How is the lighting?
This is especially important around your desk and computer screen. There are all kinds of different lights and bulbs that can make a real difference. Why not consider trying one of those bulbs that mimic daylight if your office is enclosed?
3. How well can you breathe?
Just as air quality is important in the bedroom, so it is in your working environment. As I now know, there are all kinds of different air purifiers including small portable ones that you could have in your office. Why not try one?
4. How close by is clean water?
Having a regular supply of drinking water can make a big difference. Most of us know that we should drink more than we do and stay hydrated during the day. By having a supply of drinking water close to hand this becomes much easier to achieve.
5. Does your office have creature comforts?
Perhaps this sounds like a strange question, but actually some creature comforts around you in the office could make the whole environment a better place for you to spend time. What about a plant? Or some new photos for your desk? Or a nice cushion for on your chair. There are all kinds of small things you could do to make your working environment a nicer place to be which will enable you to be more productive, happier and healthier.
So the task for this week is to think about the five questions and come up with 3 things you could do that would improve your office this week.