TIPS FOR UNCLUTTERING YOUR LIFE

Clutter isn't only physical. Mental and emotional clutter can keep you from doing what you really want to do. Here are 10 tips for "unloading" the clutter in your life. It's time for spring cleaning!

1. Get rid of the human vampires.

Avoid contact with people who are energy drains. Even if they're family members that you can't avoid altogether, make a decision to limit the time you are around them and what you will allow them to engage you in.

2. Learn to say NO.

It's the first word you learned when you were two. Use it! It's your life, time, and resource and you have the right to use it as you see fit without comments from the peanut galley.

3. Take time for YOU.

Time is short for all of us. Make a decision to set aside down-time that is just for you, even if you can only start with 15 minutes a day. Lock the door, turn off the phone, send the kids to the neighbours', but do it.

4. Have a garage or sidewalk sale.

Getting rid of physical stuff you don't need frees you up mentally and physically. Make room for writing that book, sewing that quilt, or whatever it is you have always wanted space for.

5. Pay cash.

Credit card bills equal bondage and lack of freedom. Free yourself and create choices for the things that really matter to you. If you can't pay for it, you don't need it.

6. Limit tradition.

Most tradition is senseless and a time-waster. If it doesn't make sense, forget it!

7. Embrace quality time.

Schedule time for the things and special people in your life and then FOCUS only on them without distractions. You will both enjoy your time together more if you know beforehand that nothing else will get in the way.

8. Set priorities.

It's impossible to do EVERYTHING well. Develop a pecking order of priorities and streamline it until you have only those things on the list that really matter.

9. Forget the Joneses'.

Even if you believe everyone's watching you, the truth is no one's paying that much attention to you.

10. Live YOUR life.

What works for someone else may not work for you. Take direction from your inner instinct and go with it!

 

- by Carmen Stine

 

 

 

 

USING ONLINE VIDEOS TO ATTRACT CUSTOMERS

Because of the expansion of YouTube.com, bloggers are now able to promote their content in a different format, which can resonate with readers all over the world. One of the biggest problems faced by bloggers is being able to resonate with readers from places where English isn’t their first language. Video blogging has completely changed this so I recommend everyone to start adapting this strategy going forward. With that said,

I decided to jump into this awesome topic because I know many of you are trying to find ways to create content that attracts massive customers. Before I continue, keep in mind, YouTube.com, and other networks, do allow you to add a link within your videos so having your video go viral can be awesome for engagement. Let’s jump right into this article, and explore the following:

• How videos will enhance your tutorials
• How videos will enhance products on website
• The relation between videos, and authenticity
• They rank well when optimized
• You’re keeping up with your competition

Feedback will be greatly appreciated, and if you have any other thoughts on the content, please post below.

Enhancing Tutorials

One of the MOST popular types of content online is how-to tutorials because they show you how to solve a very common problem quickly. However, for you to create a serious buzz with any type of content, it’s important you do your research. No point in writing out content if you are tapping into a topic idea no one wants to read about. This is why I always do research within my niche, looking for major problems my readers are having so I can write content that will resonate with all of them. The better I am at doing this, the better I’ll be at attracting people to my blog. This leads to further engagement and loyalty from my readers. With that said,

Videos will allow me to explain my content in greater detail. In a video, I can create an in-depth tutorial that otherwise would have taken me 15,000 words to write out. It’s amazing what you can do when you get comfortable with creating professional videos. Here’s another example,

One huge search is how to create a blog within minutes. This keyword phrase has been searched millions of times within the last month or two. Let me ask you this question: Is it better to explain blog create through written content or a walk-through video? In the end, you’re going to say video, and I guarantee we all have watched blogging videos, thinking they are way better than online written content.

Video is the way to go, but if you can create a transcript to go with your video, then that’s even better.

Product Reviews

One of the best ways to make money online is by utilizing product reviews. This starts by trying a product within your niche then writing an honest review for your readers. As a matter of fact, many of the top bloggers online are making enormous amounts of money by simply reviewing products for companies just starting out. Top bloggers get free accounts so they can try out the product then promote it to their readers, splitting the commissions with the developer. Like I had said before, reviewing products is a huge business and many people are definitely cashing in. However,

This system has become even more profitable since videos came along. When YouTube.com connected the world though video marketing, the game changed. Instead of authority bloggers writing out product reviews, they were able to showcase the benefits by creating walkthrough videos. These videos showed people how to:

• Install the product
• Set up and configure
• A walkthrough of the features
• Benefits

In the end, they would perform a case study, showing how they were able to profit or produce enormous results using the products, which encouraged people to go out and spend some money. The process was explained in a nutshell, and if you are planning on doing the same thing, then keep these next factors in mind.

First, for you to succeed, again, you’ll have to solve a common problem within your niche. You’ll have to show how the product you are using helped you, and how it simply made your life easier. Some of the top bloggers have stated creating in-depth videos does take time so it’s important you stay patient through the entire process.

Do a quick search within Google, finding new products that just came out within your niche. Next, do a quick outreach, asking the developer to give you a trial account so you can create a video for your readers. If you are popular enough, with a solid following, many times, developers are willing to help out. The reason this method works so well is because newer products tend to be marketed much less, which gives you a chance to create a buzz quickly. If the product is worth the buzz, then you can do really well with your readers and sales going forward. I’ll admit, you need to take your time and try different things before getting started until you find what resonates with your readers.

Videos Add Credibility

Having videos is a great way to put a face with your growing brand and this will add credibility going forward. When you create videos, you’re adding credibility to your words, and many people tend to trust your value with more of an open-mind. The funny thing is, this tends to be the case when you are talking about sensitive issues like health, weight loss, or even finance. These areas tend to be more sensitive so people are looking for a face to associate with the brand before building that certain level of trust.

If you are in sensitive based niche, then consider incorporating videos to your blogging strategy because this will increase user trust and engagement.

Video Ranking Quality

It’s no secret YouTube videos ran within the Google search results. For example, here is a quick search for create a blog within minutes. Check out the results:

You’ll notice the first result within the search is a YouTube.com video, which is amazing because this can generate enormous traffic in the form of a video. Through this, you are NOT only engaging with your readers in more depth, but also able to rank with videos, which, at one point, was not possible. Much of this success has to do with having the ability to added targeted keywords within your video header and description. To do this, you have to be very strategic in your approach.

For example, once you have uploaded a video within YouTube, you’ll have some options to add a title and description before going live. Before you do, I recommend you make sure to do some keyword research so you’ll add the right ones before going live. Head over to Google Keyword planner, and do some research just like you would when you are writing content.

Find a handful of popular and engaging keywords you know will attract a lot of attention with your readers. This is important because the more engaging your keywords, the better it is when creating videos around them. Your videos will NOT only attract a buzz online, but will also tend to rank higher because of the optimized keywords spread within the title and description.

Challenge Your Competition

One of the main reasons I decided to start implemented videos into my blogging was because of competition. Almost in every niche, you’re going to have a handful of bloggers who are trying to steal your readers away from you. In the beginning, it was about getting the best content published more frequently, and now the patterns have shifted. It’s about getting value published more frequently in the best way possible, which, today, is through video blogging. I’ll admit online marketing and blogging can be very tedious because publishing is NOT tough at all. You can have a blog created within minutes and all that’s left is for you to start focusing on writing content for your readers. This is much harder than several years back because those without coding experience wouldn’t dare enter a business that cost them thousands to start. A blog can be created in 4 minutes so every one is getting involved. Here’s my point.

Make sure you find ways to engage your readers that your competition hasn’t taken advantage of yet. This way, you stay ahead of the competition, increasing growth and revenue going forward.

Final Thoughts

I’ve covered enormous information and I know it can get confusing, trying to understand a marketing strategy very new to you. However, you have several resources available that were NOT available years back and the funny thing is, many of them are available through video format. If you are NOT sure about video blogs, then start by doing a quick search online looking for popular information from those who have experience. You’ll need some tools to help you get started and those will be available online, too. Everything you need is available so don’t delay and get started right now before it’s too late. I can promise you that your competition is already trying to find ways to engage readers who are currently loyal to your blog.

Here’s something to consider going forward:

• Start with research so you know what’s important and trending online.
• Look for ways to create a video using free tools.
• Get familiar with the YouTube interface.
• Promote on social media platforms.

MAKE VIRTUAL MEETINGS MATTER

GET THE MOST FROM EVERY MEETING - VIRTUALLY!

This book will help you design meetings for results, lead them to achieve agendas that move projects forward, and even allow time for building the relationships that make working together in a remarkable way possible. 

Q&A 

How can remarkable conversations be supported while also holding an agenda? 

Conversations become special when the energy in the room, virtual or literal, escalates. You can feel it. People are more spirited and candid. There is a back-and-forth that is out of the ordinary. Effective leaders recognize these moments and let the conversation unfold... 

In and out of meetings, what support can companies provide to remote workers? 

Start by supplying everyone with the technology required to connect and participate fully. Then ask people what else they need… 

Outside of a set agenda and a conference line, what tools will most benefit teams in a virtual space? 

There are dozens of possible platforms out there to facilitate virtual meetings, whether by conference call or video chat. A quick online search will reveal any number of reviewers’ opinions on the subject. In terms of the human element...

Group size for each meeting seems more important than ever; what should we be doing?

In face-to-face meetings, eight is the number where thoughtful design and leading become critical. Try for five in virtual meetings... 

How can I improve virtual meetings where I am the leader/host? First, in all meetings, virtual or not, success is primarily a function of the leader. Second, know your audience and vary your style to match who is there, the size of the group, and the urgency required. 

In addition… 

PURCHASE THE eBOOK 

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Make-Virtual-Meetings-Matter-Conversations-ebook/dp/B089PVFWCJ/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=- make+virtual+meetings+matter&qid=1591793520&sr=8-1 

B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/make-virtual-meetings-matter-paul-axtell/113713-4842?ean=9781728235684 

Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/book/make-virtual-meetings-matter/id1517101714?ls=1

HOW TO GENERATE MORE FB LIKES AND SHARES EFFECTIVELY

Social media marketing can never be under estimated, especially because it can generate enormous buzz quickly. You have to keep in mind that before social networks got started, it was much harder to generate the buzz you wanted to because everything has to be done manually. With that said, social media has changed the way in which people engage with content, often finding the MOST valuable quickly, and with very little effort. I believe that you have to always write the best content, however, you should always find ways for readers to find it quickly. This way, they get the value you are trying to provide, and you can build massive branding quickly.

Today, I’d like to discuss a few cool ways to build momentum on Facebook. This is a social network that pioneered social marketing and can do a lot for those looking to get started. However, you need to know what tools to use, and how to attract the right type of visitors. Let’s discuss some cool strategies to generate social Likes and Shares effectively. Your opinion will be great appreciated, and if you know any other ones, then please list them below.

Let’s get started.

Effective Call-To-Actions

One of the best ways to generate a buzz quickly is by having effective call to actions. What does this actually mean? People are NOT going to share your content if you don’t let them know how to or tell them to. If you offer value, then it’s important to ask them to Please share the value. This will help you define a clear call-to-action, especially for those who forget to share while going through your content the first time around. Next,

It’s also been said that if you scatter the word Share within your content, it can help embed the word in the reader’s mind. This will automatically force them to share when they are done reading the content. The next time you write content, it’s important you encourage your readers to share your content or even use creative words like share or like within your content.

Adding Value

I can’t believe how easy it is to get an enormous amount of shares or likes when you add value. As a matter of fact, by simply adding value, people will love to share your content because it helps solves a common problem. I know many of us are under the impression that others don’t like to share content because it creates competition, but I’ve been in the business long enough to know adding value means to simply help others. I’ve shared so many pieces of content online because I knew it would help grow my brand simply because I’m adding value to my readers. It doesn’t matter if I wrote the content or NOT because my readers will know they’ll find the best when visiting my blog.

So, what is valuable content?

First, it’s about researching your competition so you provide something better to your readers compared to your competition. It’s about solving a common problem within your niche that otherwise has been difficult. Secondly, it’s in-depth content without having a maximum word count in mind. Why? I believe your content has to be as long as possible to get your point across. Third, it’s structured content that is easy to read and skim through. Keep in mind, people don’t want to see cluttered content when they are reading content because they automatically feel finding value is going to be hard. Keep paragraphs short, include intros, include a conclusion, and pay close attention to grammar.

Finally, it’s providing this type of content for free because people these days don’t want to pay for content, especially when so much is available online. It’s just NOT going to happen if you decide to charge. I forgot to mention, it’s important you always add action steps toward the end of your content because many of your readers simply need help starting in their niche.

Narrow Down the Choice

I don’t understand why people give their readers so many choices when it comes to social networks. For example, why would you add 5-6 social share buttons when you should only be focusing on 3-4 major ones where most of the people hang out? This doesn’t make sense to me and to be honest it’s decreasing your engagement.

In my opinion, Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ have 75% of the audience. If you share images, then Pinterest should be used, too. You should only have these social share buttons embedded within your blog pages so your readers don’t have too many options, hence confusing them going forward. If you give them too many choices, then they’ll end up sharing on a networks that don’t have engagement, wasting a valuable sharing opportunity.  When you set up your blog, it’s important to think about these small things because it’ll be the difference between a successful online campaign, and one that has failed.

For those of you using WordPress, this doesn’t have to be hard. For example, plugins like AddThis.com and ShareThis.com have made it very easy to add code to your website. Install the plugin then configure the tool with the social share buttons you want. It’s so simple that you can play around and run some tests to find out which ones give you the highest engagement.

Here’s something else that has come to my attention. When you reduce choices, you’ll ultimately increase the overall number of shares from within your blog and externally. If you’ve written content that provides value, then popular social platforms will be push your content in front of other high impact people who’ll share it, too. Some of these people will have thousands of people, which could help create a viral buzz very quickly. Again, give it a try, and if some platforms don’t seem to work well, then you can switch them with the click of a mouse button.

Create Posts So People Feel Obligated

Many times, we stick to writing content we feel reflects our expertise. This is something I encourage because the best type of content is backed by credibility and experience. However, it always helps to write controversial content that you know people will agree with. I remember a few years back, someone had visited the Microsoft head office, and pretended like they were peeing on the entrance sign. I found it to be funny, however, the funny thing is that image alone was shared 10,000+ times in one day. All the Apple users were thrilled at the image, which is why it resonated so much. With that said,

I encourage all of you to write on a topic close to your heart that you think would be controversial. Why? You might find thousands of people who share similar insight on the very same topic.

This topic can be anything related to your niche that you feel very strong about. However, it’s important to write about something that will have several opinions so you can start a debate. This is the best way to get people to comment on your content, and even share your idea.

Use the Tools You Have

What’s awesome is you have so many tools available that you never had before. It’s so easy to find #hashtags and social keywords that you should be embedding into your content so you can encourage additional sharing. Here`s a quick example.

A few months back, I stumbled across http://hashtagify.me/ and this tool provides you with the MOST popular tags trending on Twitter. By understanding what tags are popular within your niche, you’ll be able to make use of the same ones going forward. This will allow you to reach out to even more people, tapping into popular areas within a social platform. Here’s a quick overview of the tool.

Head over to http://hashtagify.me/. Make sure you have 2-3 main keywords in mind so you can start searching right away. Next, type in your keyword within the search bar and start the process.

The tool will generate a list of hashtags relevant to your main keyword. At this point, you can start to narrow down your hashtags, sorting them by popularity. I like to do this by first going into table mode then clicking on popularity.

Make a list of the top 5-6 MOST popular #hahstags within your niche so you can add them to your headline when sharing on social platforms. When others type these tags into social media platforms, your content has a higher chance of being found because it’s in front of more people. This, combined with the fact that you have written awesome content, will increase the chance of others sharing, generating more traffic going forward.

Next,

You have other tools available that will allow you to write awesome content. For example,

Google Search

This is one of the best FREE ways to find trending topics that you can then generate into valuable content. Once you have completed your content, you can use other tools to get it in front of the right type of people. Simply type in a main keyword then see what other ideas you can come up with. If you see a specific topic that has been mentioned several times, then combine it and write some awesome content.

Google Trends

Amazing to find trending topics, and I have been using it for years to find what keywords are generating enormous buzz within my niche. This tool is a great way to find untapped keywords then write content that hasn’t been covered by your competitors. When you write untapped content, you’ll be able to attract readers more quickly because your article is unique. After,

Use the tools I’ve suggested to promote popular new content you’ve published. You can use these tools to find other popular hashtags to implement into your social sharing.

Forums

Forums have been an awesome place to get started when looking for the right type of information. These have been around for years, and continue to build momentum each year. Why are they so popular? Simple.

They provide in-depth information quickly and with very little work going forward. You have thousands of people online, and they are all sharing in real-time. This means if you need information, you can find it within forums almost immediately. However, keep a few things in mind before you get started.

• Always provide in-depth information within forums so your account doesn’t get banned.
• Always look for niche targeted forums so you can keep information relevant and full of substance.
• The more value you provide, the higher shares and likes, so use forums to find high quality questions.
• Always create a list of popular threads so you can go online later, replying to each then providing a link to your content.

Final Thoughts

Getting the right amount of shares and likes is very important, especially with the expansion of social media. Getting your content in front of the right type of people is important to generate enormous traffic and buzz. Networks like Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ understand this so have made their interface very easy to use, and have even provided valuable tools to help you get the job done quickly. For example, if you are building your blog using WordPress, then you have a handful of plugins that will automatically tweet your content to the right networks. This means you have automated the sharing process, hence increased the likelihood of someone finding your content.

Next,

It’s important to always test and tweet new things because you’ll find out what type of content is resonating with your readers. Some will outperform others so it’s important to try out new things. Again, you have tools available that will help streamline this process, allowing you to really find out what works and what doesn’t. It’s amazing.

What’s left?

It’s time to start putting your plan in action by starting with research. Create a list of lists where your niche people hang out, like forums, communities, others blogs, and social media networks. By doing this, you are organizing where and how to find people to reach out to once you have written your content. Get down to business right now by writing valuable content that people want to share. Make it in-depth, making sure it answers a common problem within your niche. It’s that simple. After, you can find ways to implement auto-sharing strategies to help you boost engagement. You have some of them listed above that you can pretty much start with right away.

10 STEPS TO SOLVING ANY PROBLEM

The more organized and systematically you deal with any problem, the more positive and creative you will be in solving it.  Here is a 10-step method you can use to think systematically. With this method, you develop your creativity to genius levels.

 1. Change your language from negative to positive. Instead of using the word "problem," use the word "situation," or call it a challenge or an opportunity. If a sale falls through, you can say something like "This is an interesting challenge. It's an opportunity for me to improve my sales effectiveness so this doesn't happen again in the future."

2. Define your situation or difficulty clearly. What exactly is the challenge you are facing? What is causing you the stress and anxiety? What is causing you to worry? Why are you unhappy? Write it out clearly in detail.

3. Ask, "What else is the problem?" Don't be satisfied with a superficial answer. Look for the root cause of the problem, rather than getting side-tracked by the symptom. Approach the problem from several different directions.

4. Ask yourself, "What are my minimum boundary conditions?" What must the solution accomplish? What ingredients must the solution contain? What would your ideal solution to this problem look like? Define your parameters clearly.

5. Pick the best solution by comparing your various possible solutions against your problem, on one hand, and your ideal solution, on the other. What is the best thing to do at this time under the circumstances?

6. Before you implement your decision, ask, "What's the worst possible thing that can happen if this decision doesn't work?" Before you make any expenditure of money or effort in trying to achieve your goal, you should evaluate what would happen if your decision were a complete failure.

7. Set measures on your decision. How will you know you are making progress? How will you measure success? How will you compare the success of this solution against the success of another solution? How will you define a success? Make it measurable, and then monitor it on a regular basis.

8. Accept complete responsibility for implementing the decision. Many of the most creative ideas never materialize because no one is specifically assigned the responsibility for carrying out the decision.

9. Set a deadline. A decision without a deadline is just a meaningless discussion. If it's a major decision and will take some time to implement, set a series of short-term deadlines and a schedule for reporting.

10. Take action. Get busy. Get going. Develop a sense of urgency. The faster you move in the direction of your clearly defined goals, the more creative you will be, the more energy you will have, the more you will learn and the faster you will develop your capacity to achieve even more in the future.

The world is full of creative individuals who have wonderful ideas, but almost all of them fall down when it comes to implementation. And this is where you can excel. The future belongs to the creative minority who can not only think but also take action and put their ideas into effect.

 

Now, here are three things you can do immediately to put these ideas into action.

First, take your biggest problem or worry situation today, and ask yourself,

"What exactly is the problem? What am I worrying about?"

Second, analyse your situation creatively and ask yourself, "What else is the problem?" Sometimes the real problem is not what you thought.

Third, make a decision - any decision. Assign responsibility or accept responsibility, and then take action on your ideas. The busier you work to solve your problems, the smarter you will become.

 

BUILDING YOUR PHYSICAL CAPACITY

We all have full lives, crowded schedules and constant demands on us. When people are busy, often the first thing that goes by the wayside is health. Even if you know what to do to live a healthy lifestyle, it’s easy to sacrifice a few hours of sleep each night to fit more into the day, or skip a week of exercise because you can’t find time, or choose the unhealthier, but easier, food for dinner.

But our physical health doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Everything we do is determined by our health—from our energy to get things done, to our ability to avoid getting sick when working under pressure, even to our ability to think and focus.

While our brain helps drive and guide us through life, it’s our body that is asked to do the heavy lifting day in and day out. If your body is weak and fatigued, your mental stamina and ability to focus will suffer as well. To be a high performer, no matter what you’re doing, you have to build your physical capacity.

What is Physical Capacity?

Physical capacity is your ability to improve your health, well-being and physical performance. It acts as either an accelerant or drag on your performance. When your physical capacity is strong, you have more endurance and resilience. When it is weak, doing anything is more difficult because you’ll lack the energy and ability to overcome stress needed to excel.

It’s easy to take health for granted. So many of us don’t pay enough attention until we get bad news, either with our own health, or that of a friend or loved one. I hit a turning point of my own in 2009, when I had panic attack triggered by extreme stress. At the time, when my heart was racing and I was collapsed to the floor, I thought I was having a fatal heart attack—and that moment compelled me to pay closer attention to my diet and exercise.

Nutrition and exercise routines can be confusing—what works for one person may not work for others. A good start is to be mindful of what you’re putting into your body. Your diet has a profound effect on your daily life—if you make some positive changes in what you eat, you will quickly notice improvements in your energy and ability to focus.

For an exercise standpoint, it’s important to do a combination of cardiovascular exercise and strength training of some kind, whether that’s weight-lifting, yoga, Pilates or something similar. Remember that it’s never too late to start.

But building physical capacity goes beyond just diet and exercise—another great way to start is focusing on stress management. Stress is often treated as an inevitability of life, and functioning under heavy stress, or on little sleep, is often considered heroic. You have to control your own schedule to combat stress—schedule 15 minute breaks throughout the day, and, whenever possible, get eight hours of sleep each night. You’ll notice a difference in your energy and focus.

Ask yourself—are you doing all you can to become all you can be? Do you consider health to be something that can be sacrificed to get through a busy day? Do you neglect to set aside time and energy to improving your physical performance? Are you doing what you can to live a less stressful life, even with something as simple as getting more sleep?

It’s never too late to start. Wherever you are building your capacity, you can certainly reach another level with the right improvements. The people closest to you deserve the best version of you.

4 TIPS TO STAY PRODUCTIVE IN TURBULENT TIMES

I am a mindfulness expert. I'm founding partner of a company called Mindful. I've devoted the last decade of my personal and professional life to building the skill of focused attention. And yet, I have a confession to make. In the current climate of 24/7 political news and controversy, I have found it more difficult than ever to stay present, focused, and fully engaged in my work. The problem? I wake up each morning to an addictive urge. I wonder, "did something outrageous happen?" "Did I miss something important?" "Is there some new 'October surprise' waiting for me in my news app?"

Psychologists would describe this as "novelty seeking." In many ways, it's a behavior similar to the gambling addict sitting in the corner of a casino, pulling the lever of a slot machine over and over again, for hours on end. Like the gambler, I get that same hit of dopamine, the brain's pleasure transmitter, each time I pull out my phone to see what's happening in the world. Like the gambler, I always end up feeling unfulfilled and empty. And, like the gambler, I continue to feel this same compulsion to keep doing it over and over again.

If you've experienced anything like this addictive craving to the news, you may have also experienced its costs. It costs time and attention. Each time you pull out your phone to check the latest news, you're taking time away from the things that matter most in your business and career. And yet this habit costs more than time. It costs attention. Long after you've checked the news, the emotional stain of it persists. It generates what psychologists call a state of "mind wandering," a state where your attention drifts away from the present moment for hours or even days, cycling through all sorts of thoughts about the past or worst-case scenarios about what might happen in the future.

So how can you stay productive in the midst of a political news cycle designed to hijack your attention?

1. Become aware of your craving for news.

James Clears' model of habit formation tells us that habits like news bingeing begin with a cue: waking up, receiving a "news alert," or some other environmental trigger to check the news. Then comes the second stage of habit, what he calls "craving." It's that strong urge you get to interrupt whatever you're doing and check the latest news. If you can become aware of this craving, you can introduce choice into the equation. Without awareness, you feel the craving to check the news and, without ever even thinking about it, you lose yourself in blogs, podcasts, and headlines. With awareness, however, you can now ask yourself an essential question that interrupts the cycle: "do I really need to know what's happening in the world right now?" 

2. Remove your political news cues.

You can also leverage the science of habit by limiting your exposure to the environmental cues that trigger you to check the news. For example, move all of your political news apps off the home screen of your phone. Bury them away in a folder if you have to. Remove news sites from the top of your browser on your desktop. Or remove news magazines and newspapers from the top of the pile on your nightstand.

3. Set clear limits on your news consumption.

When it comes to food, most of us set limits on what we allow ourselves to consume. We don't act on every desire and down three pints of Ben & Jerry's during the workday. And yet, when it comes to our consumption of information, we exercise far less discipline. We allow the prehistoric structures of our brain -- this novelty-based addiction to dopamine -- to shape our behaviour. So see what happens when you set clear limits on your consumption of the news. For me, I've realized that there's no reason to consume political news more than one time each day. So I've set a limit. I allow myself to explore the news each day during lunchtime, and then do my best to resist this urge during the rest of the workday.

4. Pay more attention to the news of this moment.

Almost all political news happens outside of the present moment. It's about yesterday's controversy, this morning's tweet, or next month's looming constitutional crisis. Rarely, if ever, is it about what's happening right now. And yet, science and thousands of years of ancient wisdom make clear that the highest forms of productivity and happiness exist right here, right now, in this moment. So see what happens when you respond to the urge to check your phone for the latest political news by instead checking in on the news of this moment. Notice the changing leaves outside your window. Pay attention to the sound of the wind as it rustles the trees. See what sensations are happening in your body right now. 

The goal of these tips isn't to hide out from the political and social problems we face. The goal isn't to become apathetic or withdrawn from public life. Instead, the goal is to stay engaged and informed in a way that preserves our ability to stay focused, resilient, and attentive to our highest work in the world.

by Nate Klemp

DON'T DO MORE, BUT DO BETTER

To-do lists are positively indispensable. There’s no way I would be able to keep track of all the things that need to be done if I didn’t write them down. Seriously, I have the memory of a goldfish. This is true not only for tracking the things you need to do today, but also things that need to be done this week, this month, or this year. I don’t know where I’d be without my to-do lists.

They also happen to be the bane of my existence.

I Can’t Do It All

I don’t need to tell you how defeating and deflating it can feel to look down at an incomplete to-do list at the end of the day. As much as I try to start my day on a note of optimism, setting out to conquer the world all over again, it can be pretty crummy when you look at all the things I didn’t manage to complete that I really thought I was going to get accomplished. But, that’s not even the point of today’s post.

Just as I don’t need to tell you how crummy it can feel when you don’t finish what you set out to do, I don’t need to tell you just how satisfying it can feel to tick something off your list, especially if it’s been nagging at you for some time.

This applies to projects you might have around the house, like replacing the weather stripping on your home office window, but perhaps even more poignantly and profoundly when it comes to professional endeavours.

Ticking All the Boxes

Let’s say you want to shoot and edit a video for YouTube today, so you add it to your to-do list. You might even break it down into the different steps that are involved, like:

• Write a rough outline with a shot list.
• Arrange the set and configure your camera equipment.
• Shoot the video.
• Edit the video.
• Write the video description.
• Create the thumbnail.
• Upload the file to YouTube.
• Share the YouTube video on social media.

As you go through and complete each of these steps, it feels awfully good to put that little tick mark next to the task, right?

Getting Things in Focus

But you see, as useful and arguably as motivating as to-do lists can be for productivity, they almost put the focus on the wrong place. They reward you for getting things done, sure, but they don’t offer any rewards for doing things well. And there’s no weighting to the amount of work or the level of value that each task represents. It’s far more labour intensive to “shoot a video” and “edit the video” than it is to “upload to YouTube” and “share on Twitter.”

From the context of a standard to-do list, though, there’s no difference. A task is a task. And striking one task off your list holds no more or less value than striking any other task off your list. To this end, whether or not you think about it consciously, a to-do list simply encourages you to do more. Add more items to your list, just so you can strike them off your list and get that temporary rush of endorphins. It’s a false sense of accomplishment. It’s an illusion.

On some level, this is missing the point entirely. You might think that productivity has to do with getting the most things done possible. That’s the wrong kind of mindset.

It’s the same kind of mindset that would lead you to believe that being at work is the same thing as actually working. No, it’s about the quality of work that you put in. You can be much more productive in a one-hour focused session than you would dilly-dallying around for four hours, distracting yourself with this meme or that online game.

Forget About Doing More

So, as useful as to-do lists might be for keeping you organized and on track, don’t even concern yourself with doing more. Don’t worry about doing more. Instead, focus your energy on doing better. Do better work, produce better things, achieve better results. More is not enough. Better is what you need.

WHAT TO DO ABOUT STRESS - THE 30 POINT PLAN

1. Be positive- see problems as opportunities. Have goals and visions. Have a positive mental attitude.   2. Play sports and step up your exercise.   3. Talk things over with someone.   4. Determine what causes you stress and try to eliminate it.   5. Become physically fit.   6. Balance work, home/family and recreation.   7. Enjoy your play and relaxation- it is precious time! Learn to delegate- don't try to do everything yourself.   8. Get adequate sleep and rest   9. Allow yourself some relaxation and meditation time every day.   10. Learn relaxation techniques: systematic ways to relax.   11. Give yourself time to think.   12. Know your limits and your symptoms of stress...and how to relieve them. Learn to say 'no' to others' excessive demands on you. Don't say "yes" when You mean "no".   13. "Coast" if necessary.   14. Worry only about that which can be changed by you. I like the quotation which goes something like this: "Accept that which cannot be changed by you and let God give me the wisdom to know the difference." I often do not follow this rule.   15. Use your imagination to reduce your stress levels. Be creative.   16. Learn to switch off thinking about work when you get home.   17. Think about your diet and eat nutritious food.   18. Learn to plan your time better.   19. Learn to recognize and to accept your limitations as well as the limitations (and faults) of others.   20. Learn to have FUN: you must be able to enjoy your work.   21. Learn to praise others and be positive,   22. Learn to tolerate and to forgive.   23. Learn to avoid unnecessary competition: you don't have to be the best at everything.   24. Learn to confide in others.   25. Learn to accept what can't be changed in others, eg.. personality or decisions.   26. Learn to accept that some things aren't as important to others as they are to you.   27. Learn to delegate.   28. Learn to recognize stress. Do not become so accustomed to feeling stress that it becomes a normal part of your life.   29. Have trust in other people. And finally, no matter how stressful or hopeless your situation may appear to be...   30. Have FAITH IN YOURSELF AND ESPECIALLY IN GOD that things ill eventually work out for you. Just know that HE has a plan for your life and it is to do good deeds. - by Craig Lock

3 WAYS RETAILERS CAN WIN THE 2020 HOLIDAY SEASON

Like everything else in the Covid-19 world, holiday shopping in 2020 will be unlike anything you've ever seen.

Global online sales are expected to grow 30 percent to $940 billion year over year this holiday season--up from 8 percent growth in 2019--which could help retailers make up for lost revenue during the pandemic. That's according to Salesforce's 2020 holiday forecast, a report that parsed online shopping activity of more than one billion consumers.

For retailers angling to generate as many sales as possible this holiday season, you have to be willing to possibly deploy new strategies, according to Rob Garf, vice president of industry strategy and insights at Salesforce. "Businesses that succeed during the holidays will use everything at their disposal to make shopping easy and safe, including convenient digital ordering, creative and effective fulfilment, and responsive customer service," said Garf, during a virtual press briefing to discuss the forecast on September 30.

With this in mind, here are three tips for retailers heading into an unprecedented holiday season:

1. Plan for holiday demand in October.

This year, Amazon moved its annual sales holiday Prime Day from July to October 13 and 14, which will likely become the new kick off date for the holiday shopping season, Garf said. Consumers are going to be buying earlier than normal this year because they may be nervous about item scarcity and shipping complications, he added. Prime Day deals are also expected to spur online shopping elsewhere, as the holiday could get consumers to start thinking sooner about the holidays. Salesforce estimates that 10 percent of Cyber Week sales will be pulled into October.

2. Focus on last-mile delivery.

Successful last-mile delivery will be the factor that separates the winners from the losers this season, according to Garf. Globally, Salesforce estimates that 700 million packages are at risk of being delayed this season because of orders exceeding shipping capacity, which may be constrained as some suppliers face continued delays arising from the pandemic. Retailers are also liable to see earlier shipping cut-offs than in years prior if they want to ensure customers' packages arrive by Christmas morning.

Besides relying on UPS or FedEx for shipping, retailers can partner with smaller last-mile delivery companies like Instacart or Postmates or even impress their existing employees into making local deliveries. Physical stores can also continue to serve as fulfilment centres for curb side pickup, which Salesforce says will increase holiday digital revenue by an average of 90 percent year over year. Salesforce's data shows that convenience and delivery confidence can trump brand loyalty for consumers this year.

3. Minimize the need for returns. 

An increase in e-commerce shopping could mean more returns to process for retailers. To help prevent more returned goods this year, Garf said to give in-depth product information online so customers know exactly what they're buying and be as transparent as possible with return policies. Plus, you'll want to make any in-person return processes just as safe for employees as you do consumers when it comes to handing over any items and disinfecting returns.

FINDS WAYS TO LIFT ONE ANOTHER UP

It all started with a simple change: improving a morning routine. On the heels of a transformational leadership training, Robert Glazer resolved to get up earlier and dedicate some time to quiet thinking, writing, and reading something inspiring to start the day. But finding the right kind of inspiration wasn’t easy—a lot of what was out there was very unicorns and rainbows and Glazer wanted something more robust. 

 

In true entrepreneurial fashion, he decided to create it himself. What started as a small internal newsletter has grown to over 200,000 people in 60+ countries. The newsletters focus on four different capacities: Intellectual, Physical, Emotional, and Spiritual. Deep down, we’re all hungry for inspiration. We desperately need to stop spending so much time knocking each other down and instead find ways to lift one another up. Today is the perfect day to start. 

 

Try this: Share a story, a quote, a photo that inspires or motivates you with at least 3 people. They could be employees, colleagues, friends, or family members. Make a positive change in their day, and see what a difference it makes in yours.  

FACING THE ENEMIES WITHIN

We are not born with courage, but neither are we born with fear. Maybe  some of our fears are brought on by your own experiences, by what someone has told you, by what you've read in the papers. Some fears are valid, like walking alone in a bad part of town at two o'clock in the morning. But once you learn to avoid that situation, you won't need to live in fear of it. Fears, even the most basic ones, can totally destroy our ambitions. Fear can destroy fortunes. Fear can destroy relationships. Fear, if left unchecked, can destroy our lives. Fear is one of the many enemies lurking inside us. Let me tell you about five of the other enemies we face from within. The first enemy that you've got to destroy before it destroys you is indifference. What a tragic disease this is. "Ho-hum, let it slide.  I'll just drift along." Here's one problem with drifting: you can't drift your way to the top of the mountain. The second enemy we face is indecision. Indecision is the thief of opportunity and enterprise. It will steal your chances for a better future. Take a sword to this enemy. The third enemy inside is doubt. Sure, there's room for healthy scepticism. You can't believe everything. But you also can't let doubt take over. Many people doubt the past, doubt the future, doubt each other, doubt the government, doubt the possibilities and doubt the opportunities.  Worst of all, they doubt themselves. I'm telling you, doubt will  destroy your life and your chances of success. It will empty both your bank account and your heart. Doubt is an enemy. Go after it. Get rid of it. The fourth enemy within is worry. We've all got to worry some. Just don't let it conquer you. Instead, let it alarm you. Worry can be useful. If you step off the curb in New York City and a taxi is coming, you've got to worry. But you can't let worry loose like a mad dog that drives you into a small corner. Here's what you've got to do with your worries: drive them into a small corner. Whatever is out to get you, you've got to get it. Whatever is pushing on you, you've got to push back. The fifth interior enemy is over-caution. It is the timid approach to life. Timidity is not a virtue (unlike humility--they are different);  in fact, it can be an illness. If you let it go, it'll conquer you. Timid people don't get promoted. They don't advance and grow and become powerful in the marketplace. You've got to avoid over-caution.   Do battle with the enemy. Do battle with your fears. Build your courage to fight what's holding you back, what's keeping you from your goals and dreams. Be courageous in your life and in your pursuit of the things you want and the person you want to become.   - by Jim Rohn

WHY EVERYTHING IS A SUBSCRIPTION

We tend to think of the sales process as a relatively straightforward affair. You want a thing, so you start shopping for a thing. A company markets or advertises the thing. You express some interest, the sales person tells you how great their thing is, you decide to buy it, and everyone gets on their merry little way. Except, that’s not at all how modern commerce works. Instead, more and more companies are moving toward a subscription model for just about everything.

Here We Are Now, Entertain Us

The most obvious example of this comes from the world of entertainment. While it may still be possible to purchase these sorts of things outright, it’s much more common to pay for a monthly subscription. When was the last time you actually bought a physical CD? Or even paid for an MP3 for that matter? No, just about everyone has a subscription to Spotify or Google Play Music, right?

What about movies? Do you still buy DVDs and Blu-rays? Or do you just watch what comes up on Netflix and Disney+? Even video games have been a part of the subscription world for years. You might pay $60 or more for a AAA title, but then you’ve still got to pay for your PlayStation Plus or Xbox Live Gold monthly subscription if you want to play online.

We some inkling of this from the movie theatre world too, with services like MoviePass, though those haven’t quite worked out just yet. Even so, subscribing to entertainment services — especially streaming services — is definitely here to stay. That’s at least one great thing that came out of Microsoft’s Zune.

Patronizing Independent Creators

Netflix and Google are gigantic corporations, but they’re not the only ones to benefit from monthly subscriptions. Flipping the script to the “smaller” creator, Patreon has made a huge splash in how online content creators earn their livelihood. Whereas they may have once been at the mercy of algorithms and wild swings in advertising income, YouTubers can now earn a much more consistent monthly income from their patrons on Patreon. This is true for podcasters, web comic artists, and even bloggers too.

Indeed, beyond affiliate marketing and merchandise sales, Patreon subscriptions are one of the best ways to earn more money on YouTube. The platform and idea have been so successful, in fact, that YouTube has its own version called channel memberships. Selling a branded t-shirt once might net you a few dollars. But convincing someone to pledge a few dollars every month? That’s steady, scalable income.

Expanding to New Areas

A monthly subscription for movies or music sounds so obvious to us now, mostly because they’re digital products. It’s great business for the company. What’s become much more fascinating in recent years is the expansion of the subscription model to physical products where the subscription model may not have been quite so immediately obvious.

Perhaps one of the best examples is Peloton. It used to be that you’d buy an exercise bike and that was the end of that. Now, you invest a lot of money (they even have financing options!) to buy the bike in the first place, but then you also pay a monthly subscription for the classes and community. It’s big business, earning Peloton way more more than if they had simply sold you the exercise bike on its own.

These days, there’s no shortage of monthly loot boxes for just about every interest under the sun. You can also subscribe to toilet paper on Amazon. Or to a monthly grocery delivery from the growing range of fresh meal prep companies. Almost anything can be a subscription these days.

One Conversion, Constant Revenue Stream

In case it isn’t already obvious, the reason why everything is a subscription these days is simple. Rather than going through the difficult task of converting a customer just to land a single sale, companies can now convert a customer one time and have that customer pay them each and every month. The initial “investment” in the sales and marketing funnel is effectively the same, but the payoff is theoretically in perpetuity.

Even when you don’t have a product or service of your own, it’s the same when it comes to affiliate marketing. Would you rather get a one-time CPA? Or a recurring monthly payment because you referred someone to a web hosting provider or some other online service? Yes, you can write and publish a book as a branding exercise, but how are you going to leverage that one-time sale in a recurring revenue stream? What subscription option are you exploring?