Improve Yourself Daily !

The 7 Super Powers You Must Posses: By Junaid Tahir Each one of us want high happiness index, peace of mind, mature character and success in life but most of us do not really strive to achieve these goals. Out of us who struggle for their goals a very few are able to make things happen. The difference between successful and unsuccessful people is the difference between the level of Inner Power both the categories posses in their brains and the level of Power they exert to achieve what they want to achieve. In my opinion, the Inner Powers consist of following seven categories and the intellectuals who possess all these mental muscles can accomplish a great deal of victories in most of the fields of life: Improve Yourself Daily !:

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Use a Mind Map to Define Project Scope | The Practicing IT Project ManagerThe Practicing IT Project Manager

Use a Mind Map to Define Project Scope | The Practicing IT Project ManagerThe Practicing IT Project Manager:

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Entrepreneurship Is Hard, But You Can't Die | LinkedIn

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347 Personal Effectiveness Articles to Help You Change Your Game

347 Personal Effectiveness Articles to Help You Change Your Game:
I did some cleanup on Sources of Insight to re-focus on personal effectiveness.   You can use that link to easily browse 347 personal effectiveness articles (and growing.)   Personal effectiveness is your key to making the most of what you’ve got.
I think of personal effectiveness as the ability to produce a decided, decisive, or desired effect through your abilities, energy, skills, talent, and time.   Personal effectiveness in action is really the ability to be effective in any situation by knowing how to play your cards well.  This includes knowing yourself, and reading the situation, so you can play your cards more effectively.
While you might pursuit to be the best in the world, the reality is, in many cases, your best move is simply to be effective.   If you do happen to be the best in the world at something, the other key is to avoid being ineffective in all the other areas of your life.  This is especially true if you want to be better balanced across all aspects of skilled living.  And, by balancing across the key areas of your life, you can set yourself up to more effectively pursuit being the best at something.   That is, *if* you make the space for it, and hone your personal effectiveness.
Your personal effectiveness is really the synthesis of your abilities, energy, skills, talent, and time.
The synthesis is key, and that’s why frameworks or systems or routines or habits help.  In fact, a big reason behind why I wrote Getting Results the Agile Way was to create a simple system for personal effectiveness.  I wanted to combine the best of what we’ve learned from productivity, leadership, personal development, motivation, time management, and more, into a system that’s personal, and that helps you bring out your best.  It’s also a continuous learning system, so you get better over time, by learning and adapting, with the system on your side.
One of the most important things to keep in mind is that skill makes a big difference.   So does mindset.  When you combine a learning mindset, with a focus on gaining skills and experience, and using an effective feedback loop, you create rapid results.  When you really pay attention to feedback, you can stay the course, or change your approach.   It’s your willingness to change that often makes the difference.
Here is a sample of some of the articles from the personal effectiveness set, that you might enjoy:

1. Find Your Purpose
2. Find Your Strengths
3. Find Your Values
4. Change Patterns: A Language for Introducing New Ideas
5. How To Scale Yourself as a One-Man Band
6. 5 Things that Determine What Things Mean and What You’re Going to Do
7. For the Love of Project Management
8. Work-Life Balance is Hot
9. Living Your Process
10. Work Hard

The Most Successful Techniques for Rising Early

The Most Successful Techniques for Rising Early:

‘The proper response to life is applause.’ ~William Carlos Williams

By Leo Babauta

Waking early is one of my favorite things in the world. The morning is quiet as the world hasn’t begun stirring, the perfect time for meditation, writing, exercise and some quiet reading.

Waking early can give you an hour or three of extra time for focus and creativity. While you could do those things later in the day, most people don’t (with exceptions of course).

I haven’t written about waking early for awhile, mostly because my waking time is in constant flux. Some months I enjoy rising with the sun, other times I’ll get up early on purpose for awhile and enjoy the extra quiet time.

I’ve learned a thing or two about how to change your wake-up time with joy, and today I’ll share the most successful techniques in my many experimentations.

The Gradual Method

The best method for changing the time you wake up is to do it gradually — 10-15 minutes earlier for 2-4 days, until you feel used to it, and then repeat. If you get up at 8 a.m. normally, don’t suddenly change it to 6 a.m. Try 7:45 a.m. first.

That might seem too slow to most people, and you’re free to disregard this advice. However, in my many experimentations, the most enjoyable and long-lasting change in sleeping schedules have been slow and gradual.

Sudden changes of an hour earlier or more in your waking time are difficult, and not likely to last. If you get up 1-2 hours earlier, on Day 1, then you’ll have a tough time, and not enjoy it. The next day, you’ll have a big sleep deficit, and it’ll be even tougher (assuming you’re able to do it 2 days in a row). Day 3 is even harder. Eventually you either make it through the tough times (it’ll take at least a week of suffering), or you crash and sleep in late and have to start over or you give up.

Sleeping patterns are difficult to change, and so the gradual method works much better. This is true, by the way, of eating habits, exercise habits, clutter habits and more.

3 Steps to Actually Get Up

So you’ve set your alarm for 10-15 minutes earlier than normal, and maybe got through the first few days, then set it another 10-15 minutes earlier, and soon you’re at 30-45 minutes earlier than usual … but now you have the tendency to hit the snooze alarm and stay in bed (sometimes awake) without getting up.

Here’s how to beat that in 3 steps:

1. Get excited. The night before, think of one thing you’d like to do in the morning that excites you. It could be something you want to write, or a new yoga routine, or meditation, or something you’d like to read, or a work project that’s got you fired up. In the morning, when you wake up, remember that exciting thing, and that will help motivate you to get up.
2. Jump out of bed. Yes, jump out of bed. With enthusiasm. Jump up and spread your arms wide as if to say, “Yes! I am alive! Ready to tackle the day with open arms and the gusto of a driven maniac.” Seriously, it works.
3. Put your alarm across the room. If it’s right next to you, you’ll hit the snooze button. So put it on the other side of the room, so you’ll have to get up (or jump up) to turn it off. Then, get into the habit of going straight to the bathroom to pee once you’ve turned it off. Once you’re done peeing, you’re much less likely to go back to bed. At this point, remember your exciting thing. If you didn’t jump out of bed, at least stretch your arms wide and greet the day.

What to Do When You Get Up

First, things not to do with your newfound early-morning time: don’t check email, news, social media, blogs. Don’t waste this new time doing the same thing you always do.

Here are some other things that are better, in my experience:

1. Drink a glass of water. You’re dehydrated from not drinking any water all night. Drink a full glass of water if you can. It’ll make you feel more awake.
2. Meditate. Even just for 3 minutes. It’s such a great way to start your day — doing nothing, just sitting, and practicing mindful focus.
3. Write. Or do some other kind of creating.
4. Exercise. Go for a walk or a run, or do a home workout. Even just 10 minutes.
5. Enjoy a cup of coffee or tea. Either one of these makes the morning better.

Sleeping Earlier

You can’t just wake up earlier and not sleep earlier. You’ll eventually crash. So here are some tips for getting to sleep earlier:

1. Set a bedtime of 7-8.5 hours before you want to wake up. So if you’re waking up at 6 a.m., go to bed between 9:30-11 p.m. Where you are in that time frame depends on how much sleep you need. Most people need about 7.5-8 hours of sleep, though there are lots of variations. I tend to get about 7, but also take a short nap in the afternoons.
2. Create a bedtime ritual. I like to set up the coffeemaker and clean up a little (it’s nice to wake up to a clean house), then floss & brush my teeth and do a flouride rinse. Then I read myself to sleep.
3. No computers in bed. That means no laptop, no tablets, no mobile phones. Kindles are OK except the Kindle Fire, which is the same as an iPad. No TV either. Just reading.
4. Exercise helps a lot earlier in the day. It gets your body nice and tired, so you’ll sleep better. Don’t exercise an hour or less before bed, or you’ll be pumped up. I like a glass of red wine in the evening — it helps relax me and I tend to sleep a bit easier.
5. Try this method if you have trouble sleeping: close your eyes and get comfortable, then think of the first thing you did that morning — the very first thing, like turning off your alarm. Then think of the next thing, and so on, replaying your morning in as much detail as possible. I never get to mid-morning.

Common Problems

Here are some of the most common problems in my experience and from readers’ questions:

• Super tired in the morning: If you wake early and just can’t seem to function, that’s fairly normal. My solution is water, move around a lot, and drink a bit of coffee or matcha (powdered greeen tea). I will sometimes take a nap in the afternoon if I’m really tired. Also, it might be a sign that you’re moving too quickly — make sure you’re waking just a little earlier, and stay at one time for a few days until you feel adjusted before setting the alarm a little earlier.
• Missing out on spouse time: If you are used to spending the evening with your spouse, and going to bed early means you’re missing out on that time, you have a few options. One is to see if your spouse is willing to try getting up early with you, perhaps to meditate or exercise together, or just to have coffee together. That can be really nice. Another is to cut out that together time in the late evening, but find time during the day (if possible), or at least in the early evening and weekends. Finally, you could decide that the together time is too important, and not get up earlier — or compromise and keep most of the evening together time, but wake just 30 minutes earlier.
• You’re not a morning person: Some people think this but just haven’t given it a try — or they’ve gotten up an hour or two earlier all at once, and hated being so tired. This is why the gradual method is so important — it’s not that you’re not a morning person, it’s just that you tried to change too quickly and are suffering. But finally, it’s true that some people just are better focusing late at night (I have some friends like this) and morning isn’t their thing — and that’s perfectly alright. There’s no need to conform to what others do. I just shared this to show what works for me.

Nine Strategies Successful People Use to Overcome Stress

Nine Strategies Successful People Use to Overcome Stress:

Feeling stressed? Of course you are. You have too much on your plate, deadlines are looming, and people are counting on you. You are under a lot of pressure—so much that at times, you suspect the quality of your work suffers for it. This is life in the modern workplace. The difference between those who are successful and those who aren't is not whether or not you suffer from stress, but how you deal with it when you do. More »

5 Types of People Who Suck at Setting Goals: Which One Are You?

5 Types of People Who Suck at Setting Goals: Which One Are You?:


Given up already on your New Year’s Goals? Or maybe you didn’t bother this year?
What is it that makes goal-setting work for some and not others?
There are many reasons why people fail to achieve their goals, but look below and you might be amazed to find there is a solution to your personal goal-setting failure.

Type A: Non-Committal Attitude

In my experience, the number one reason for failure is that you haven’t really committed to the change in the first place. The age old New Year’s Resolution: “This year I’m going to get fit” will be heard far and wide, but if you really commit to the goal you need to ask yourself how you are going to do it.
Solution: Clarity is needed to encourage commitment. If you really want to get fit, think it through—decide on the type of exercise you plan to do, and decide what days of the week and at what time you will do it. Having this all decided in advance makes it more difficult to make excuses. Tell people who support you what you intend to do, and even consider finding yourself an accountability buddy who will check up on you and encourage you to keep going.

Type B: Aversion to Planning

Many people don’t like to be seen as planners. They see planners as being stifled and boring, and assume that routines and schedules are not for them. I know this because for many years I fought against routine: I was too young and too cool to plan anything; spontaneity was my best friend. What I found many years later was that by planning, I could achieve more—by planning, I could get things done and leave time to be more creative and spontaneous.
Solution: Set a goal and plan out how you are going to achieve it. Start small: if you want to write a book, plan and schedule the first chapter. When you achieve this first milestone, you will see how easy it was to do so and then plan the next chapter. Plan regular small steps in your calendar and you will be amazed at how much more you will achieve in life.

Type C: Non-Believer

Most of you will be familiar with the Henry Ford quote “If you think you can or think you can’t you are probably right.” This holds true with goals: if you set a goal and deep down don’t believe you can actually achieve it, don’t waste your time.
Solution: Only set goals you believe you can achieve. What can you do if you don’t believe in your own power to achieve any of your goals? Positive affirmations can help you to achieve your goals, so try to make all your thoughts positive and supportive. Mohammad Ali proclaimed “I am the Greatest” long before he actually believed it.  Monitor your thoughts, when they are negative try and replace them with a positive one.

Type D: Easily Led

Then there are those who look to others for affirmation, but instead they get discouragement. “Don’t go for a run—come for a beer instead, it’s way more fun.” Well, it’s more fun for your friend, who won’t feel guilty that they are not exercising when you are. So many people unwittingly try to sabotage your success, and they often do so because if you improve, they’ll be forced to focus on their own stagnation. They will try to drag you back to their level at every opportunity.
Solution: Hang out with people who support you. If that’s not possible, if you have a sibling or spouse who discourages your goals and dreams, start to recognize when it happens and remain committed to your goal. When you start to recognize that other people are preventing you from living your life, you will stop allowing it to happen.

Type E: All or Nothing

I’ve met many of the “all or nothing” type in my time—they want it all, and they want it now. If it won’t happen tomorrow there is no point in doing it !
Solution: Reality check—nothing happens immediately. Learn to set smaller goals that give you more instant gratification along with your larger goals, so you can have the best of both worlds.
Awareness is the key factor when it comes to making changes. By understanding yourself and your excuses you will be better able to make decisions which will serve you and get you a step closer to achieving your goals this year.
Featured photo credit:  Mountains landscape. Young woman walking a trail in a green mountains. via Shutterstock
The post 5 Types of People Who Suck at Setting Goals: Which One Are You? appeared first on Lifehack.

Related posts:

1. The #1 Killer of Your 2013 Goals and Resolutions
2. Don’t Set Goals This Year: Instead, Make Promises, and Take Action.
3. Top 10 Reasons Why People Don’t Reach Their Goals

How to be Productive and Counteract Low Productivity

How to be Productive and Counteract Low Productivity:


There you are, sitting at your desk and feeling tired: it has been a long week and you’d like to stop working and relax a bit, but at the same time, you know you can’t do this since you have still work to do. In a way you are stuck: no matter how hard you work, you don’t seem to make any noticeable progress, which makes you even more frustrated and tired and you finally feel like giving up the project you have been working on.
You may be thinking that there has to be a better way to do things, rather than banging your head against the wall, and you are absolutely right!

Are you taking the right action at the right time?

There can be many reason behind your frustrations:
First and foremost, are you sure you are focusing on the right action steps? If this is not the case, then it’s time to stop for a moment, see the bigger picture and redefine the tasks you should be doing right now. Could it be that perhaps you didn’t prepare in advance for the tasks you are doing? This could happen when you are dependent on other people’s input before you can continue your project for instance—if you didn’t see this situation coming, you could be wasting your time because you don’t have any backup plan for these situations.
It could also be that you just have too much work to do. Ask yourself whether you are optimizing and automating everything already, or are there processes or tasks that could be eliminated by those two methods. If the answer to the latter part of the question is “yes,” it’s time to take action on improving the processes. The sooner you do this, the sooner your workload will decrease and the less chance there is for unproductivity.

Finding the source of low productivity

It’s time to take a closer look at your situation, so that we can see the sources behind unproductive action.
To do this, it’s time to do some checks.
The first check is related to your mindset: do you feel that the time is lost if you spend time on planning your tasks? If this is so, then it’s no wonder that you are wasting time on something unproductive.
Next, check your environment: does it allow you to work in a focused manner? If you are getting easily distracted because of the environment, it’s time to start finding alternative locations for doing the work.
Finally, make sure that your project isn’t too big to handle. If you are trying to tackle it all by yourself, it’s no wonder if you are feeling frustrated and tired. Additionally, if you find the tasks are too big in size, then this could be another reason for the stress you are experiencing right now.

Destroy the unproductive action with a right mindset

To fix the situation, I suggest developing a mindset that you can start using from this project and onward. This mindset consists of the following six cornerstones:

• Stop rushing into things by planning them first
• Know what you are doing and understand the importance of doing so
• Pick the right location
• Break the project into smaller pieces
• Don’t try to handle it all by yourself
• Review your progress and take corrective action if needed

If you implement this productive mindset, then there is a much bigger chance of completing tasks in time and finishing your projects sooner than later.
SEE ALSO: Productivity Hacks: 8 Things That Are Hurting Your Productivity

Get your true productivity back with these 6 steps

1. Stop rushing. I know that you’d like to take action as soon as possible, but don’t make this mistake! Instead, spend a little time by creating a plan to follow. Know your next action steps, as well as your outcomes and keep them clearly in your head. If you understand what they are, then you are already on a better track of keeping things in control and reducing your workload at the same time.
2. Know what you are doing. Ask yourself what you are supposed to be doing next and why you should be doing it—when you can answer to these two questions, then you are on the right path. Keep asking these questions all the time. They are a great way to make you aware of what you are doing. They also prevent you from taking the wrong action, if you can’t see the value of the task.
3. Pick the right location for your work. It’s of the utmost important to pick the right location for your work. If you can’t work at home, then take your laptop with you and go somewhere else. Go outside (if the weather permits), to a public library or to a coffee shop. You can also rent a co-working space, or if money is not an issue, even a separate office to get your work done.
4. Break the project into smaller pieces. Take your project and break it into smaller pieces. Focus on one piece at a time and then move on to the next one. For instance, if you are developing a piece of software, one task would be getting the user interface to be more compelling. Then, you could decide on different subsections that specifically create that great user experience, like setting the right fonts or defining the right color theme. When you have finished one area, you can move to the next one (like improving the performance of your application) and so on.
5. Gather a team. It’s easy to think that only you can do the tasks and that you are irreplaceable: you aren’t! There is always someone who can do the task faster and better than you.
For instance, when I’m building my blog, I have a virtual team doing various things for me: a designer and a developer for creating new functionality for my blog; a coach for telling me what things to focus on; maintenance guys for keeping my blog updated; and a proofreader for checking my written content before it’s published. Doing these things myself would be just madness and I would have quit blogging a long time ago, if I was still trying to do everything by myself.
6. Review your progress and analyze. This is perhaps the most common thing that people forget to do: Reviewing progress.
You need to do this so that you can avoid mistakes or prevent taking action on things, which are not getting any results. I suggest doing the review at least on a weekly basis, where you reflect what you have done, how it went and what you are doing next. Even if this might feel like just a waste of time, you are wasting much more time when you end up taking unproductive actions later on.

In conclusion

As you now know, there are many reasons for taking unproductive actions. When you focus on things like planning, the right environment and breaking the project into smaller pieces, you can cut down your workload a lot and the chances for unproductive action decreases. A little bit of pro-activity can save you from unnecessary work later on.
SEE ALSO: 10 Productivity Myths That Hold You Back
Over to you: How do you make sure you are not taking unproductive action?
Featured photo credit:  Empire state building – new york city via Shutterstock
The post How to be Productive and Counteract Low Productivity appeared first on Lifehack.

Related posts:

1. How to Work from Home and Stay Ultra-Productive
2. Rethinking Productivity: How Personality Affects Productivity (and Why No One`s Ever Told You)
3. The 4 Things I Do Consistently to Be More Productive