Recently, I chatted with a friend going through some fairly big life changes. They were about to have their schedule open up with extra free time to do other types of things. I excitedly began to list all the different things they would have time to do.

However, upon deeper conversation, it became obvious that they weren’t so excited about this newfound time. A little stumped, I began to realize that they had been putting off some things that should have been done or handled a long time ago.

Studies show that about 80% of New Year’s resolutions are broken by February. We are just a few short weeks into 2020 so likely many of us have already broken some of our fresh, new goals and resolutions.

While we were well-meaning with our efforts to change, revamp, or tweak certain habits in our lives, alas, we just didn’t quite cut it. Like myself, I can just imagine some of you saying that you simply weren’t good at “it” or the effort wasn’t going well. I believe that I have a solution for you to bounce back from your “resolution fail” and even improve on your goals going forward.

A recent CNBC article stated that over 61% of Americans had "getting out of debt" as their number one goal for 2020.  Number 2 was to "max out their retirement accounts," followed by "negotiating a raise," and "starting to invest."
I smiled as I reflected on those goals because the same thing could be said about how many people feel about how they would like to change how they use their time.

Let’s face it, we all want to be more productive and extremely efficient in our work. So how does one pull off that kind of productivity? Do you jump into your daily tasks with reckless abandon while throwing caution to the wind? (Ok, let’s hope not.) Maybe you take a more low key approach and simply consult your calendar for your potential next steps. It’s worth asking, what would help you get into the right mindset for a productive day? I’ve got a few suggestions and hope they help you too.

One of the commercials I find most humorous this time of year is the one that suggests the best gift you can give yourself is a new vehicle. Don't get me wrong. If you need a better car or truck to get life done, I am in your corner. I love talking about cars. And if any of you are feeling exceptionally generous, I promise I wouldn't turn down a shiny new car in my driveway (after all, my daughter Sydney did turn 16 last month).

Typically, people sleep with at least one mobile device next to their beds each night. Not only do they keep them close 24/7, but they often check their work email in the evenings and on weekends. Ultimately, this has become an extension of the workday and at the detriment of the employee, their work, and their personal life.

We can make no mistake about the fact that we live in a busy, fast-paced world today. I’ve often heard people, including myself, justify one’s busyness by saying that while they may work hard that they, in turn, play hard too.  While incorporating both work and play helps with work-life balance, there could be an essential missing piece to this mindset.

What does a productive day look like to you? In one of my training sessions when I asked that same question the answers varied greatly. A few examples include:

• I would work on what is important rather than just urgent.

• I could work without the interruptions of others.

• I made time for my own growth and development.

• I would have the chance for deeper discussions with members of my team.

Strong leaders must set healthy boundaries when it comes to their team. Sure your team needs you, but they need a strategic leader that is able to give their best each day even more.

I once read an insightful article that gave examples of how bosses waste their employees’ time. Sure, no one intentionally does this, but it happens more than you may think. Leaders can inadvertently limit their employees’ opportunity to get their most significant work done. There were a number of excellent points in the article but one that really resonated with me was the idea of cookie licking.

Today, it’s fairly common for people to work extra hours outside the typical work week. While none of us just aspire to work nonstop, there are occasions where additional time is required on a particular project or looming deadline. The sad truth about working after hours is that people don’t typically work as efficiently as planned.

Let’s face it, we all want to start better habits and often have good intentions to do so. While we are well-meaning in this goal, it seems like we are just too busy to implement something new. I get it and know the feeling. What if I told you that there was a simple, effective way to build new habits into your daily schedule?

Between conferences, events, and one-on-one coaching sessions, I’m honored with the opportunity to walk alongside and assist those dealing with stress overload and burnout. I am truly grateful for the chance to encourage others with resources and techniques to conquer those challenging times in life.

I like my dentist. He is professional yet personable, thorough, and even has a sense of humor. The only thing I can "fault" him for is graduating from an institution that is a rival to my beloved NC State University. A past visit now brings me to add "person of wisdom" to his attributes.

Two key components of successful teams are for individuals to "own" their responsibilities and deliver their work outcomes in a timely and effective way. And it's the job of the leader or manager to make sure these things happen. With heavy workloads, frequent distractions, and sometimes unclear organizational goals, however, leaders can neglect this important role. They naively hope that their team members will simply "do the right thing."

I chuckled to myself as I watched the individuals buying plants last weekend. With 3-4 days of temperatures above 65 degrees around the end of March, it seemed everyone was now ready to break out of the winter doldrums and get started with their vegetable gardens and brightening their flower beds with fresh annuals. The reason I was laughing (to myself) was that I knew they would be buying them again very soon.

Sure enough…

Guest Post: Capri Fiello works to empower the online community through strategic outreach, advocating for people to take charge of their personal wellness in order to achieve their personal and professional goals. I’m pleased to have her share her thoughts about the value of self-care as a leader.

I love it when I hear or read something that challenges my current perspective. A few weeks ago I was truly shaken when James Clear, in his powerful book, Atomic Habits, wrote:

"You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems."

Guest Post: Allison Hail has some fantastic thoughts about utilizing technology to help with all you have on your plate. Grateful that she was willing to share her thoughts on my blog.

Guest Post: I’m always looking out for individuals who share my passion in helping others take care of all areas of their life so they can be at their best. Gabriel Patel is a cofounder of healthwellwise.com. He created the website with a group of friends who share is desire to help people live happy, healthy lives.