Practice Makes Progress

By Leslie Shreve

Is there a part of your work day or your systems and processes that aren't working for you? It may be time for a new routine. Author Sandra Felton wrote: “New patterns of doing things, new thought habits, new ways of feeling, must come slowly if they are to be maintained. Often it takes repeated reminders before these foreign behaviors become a part of our lives. It takes longer still before they become automatic.”

She's so right.

It's important to remember that no matter what kind of changes we are trying to make in our lives, it takes repeated effort and time to make the change. Then one day, finally, it becomes automatic. We keep moving forward even when we don't feel like it or when we have setbacks. Then one day we look back and realize that we haven't noticed we were making good progress. Felton goes on to say that “...by challenging our old behaviors, thoughts and feelings, we have loosened their hold on us.” True again.

The first week of July was dubbed as “Take Charge of Your Life” week, but if you were on vacation like I was, then another week would have to do. As a matter of fact, any week can be “Take Charge of Your Life” week!

Look around your office and notice what bothers you or weighs heavy on your conscience. Look in your e-mail Inbox, your computer files and take a look at your task list(s). Be careful not to shrug off what you see because too much clutter on your desk, in your office or in your computer can hamper your productivity a lot more than you think. Having too many tasks and projects that are all urgent, where you're not sure where to start or what to tackle first, can make you spin out of control, complete with feelings of overwhelm and frustration.

Clients who've succeeded in making positive changes in their processes and systems have been known to say that they feel a huge weight has been lifted off their shoulders or that the monkey is off their back. So take charge of your office and your work day. This is your life we're talking about here! Take charge, make a change, no matter how big or small, and drive your day where you want it to go.

Each positive change will give you the energy and momentum to help you keep going. You will feel better and better and before you know it, you'll be on a roll with a new routine! Once these changes and routines take hold, then your happiness and your productivity will surely follow.

Copyright © Bon Mot Communications LLC 2009

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