Tag: work

Productivity

Plan Ahead: Requesting Time Off for Self-Care, Adventure, and Growth

Corie Muldoon

Requesting time off from work can help you recharge, explore new experiences, and cultivate meaningful connections. It’s essential to look ahead and make plans for your personal and professional well-being.

Why Request Time Off?

1. Rejuvenation: take breaks to avoid burnout

2. Exploration: travel, discover new cultures

3. Personal growth: pursue hobbies, learning

4. Family and friends: nurture relationships

5. Health and wellness: focus on self-care

Types of Time Off to Consider

1. Vacation days: relaxation and leisure

2. Sick leave: mental health, wellness

3. Personal days: family events, appointments

4. Professional development: conferences, workshops

5. Sabbatical: extended break for personal projects

How to Ask for Time Off

1. Review company policies

2. Plan ahead (3-6 months)

3. Communicate with your manager

4. Make sure it’s clear you won’t be around

5. Offer solutions for workload

Maximizing Your Time Off

1. Create a bucket list

2. Research destinations

3. Book travel in advance

4. Focus on self-care

5. Disconnect from work

Benefits of Taking Time Off

1. Improved productivity

2. Enhanced creativity

3. Better work-life balance

4. Increased job satisfaction

5. Refreshed perspective

Make It Happen

1. Plan activities

2. Communicate with loved ones

3. Schedule time off

4. Take care of yourself

5. Enjoy your breaks

Don’t wait – take control of your time and focus on your well-being!

Extra Resources

1. Company HR policies

2. Time management apps (e.g. Google Calendar)

3. Travel planning websites (e.g., Expedia)

4. Self-care resources (e.g., mindfulness apps)

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Productivity

Maximizing Productivity: Applying Pareto’s 80/20 Principle for Success

Corie Muldoon

PARETO’S LAW: Vilfredo Pareto is an Italian economist who is credited with coining the term the 80/20 principle. That is, 80% of results are driven by 20% of effort.

Tim Ferriss, author of 4 Hour Work Week, claims that each of us should revisit the 80/20 principle every four weeks and apply it to both our work and personal lives to see how we can focus on maximizing our productive output.

Sample questions to prompt your own 80/20 analysis:

Personal

Which 20% of daily foods provide 80% of nutrients?

Which 20% of daily activities support 80% of growth?

Which 20% of daily movement provide 80% of results?

Which 20% of daily actions provide 80% of energy?

Which 20% of worries fuel 80% of anxiety?

Work

Which 20% of my network supports 80% of my growth?

Which 20% of business activities generate 80% return?

Which 20% of content gets 80% of engagement?

Which 20% of finance activities bring 80% of results?

Which 20% of customers are driving 80% of revenue?


My experience with 80/20 analysis

I started implementing the 80/20 analysis in 2020. It’s a great exercise to help me narrow my focus on what I should be doing on a daily basis and who I should be surrounding myself with if I want to be happy, healthy, and fit in all areas.

The 80/20 analysis helps me produce more result with less effort. A few right things done each day = long term success. Analyzing the 80/20 principle helps you figure out what those few right things are for you.

And because we are always changing and evolving, reviewing 80/20 multiple times throughout the year allows us to keep a pulse on what’s really working for us, adjusting along the way.

When we start to narrowing in on the 20% activities that give us more result, our personal and work KPIs skyrocket. Going all in on a handful of activities each day is way better than overcommitting and being spread too thin.

I love this quote by Bruce Lee: “I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times.”

After I review my 80/20 analysis, I update my Life Map accordingly and use the Powerlist to keep on top of my daily goals.

Each day, in every way, we are getting better and better.

Healthy Habits

Create a fun work desk at home

Corie Muldoon

Need a little inspiration for a work desk you’re putting together at home?

My fun work desk at home features:

  • A frame wall including some pieces Joey and I created
  • Real live plants 🙂
  • Maps of the USA and world
  • A yoga ball to sit on
  • Crystals, incense, a candle
  • String lights and a fuzzy rug
  • A funky closet curtain
  • Some good music

Let’s make work fun again ♡

General, Mindfulness

Willingness

Corie Muldoon

What are you willing to do? What are you not willing to do?

As @garyjohnbishop put it, coming to terms with what you are truly ‘willing to do’ will absolutely bring more joy in your life.

Why?

Because if we are able to look in the mirror, face reality, and admit to ourselves how far we will ACTUALLY go to achieve something…

We will be able to show up for ourselves in much more powerful ways.

You want to lose weight… but are you willing to workout for 45 minutes a day to do it? How about 45 minutes twice a day?

Or are you more willing to sit on the couch and do nothing?

Either are OKAY because these are your own decisions on what you want to do with your time and energy…

But if you’re not willing to put in the WORK… admit it, be okay with that choice and stop dwelling on it.

Own your decision

Focus on living your true life… because what we are not willing to work for should never take up space in our head. Those are our fantasies.

Let’s refocus our energy on the things we ARE willing to do.

Maybe that’s a 20 minute workout a day…

Or taking a walk around the block three times a week.

Maybe it’s swapping out one fast food meal a week for a home cooked one.

Dig deep and figure out what you’re really willing to do.

Then act accordingly.

Stay open to change

Sometimes we’re due for a change.

Change can come in the form a new goal, new hair cut, new change of scenery, new habit, new relationships, new experiences, new living situation, etc.

Change is constant. That’s life. As humans, we thrive when we create, evolve, problem solve, and connect.

What’s hard is allowing change to happen naturally, with as little resistance as possible.

So when positive change is due, refer to a billionaire’s lesson on change… for inspiration and action items.

x Corie