Change Catalyst, Author, 
Speaker & Career Coach
Where do all the hours go in a day? They just seem to fly by, don’t they? When making a career change, or walking through any type of life transition, a daily dose of P, S & B is something that should always be incorporated. So what does P, S & B stand for? (No, it’s not an acronym for a sandwich.)
Years ago, I took a Stephen Covey What Matters Most class. One of the tips offered, and one that I have successfully incorporated into my daily living (for the most part – some days are better than others) is a little thing I add on my calendar called P, S & B. Basically, we should take 5 or 10 minutes at the beginning of each day (or at night before you go to bed if you prefer) to do what Covey called Planning and Solitude. I later added the B into the equation for Brainstorming.
P, S & B is a quick and easy time management tool. Simply ask yourself the following question. “What do I want to accomplish today?” Take into consideration different facets of your life. For example, you could ask what you’d like to accomplish pertaining to your career change and transition, at your current job, in your relationships, physically, spiritually and financially. Also, part of my Balanced 6 approach includes self growth and fun. For me and I’m sure many of you – it’s important to have fun and continue to learn and grow.
Here are 6 tips to help get you started:
1. Schedule your P, S & B at a time that you can be most consistent with on a daily basis. (Recommend first thing in the morning or last thing at night). Honor yourself by keeping the appointment.
2. Review your calendar. Take a look at your change goals. Once you’ve identified what your goals are for that day, estimate how long it will take you to complete each one.
3. Now — get those goals scheduled onto your calendar, and preferably an online scheduler so that you can set alarms/reminders that will prompt you to get moving. (TIP — make sure to also add P, S & B into your calendar at the time you’ve determined is best for you).
4. If you need multiple days to complete specific goals, consider prioritizing your list – A, B and C, and add the future days/time to your calendar.
5. When completing your tasks, turn off your phones and however tempting — don’t look at email. Concentrate all of your efforts and be laser focused on completing the task. If necessary – put up a Do Not Disturb sign, or even bright yellow crime scene tape so that well-meaning interrupters will get the message.
6. Be kind to yourself and celebrate accomplishments – even the smallest ones. Don’t be hard on yourself if you don’t get to everything in one day. No judgment, progress not perfection — just carry it over to your list for the next day.
I have come to treasure my P, S & B moments. It’s a great time for quiet reflection, and to ensure that I keep moving forward towards accomplishing my goals. So now that you have a pretty neat time management tool, consider what transitions you want to make, and take 10 minutes to P, S & B it!
If you are serious about making a career change, consider hiring me as your career coach. Schedule a free introductory call today. May you enjoy career bliss!
Career Satisfaction – Is It Real Now?
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Having career satisfaction can be challenging, especially during what has likely become one of the most difficult times we have ever experienced in our lifetime. Employers are very concerned about sustaining their businesses. |
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Employees are also concerned about their own sustainability, but for many it can come at a cost. Career satisfaction is completely achievable though, no matter what your job situation is. As we enter a new decade, it’s important to recommit ourselves to our careers. Here are four tips to having greater satisfaction at work: |
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| 1 | Beef Up Those Work Relationships — review how you can improve and enhance your relationships with customers (both internal and external), your professional network, and your boss. Relationships can be challenging — but by accepting and even forgiving colleagues for any past incidents can help in improving your overall experience at work. |
| 2 | Become a Lover of Life-Long-Learning — take a fresh look at new things you can learn, both inside and outside the job as part of your professional development. Consider getting further education in an area that you are both passionate about AND that is something you can become gainfully employed in. Consider mentoring newer employees and sharing your knowledge — giving back is a key component to job satisfaction! |
| 3 | Get Really Clear on What ‘Point B’ Is — this is one of the most important things you can do, especially if you are long overdue for a job change, are under-employed, or have increased responsibilities. Get inspired about what your opportunities are and become clear about what you want, need and value. Knowing where you are going helps during any period of transition, because you will feel more empowered to move forward and take those first steps. Knowing your ‘Point B’ also opens you up to thinking more creatively about accomplishing your goals, what resources you need, and how to prioritize effectively. By focusing on your goal, you become more congruent, knowing where we are going, you understand the benefits. The journey to get there becomes much easier and more enjoyable. |
| 4 | Find the Humor In it All — it’s easy to get caught up in the seriousness of life. I challenge people to purposely have fun at work — everything doesn’t have to be so formal and ‘uber’ politically correct. For meetings, bring in Nerf guns or insist that people wear slippers, organize a Superbowl pot luck party, heck throwing a football around for a couple of minutes with a colleague or bringing in a golf club and ball to put into a cup can help you and your colleagues alleviate stress. |
My niece, while recently visiting was game to see the movie Julie and Julia. For those who have not yet had the pleasure, it was a delightful illustration to enjoy the simple pleasures of life. On a more serious note, it addressed something we all eventually must face — that of finding fulfillment in life.
The ladies teach us to savor each and every delectable moment, albeit in a foreign country or atop a pizza parlor. Oh, how I related to each in their efforts to master their craft along with meticulously documenting and publishing their work. It provided them a forum with which to share something each was so passionate about. This currently ‘in recovery’ workaholic has been stopping of late to smell the ‘lunch bag’ (or coffee) I guess you could say.
