Leaving Less Footprints in Your Office

How much carbon footprint are you leaving behind in your office?   For the past 7 years I have visited many offices – big and small – and I see so much going to waste.  Here are just some of the many simple steps you can take to save our planet at work:

• Turn it off!  When not in use turn off your lights, computers, printers, etc.
• Purchase recycled office supplies (paper, ink/cartridge toners, etc.)
• Use green cleaning products
• Use energy efficient electronic equipment and light bulbs
• Have recycle bins at your workplace
• Use real mugs, glasses, and utensils
• Drive less by commuting to work, or work from home
• Go paper-less by printing less!

Did you know that about 35% of municipal solid waste (before recycling) by weight is paper and paper products? (Wikipedia).  Everyone has gone print crazy.  We see something online, we print it; we get an email, we print it; we’re working on a project, we print it.  We can each save trees, water, and energy by printing less!

For me going digital has not only helped me save paper and help the environment, it has also saved me time finding my documents, save space by eliminating the paper clutter in my office, and save money by spending less on paper and ink as well as getting my information faster using my office more efficiently.

My virtual workspace stores all my information, from scanned documents, to all my digital files (Excel spreadsheets, Word documents, Power Point, pictures, anything on your computer), as well as all of my important emails.  So now I have quick and easy access to everything, from anywhere at any time.

Managing several mastermind teams at the same time used to take a lot of time and expenses printing and emailing their information out.  Now everything is shared from one secure online workspace where we can all collaborate and share files and information in real time.  Once a document is updated, everyone has access to it immediately.  No downtime for software uploads, no emails getting lost along the way, and no more multiple copies of the same document.  Everything is shared from one place.  We use an online project management tool so we can all manage our accountability from one place that easily syncs  with our computers and phones.

Don’t get buried in paper, get organized, increase productivity, and go paper-less!

A few more tips on goal setting

Following my previous blog, I just wanted to add a few more tips that will help you with your goals:

• Don’t overwhelm yourself with a huge list of goals, simple is better.  Start with just a few goals and take action on those; you can always add more later on.
• Write your goals down.  A goal in your mind is just a dream, but by writing it down you create a roadmap to your success.
• Set goals that are compatible with other goals in your life, as well as the goals of other family members.
• Create your goals, not goals that other people think you should have.
• When writing a goal, ask yourself if you are willing to commit to it.   For example:  Some goals require you to work long hours and give up quality time with your family – are you willing to commit to this?
• Place your goals in order of importance.
• If you’re a visual person you can create a vision board – put clippings of all your goals on it, especially in form of pictures.  Put this in a place where you are often.  This will help you visualize your goals.
• Make it fun:   Reward yourself when achieving steps that bring you closer to your goals.

One of the best ways to ensure your success is to have an accountability partner by your side.   This can be a friend, a business colleague, or a coach.  Someone who will hold you accountable for your action steps and keeps you on the right track!

If you have questions, or just feel ‘stuck’, feel free to contact me – I’d love to help you.

Just remember – No matter what you do, or how you do it, START TODAY!

Wishing you much success!

Goals – Your Roadmap to Success

If you don’t know what you want, how do you know how to get there?

When you get into your car you know your final destination and you know how to get there; you don’t just get in your car and follow everyone in traffic, hoping they will guide you in the right direction.  How do you want to go through life?  Do you want people and circumstances lead you in life, or do you want to take control of your own destiny?  Your goals are your roadmap to where you want to go in many areas of your life, like:

• Finance
• Business/Career
• Education
• Spirituality
• Health
• Relationships
• Contribution
• Hobbies
• Travel

Are your goals SMART?

Write down your list of goals for the different areas in your life, making sure they are:

Specific.  Be specific about what you want; ask yourself questions like Who, What, Where?   Instead of saying ‘I want to be rich’, get specific and say how much you want to make.

Motivational.  You want your goals to motivate you, not put you down.  Instead of saying ‘I don’t want to be fat’, say something like ‘I want to look and feel great’

Action steps.  Create your plan of action:  Break your goals into manageable action steps.  When you have a big goal to reach, it can get overwhelming and your chances for quiting increase, but by breaking a goal into small steps, you will feel in control and your chances of success increase.  Example:  Your goal is to write a book – seems overwhelming, right?  Break that down into main parts of what you want to write about; then break that down into smaller chapters of the book.  This way the steps seem less daunting to you.

Relevant.  You want your goals to contribute to your mission and purpose.

Timed.  Set deadlines for your action steps.  By setting a deadline you create a sense of urgency to complete your action steps, so you can ultimately reach your end goal.

Create a support system

Get an accountability partner, this can be a friend or colleague, you can be there to encourage and support each other through the process.  You can also look up accountability or master mind groups online or in your neighborhood.  Another option is to hire a coach that can help you in the right direction.

No matter what you do, but start today and make it a priority to take care of you and your destiny!