What have you learned from your children?

FOCUS

FOCUS

FOCUS

If there's one thing I've learned from my 'mature' children, it's to FOCUS. 

Every project I begin, I drift ... I want to expand - usually before a key thought is fully considered or a core product is fully designed and completed. Possibly because of my need to 'grow' something but more probably because of my lack of concentration and my craving for change and search for something new. Of course, expanding too soon could be detrimental to the quality of an initial concept, product, hobby, goal etc. 

So now, the minute I feel myself drifting, I just remind myself to FOCUS - I bring myself back to the main point of what I'm actually doing/creating/developing/, where I'm up to, what's supposed to happen next in the development process, keep the end result on mind - Basically, I remind myself to keep on track, taking one key idea to fruition rather than going off at a tangent with other thoughts, designs or products.

Of course, you might argue that focussing intently on one thing might limit creativity ... limit all those random ideas flitting about in my head, limit the chances of bringing something else new to the market ... hmmm ... 

Back to the drawing board ...

Gillian

All in a Day ... Decorating ... Celebrating ... Bragging ...

So, if you're thinking of doing a bit of DIY Decorating in a very short space of time - Decide exactly what you want to achieve - [ie re-decorate the bathroom] - Get hold of materials in advance: wall paint / wood paint / brushes / paint trays / sand paper / turps [or paint wipes] / filler / screwdrivers / sweeping brush / shovel / bin bags / brew and biscuits / bottle of wine and crisps / music ... and most of all ~ some willing helpers.

mooresbuildingsupplies.co.uk

Having tools and materials to hand will speed up the actual decorating process once it's started.

Plan the order of the task: Clear all objects from the room [working round 'stuff' takes more time] - Unscrew door handles, hooks, release light switches etc - Prepare walls [filler] - Sand woodwork and filler work - Wipe all dust away - Paint ... paint ... paint ...

Planning and preparing ahead will mean that the decorating task should only take one day from your busy schedule - Then, you can accept that invitation to dinner ... the pub ... a game of tennis ... the cinema ... a gig ... or joining the someone you've been helping to decorate ~ at the opening of the new coast flagship store on Oxford Street ...

A delightful experience - like a breath of fresh air ... no wading up flights of stairs in stuffy department stores to find the ladies 'elegant fashion' department ...


Major in-store features include an illuminated marble staircase, to add glamour and to encourage shoppers down to the basement, which is where most of the selling space is located, and a large video screen that is integrated into the perimeter wall on the ground floor. Extensive use is also made of mannequins throughout the store.

www.retail-week.com

So if you're looking for something subtly glamorous, glass effect beading with a hint of champagne ... soft flowing fabrics, chic satin, a dress with a difference; elegant lace, sexy sequins, an outfit for a wedding, something smart, on trend or block colours, get yourself over to coast for a sumptuous treat.

Enjoy, [we did] Gillian [ and just happening to be wearing a C o a s t dress too ! ]

Nuts ...

We should be a little nuts otherwise its just a bunch of birthdays strung together ...

anon

Interviews ?

Here's a great tip to end your interview ...

http://careerconfidential.com/dont-make-this-critical-interview-mistake-listen-to-this/?utm_source=Linkedin-CIM&utm_medium=AB&utm_campaign=306090wbnr#

Gillian

Cute as a Kitten ...

Saw this and thought of ...

Saw this and thought of ... well, me actually ... 

Geoffrey James writes the "Sales Source" column on Inc.com, the world's most-visited sales-oriented blog. His newly published book is Business to Business Selling: Power Words and Strategies From the World's Top Sales Experts. @Sales_Source

Had a lousy morning? Things looking grim?

Not to worry. The rest of your day need not be a disaster. It can in fact become one of your best, providing you take these simple steps:

1. Remember that the past does not equal the future.

There is no such thing as a "run of bad luck." The reason people believe such nonsense is that the human brain creates patterns out of random events and remembers the events that fit the pattern.

2. Refuse to make self-fulfilling prophesies. 

If you believe the rest of your day will be as challenging as what's already happened, then rest assured: You'll end up doing something (or saying) something that will make sure that your prediction comes true.

3. Get a sense of proportion.

Think about the big picture: Unless something life-changing has happened (like the death of a loved one), chances are that in two weeks, you'll have forgotten completely about whatever it was that has your shorts in a twist today.

4. Change your threshold for "good" and "bad."

Decide that a good day is any day that you're above ground. Similarly, decide that a bad day is when somebody steals your car and drives it into the ocean. Those types of definitions make it easy to be happy–and difficult to be sad.

5. Improve your body chemistry.

Your body and brain are in a feedback loop: A bad mood makes you tired, which makes your mood worse, and so forth. Interrupt the pattern by getting up and moving around.  Take a walk or eat something healthy.

6. Focus on what's going well.

The primary reason you're convinced it's a bad day is that you're focusing on whatever went wrong. However, for everything going badly, there are probably dozens of things going well.  Make list, and post it where it's visible.

7. Expect something wondrous.

Just as an attitude of doom and gloom makes you see more problems, facing the future with a sense of wonder makes you alive to all sorts of wonderful things that are going on, right now, everywhere around you.

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Read more:

5 Toxic Beliefs That Ruin Careers

How to Be Happy at Work

7 Most Powerful Sales Tools

Geoffrey James writes the "Sales Source" column on Inc.com, the world's most-visited sales-oriented blog. His newly published book is Business to Business Selling: Power Words and Strategies From the World's Top Sales Experts. @Sales_Source

Go somewhere cool ...

Yes I do know we're still in a credit crunch situation ... but really, have a try going somewhere cool ...

Okay, not necessarily the Mojave Desert or the Grand Canyon ... but doing something different or going somewhere new will most likely inspire you, refresh you, prompt new hope and ideas ... It doesn't always have to be expensive - Save up first then check out last minute offers to unusual places. [Thomsons / Thomas Cook have some great offers] http://www.thomascook.com/holidays/city-breaks/

Doing something different will change your conversation. It could even change your perception of everyday goings-on. You might meet new people along the way ... the possibilities are endless ... 

Do something new - it doesn't have to be expensive:

Go to a beach.

Find a new village.

Join a Library ... yes you did read that correctly - there are some still around.

Swap your week on a beach for a culture holiday [you can still do this in the summer].

Visit the opposite side of the country to where you live. 

Join a running, walking, tennis club or a local team sport.

Challenge yourself to meet new people. Not in a change-your-friends, work colleagues or business contacts way - try to make some genuine connections with casual acquaintances or meet members at a new club.

Have a few friends round [not too many] - ask each one to bring one friend - that way you'll all get to meet each other.

If you're out for supper - or cooking for friends, change seats after the main course - get to know the people who usually sit at the other end of the table.

[Remember to be aware and keep yourself safe at all times]

Meanwhile, get saving and book that trip to the Mojave Desert ...

Gillian

How to write a Cool Linkedin Profile ...

Good morning everyone,
I assume you are social media converts so thought this might help ...
The Linkedin business-ey networking site seems to be the place to go if you're seeking employment, promoting and making business contacts and showcasing start-up businesses.

Linkedin to businesses wanting to network is like Facebook to friends. Not at all showy like twitter, there seems to be a kind-of secret set of guidelines as to how to present yourself.

It's important to say who you are and what you do in a smart and interesting way without bragging. Don't be shy. Don't boast. Just be cool. And be true to you.

Obviously two of the most important things on your home page is your profile photo [preferably not one on holiday in Ayia Napa] and your personal summary ...

So here's a few tips to hot up your Linkedin summary ...

Consider:

Your Photo

Personal Branding

Semi personal summary to reflect your personality

Use key words that belong to you or you want to own

Express Professional experience

Build trust

Be precise & concise

Define:

Who you are

What you do / want to do

Why you’re unique

Choose some key words:

passionate about / interested in / specifically / presence / focus primarily on / goals / objectives / strategy / winning tactics / opportunity / driving force / interaction / effective / fast learner / good listener / asset / driven / goals / accomplishments / skills

Make your paragraphs short and precise:

Paragraph 1

Why you are there - use powerful key words

Paragraph 2

What you are currently doing

How previous positions relate to the present

What you specialise in - discuss here what you do 

[Consultant/Graphic Designer/Educator/Make-up Artist/Engineer]

Paragraph 3

Self promotion - Why you should you be chosen above someone else

Why should a new employer or client phone you first?

Paragraph 4

Your specialities - Use Your industry buzz words - they’ll match search enquiries / queries 

Paragraph 5

Be sure to put your contact details here ....

Inexpensive Things to do ...

There's one thing for sure, most of us have had to re-consider the financial cost of our lives ... re-assess expenses and re-determine values ... but it's not all doom and gloom ...

Try to make a list of 20 Things to do that cost little or no money ...

Here's our newly formed local choir out having a singathon on Gala Day.

Just off to devise a list of things to do which don't cost the earth,

Have fun for now, Gillian

SEO ... It's a must ...

Hi there daughters, mums, uncles, dads, aunties, grandmas, sons, brothers, sisters, grandads, friends ...

I suppose I'm now considered one of the 'olds' and expected to have non-existent technical skills of any sort. My sons won't help with pdf formatting, iTunes or acronyms ... 'You'll just have to learn it for yourself Mum' is what they say, throwing the front door into its casing. 'Thanks a lot', I grunt, slamming the kitchen door and stamping upstairs as I wedge the second earphone into place before leaping onto my bed to check my text messages ... Oh was that me? No, of course not, I have been glued to my lap top for 12 months now, writing, designing a series of interactive books - and networking - yes, at my age. And it's been quite fun. A massive learning arrow rather than curve. I have formed friends, been to meetings and a number of SEO presentations which were brilliant!

So Mums, Dads, Aunties, Uncles, Grandmas and Grandads and Great relatives, I urge you to move with the times [even ahead of them] - get yourself on the net; blog, look for new interests, find old friends, socially interact, find like minded hobby pals, find local courses and activities to join ... and most of all ... look up all acronyms if you're very time wealthy and make a full and comprehensive list of them. Learn off my heart. Eat the paper. [Apologies - your list will be on screen no doubt]. Put the pathetic three lettered acronym into practise. Most of the 'youngs' don't know what many of the acronyms stand for anyway. Drop them into conversations. Ask them in front of their friends what HTTP, PDF, RSS, IMAP, URL, SEO really stand for ...

That's when they'll tell you ... 'You'll have to just learn it for yourself Mum'

So here's a short list to get you going [if you've absolutely nothing else to do]
URL     Universal Resource Locator
RSS      Really Simple Syndication
PDF      Portable Document Format
Jpeg      Joint Photographics Experts Group
WIFI     Wireless Fidelity
TIFF     Tagged Image File Format
HTTP    Hyper Text Transfer Protocol
IMAP    Internet Message Access Protocol

SEO  -  Search Engine Optimisation

Now, daughters and sons, SEO is really what you need to think about. We all have favourites and opinions of facebook, twitter, linkedin, google etc. but to be honest the recent Social Media Presentations I've attended have been the most motivational prompts I've come across for some time [other than realising my cholesterol contained too many bad fats].

Choose the right social group for your business - for instance, on Linkedin, its a great place to promote yourself and your product or your skills - find employment, find customers, clients, business links, join like-minded groups, forums ... make contacts for your work, link to your website or blog. This is quite a grown-up place, so text speak is pretty much frowned on - save that for your phone or twitter. [Oops - is texting out of date now ??] No-one wants to know if you've been to a party - so post that to your Facebook friends. Linkedin is a place to meet business contacts, promote business and check out your competition.

My advice - get on a social media marketing course if you can ... Try local or county councils, community centres, libraries, search the internet for business re-generation projects and you'll probably find the 'beyond websites' type social media presentations.
The courses are usually funded and therefore Free to attend.
[often including breakfast, lunch or snacks ! - such a bonus]

Enjoy, I did, Gillian