Podcast Episode 6 – Life Hacks with Linda, Melissa and Mary – Part 1

Today we will be discussing Life Hacks or Life efficiencies learned with Melissa, Linda and Mary

A series of questions into the world of your podcast hosts (disclaimer: subjective and there were no double blind studies done – just one person’s view of life and to be taken as a grain of salt and applied as you see fit into your life.)

Question 1: What is your mission in life?

Mary:

• When you only have so many hours in the day how do you maximize your value of what you can give to build a better place.
• To be a connector and truly help others get to where they want to go in life.
• To minimize my footprint on the Earth and truly only take what you need and give the rest to build a better world.

Melissa:

• I am striving to be in the present moment in my life with others and to feel energized.
• My favorite quote right now on my laptop is “Take a deep breath, lighten up and enjoy your life.” Sometimes we can be so serious and we need to step back, and adding some laughter can help a lot.

Linda:

Life mission – live awake in the moment, know the moment

Question 2:  What challenges do you face?

Mary:

1.) The fear of constantly facing a lay off in the corporate world and where will I jump next …

2.) The battle of trying to be a mom and work full time and have a husband that travels a lot

3.) Trying to leave a legacy with severely limited time

4.) Finding time to constantly build a network and trying to find sponsors and advocates and steer away from the people who don’t value my contributions

Melissa:

• As my parents are at the last stages of life, I deal with taking care of their health and financial issues. Also, in the back of my head is when my parents approach death and how I can make it most comfortable for them.
• Sometimes I can get frustrated and I am trying to change my mindset. With the battle of trying to be a caretaker for 2 sick elderly parents and I still want to maintain my health, make some money, and keep building my personal talents.

Linda:

Challenges – caregiving, grieving, family relationships & dynamics

Question 3: Three main goals in life?

Mary:

Remember these w

ill evolve and are long term:

• Teach my children to be good citizens and give back – give them all my knowledge and experience to make their own life choices
• Constantly evolve my purpose in life – look for ways I can give back.
  • Family Fun Activities in French
  • Innovateology
  • Grow and diversify
• Do an Ironman or a distance sporting event at the age of 85 and keep up with Sister Madonna!

Melissa:

Remember these will evolve/ these are my goals for 2017:

1.Giving back: Caregiver Parents: Visits, Appts and Finance

2.Feeling Energized: Health: Exercise/ Food/ Diabetes / Mind & Spirituality

3.Building my talents: As a Oil Painter/ Online Teacher

4.Creating simplicity: Organization: Decluttering

Linda:

Four main goals – healing, living awake and aware, valuing each moment, relinquishing ego attachments

Question 4: Examples of how are you able to squeeze the most out of your day?

Mary:

• Instead of training for hours like I used to (when I was into triathlons) – really develop focus training sessions and focus for 30 mins or 40 mins or whatever I can do in the morning before the kids wake up (using Zwift for my morning cycling workout)
• When driving listen to a podcast or strategy sessions
• As a mom of 2 and no time after work – Network by never eating lunch alone / 15 min phone calls to check in

Melissa:

• I now have a schedule I follow that so that I do my work at my most productive time. So as soon as I wake up around 7:30 I open my laptop till 9:30 getting business out first.
• I don’t touch email or social media till after lunch.
• I lay out 2-3 projects and jump between them for one day rather than working on just one project.
• I try to visually organize my day. As a visually reminder, I have it on a whiteboard in my  working room and put up my top day priorities.

Linda:

Time – what are real priorities, what needs to be done 100% right and what has more slack, simplify

Question 5: What processes have you developed in life?

Mary:

• Developing Processes (operating models)
• Creating templates for everything you do over and over again
• Capturing Notes on how to do something so you can teach someone elese

Examples:

• Labeling where all the clothes go – so if I don’t have time that week, everyone knows, or creating a quick video of the operations within your household
• Creating a template for how we edit podcasts or image standards for the website
• Approval processes at work to make sure everyone is aligned

Melissa:

For those must to-do items that don’t matter and are less meaningful, I am going minimalistic, get organizing and create a “system”.  Here are some examples:

• Exercise. I did a mental paradigm shift on exercise. I used to walk up hills at a 300 acre preserve around the corner from me. Now I realize that of walking is not going to increase my muscle strength enough to prevent ageing or diabetes. Now I have a focused strength training routine. I researched the minimum amount strength training which is 12 minutes 2 times a week and have it on a schedule. It’s called HIIT or high intensity interval training. You don’t need a lot of time or a gym.
• Clothes. Right now I am cutting my clothes in half. I am picking a one style and have minimal number of clothes. Pick your fav colors 2 colors with black. Pick your dream uniform:  for work, casual, working out and going out fancy.
• Cleaning. One day a week I do dusting and vacuuming. One day is bathrooms.  Another allotted day are bed sheets and washing clothes. I pick up every night and put items in their place.
• Email. Only email and social media twice a day. First one is not till noon.
• Broken umbrella syndrome. If something is broken and not fixed just get rid of it. Every time you look at it wastes time thinking about it being broken.
• Undone items. For things I have procrastinated around the house I have written a list and now am going through it to finish these items.

Linda:

Systems, processes – life SOPs, engage others, accept help, welcome support

Life transitions – honoring the process and the moment for learning, growth, wisdom

Life phase sherpa

Join us next time to hear part 2 of the questions. 

Do you have a good probing question? Please do share by leaving a comment below.

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