I have been so busy lately and, as we know, being under pressure does not induce our most resourceful state as our primary drivers can become over-extended.. So this morning I reminded myself to breathe and took four minutes out of my daily rush to watch this - 200 dancers achieved this with just 2 rehearsals. Awesome!

Watching the video changed my state from 'hurry up' to 'relax' because it made me smile and it took 4 minutes of my time. Well, actually it is going to take 20 minutes of my time because it prompted me to want to share the lesson with you and I am now writing a blog instead of doing something else.

Which brings me to another exciting piece of news. We are in the process of bringing you some tools for managing time. Yawn, I can hear you... However, I don’t believe that any time management planner or system that I have ever seen works for women. Why? Because they are designed by men and men don't , generally, take responsibility for a sucessful home-life as well as the success of the company. The system and tools that we have created were based on my experiences juggling single Motherhood and a full-on career. I am a perfectionist for systems that work and this works for me so I am confident it will work for you too, and by that I mean - having it all without stress! If you are interested then register here and we’ll send you some information next month.

If you are waiting for the sixth tool for increasing effectiveness, don’t worry, it will be with you next week.

Meanwhile, breath right down into your diaphragm and smile your way to a wonderful long weekend with you loved ones.

With passion!
Tracey

I had lunch with Sarah Speake today, an awesome female leader who is...in her own words..having it all. Sarah has 2 young children and is Google's Industry Leader for Technology. By any standard this is a serious job and yet Sarah leaves the office at 5pm every day. Compare this to the lady that I met for coffee this morning who works in banking and was last week called to a 1am conference call that lasted until 4am ...no, not an International call but a UK based call and all participants were on GMT!

Anyway, I digress from our tools for effectiveness. Sarah and I spent a long time chatting about the fact that, as women, we generally have a harder time making the tough calls. Not only do we find it harder because our brains are wired for empathy and connection but we are labeled with nasty expletives when do. This is called a double bind. In other words, you can't win because you will be damned if you do and damned if you don't.

However, we must rise above the politics and make decisions that are best for the project, the business, the goal or the outcome. I often get push back on this (from men and women who have a more feminine brain) who say that people are more important than work. I think this is too black and white and too simplistic. If you care deeply about the quality of your work and the end game then work should be of value to you too. I'm not advocating putting work ahead of people but sometimes we need to make tough decisions for the sake of the business and the only way that I can do this without causing myself emotional trauma is to imagine that the business is my baby and I am responsible for its welfare. It might sound strange but re-framing it in this way shifts the emotion to another place where it can be a force that works with you rather than against you.

How many times have you procrastinated over tough decision because you didn't want to 'upset' the person or the people only to realise that because you left it so long the relationship deteriorated more than it had to?

I have learnt in my career that it is best to make the tough call as soon as you can using the emotional strategy above, if you need to, and bearing in mind that you are releasing yourself and others for even greater work than you could have done together.

The fifth tool for increasing effectiveness is make tough decisions sooner.

With passion!

Tracey

PS if you want to hear more about Sarah Speake she will be writing an article for our next newsletter and so make sure you sign up for the newsletter at our website http://www.eve-olution.net/

It feels like a very long time since I last blogged. A lot has been happening in my small world since I last wrote, not least a fantastic holiday with my three daughters. This was the first holiday where it felt like we were all 'mates' and I realised that our relationships have transformed from parent/child to peers.

It has been an amazing journey, juggling being a single parent and running a successful business and one that has taught me many lessons. I am proud to have developed systems for integrating my responsibilities as a parent with my responsibilities as a Director. So proud, in fact, that I am about to launch a new product that will bring that information to you. But, more about that later. What's our fourth tool for increasing effectiveness?

I realised the value of the fourth tool on holiday. For three days I didn't even want to lift my head from the poolside sunbed but on the fourth day I started to regain the benefit of an alert mind and began mulling over all the activity that I had been involved in at work. New product launches, new video webcasts, writing a book, joint ventures and new and old clients. I didn't analyse anything, I just let it all process and by day five I was sitting in a beach side cafe alone with a paper napkin, pen and a clear and concise plan in my head.Have you guessed what the fourth tool is yet? It is 'critical thinking time.'

I am sure that this seems ludicrous to some of you who don't have enough hours in the day. I know that some of you are working very long hours to get through these tough times and barely have enough time to sleep.I also know what it feels like to have a tired mind. I know that you can't think effectively when you don't give yourself time and space to do so. If you are under stress and you need to make tough decisions then it is essential that you schedule critical thinking time. At the very least you should be spending a few hours once month to think critically about the big picture and to see if there is a more effective way to reach your goals.

When are you going to do this? I do mine weekly on Sundays and daily before I start work. If I have multiple and complex decisions to make then I take a few hours to focus on the specific area of concern. This can be whilst I am running on the Downs or sitting in my garden at the weekends. The important thing is to schedule it and I know people who will set the alarm for 4 a.m. so that they can have critical thinking time.

You may not need to be so extreme but it is worth remembering that you can earn a living by working on your job or earn a fortune by working on yourself.With more passion than usual!
Tracey