TIME SAVVY; Spending Your Time On What Matter Most

The Principle of Effective Time Management.
Ishola Ayodele

Carl Sandburg once said, "Time is the most valuable coin in your life. You and you alone will determine how that coin will be spent. Be careful that you do notlet other people spend it for you".

Let us explore effective time management using the Stephen Covey's Matrix 

Quadrant 1: Urgent-Important.

These are the most pressing of tasks we’ll likely get to this week. These are things that need pressing attention,  they may be beneficial or not beneficial to us.

Eg
Attending to a crying baby,
Answering a call,
fire-fighting,
Taking your clothes in during the rain,
Picking your child after school,
Cooking dinner for your husband,
Attending to your guests,
Going on an errand for your boss or parents,
Etc


Quadrant 2: Not Urgent – Important.

These are the things that matter in
the long-term but will yield no tangible benefits this week or even this year. They are things we know
we need to get to but probably will
push off.

Eg
Exercise
Recreation
Vacation
Taking a particular course,
setting a goal for our future,
learning a skill, Relationship-building,
Getting education,
Saving,
Investing,
Planning for marriage,
Planning for parenting,
Securing accommodation or changing your accommodation,
Developing new habits, Quitting bad habit like drinking or smoking,
Spending quality time with your child to know him/her,
Most successful people spend much of their time here. Please take note of this


Quadrant 3: Urgent – Not Important.

 These tasks are the biggest reason
we’re not more successful in the
long-term. They clog up our time today but, when we look back at
these things at the end of the week,
They take up our valuable time through urgency.
E.g
Watch Live match,
Soap operas,
Live TV programmes,
Unwanted guests,
Prolonged browsing,
Computer games,
Play stations,
Student union rallies,


Quadrant 4:
Not Urgent –
Not Important.

These things we do
because we feel like we’re tired and
need a break.
E.g
It’s checking and rechecking
Facebook and Twitter,
Excessive chat on WhatsApp,
watching lengthy movies or season films in one sitting,
engaging in gossip,
Unnecessary argument over football or people, Discussion that is of no benefit
Etc

"There will never be enough time for us to do all things we desire in life but there will always be enough time to do the things which mattered most in our lives if we are wise"

 Please share your thoughts with me by clicking on the post a comment box below.
Ishola Ayodele is a Public Relations practitioner and a member of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations.
He offers the following services to Large Corporations, SMEs and Individuals.
Result Oriented Communication,
Effective Crisis Communication,
Effectual Political Communication,
Reputation and Image management,
And Impactful Presentation Coaching.
He can be reached on
twitter @ishopr and via
Email: impactfulcommunications@gmail.com

THE PURPOSE OF LIFE; Why You Are Who You Are.

Are You Here By Accident Or For A Purpose?

Of all the creatures in the world your creator chooses to create you a human not by your choice or power but because he has a purpose for your life.

Every living man is a message bearer of his/her creator to the world but he/she alone must decide whether to deliver the message or die with it.
There is nothing like a man without a purpose but a man who is ignorant of his purpose in life.

To fully comprehend the wisdom behind the above paragraph, THINK!
Of the more than 500,000 spermatozoa released in a single ejaculation by your father into your mother by, How come it was the spermatozoa carrying you that out ran others to fertilize your mothers ovum?

How come you were born a girl and not a boy or a boy and not a girl? Believe me; it goes beyond the X and Y chromosomes they taught you in biology.      
                                   
You may want to say my father has already gotten two or three boys or girls before me. So, the probability that I will be a boy or a girl was high.

That still does not answer the question; ask yourself again How come you also ended up being a girl when your parents anticipated a boy vise versa?

How come you grow amidst childhood diseases and still survive to become an able bodied man or lady while some other people had been rendered disabled by those diseases?

If you are a Handicap, How come among your family members you are physically challenged?

As a physically challenged person: For instance if you are a cripple, Have you ever wondered why your mobility and not your sight or hearing was taken from you?

Have you ever wondered why you can do something better than other things?

Doesnt it amaze you why some people prefer to confide in you than other people?

How come you took ill and recovered while some other people did not?

Have you thought for a second while you woke up this morning alive while some other people had passed on?

10. Finally, how come you are reading this book now out of the thousands of books in the market?
 What do you think is/are the answer(s) to these questions?
      Is it because you are religious?
      Is it because you are smart?
      Is it because of your sins?

None of these answers and many more answers are correct.  If you meditate deeply you will discover that the only answer to all these questions is PURPOSE.

What you are and in whatever circumstances you find your self, there is a purpose for it.

Whatever you are given as an advantage is meant for the fulfillment of your purpose in life. And whatever you lack naturally is not a hindrance to the fulfillment of your purpose in life.

In fact, those things you lack naturally are what may stand between you and the realization of your purpose in life.
 if you are born short in height it means your success in life does not depend on how tall you. If you are a female it means your purpose in life can only be fulfilled by being a female. In fact, being a male may doom you.

 And if you are a cripple it means your success in life does not depend on your ability to walk.
So, stop crying over spilt milk on those things you lack because you cannot know how best your purpose can be fulfilled than the ONE who gave you the purpose.  

Lucky was a friend of mine who had a backslap in a motor accident and since then he had been unable to sit or stand up right, he can only lie flat on his chest or back.  But despite his disability lucky is the C.E.O of Sophluck enterprises a company that specializes in film editing and conversion of VHS to VCD.
A company he established and nurtured to profitability while on his bed. One day, we were discussing our achievement and wondering what would have happened to us if we were not physically changed.
I said I dont know what would have happened to me but I know I wouldnt have achieved what I have achieved today because of the nature of my friends then. Just then lucky said I know what would have happened to me, I would have died because I am temperamental and always at loggerhead with the Niger delta boys when I was in Port Harcourt.
At that point I realized my creator took away my mobility to prevent my sheep from wondering with the dog out of the fence of the shepherd and ending up in the tummy of a wolf

THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE; The story of a man that conquers death

The Reason Why Some People Succeed Where Others Had failed.
Ishola Ayodele

In 1870, a creative engineer named John Roebling was inspired by an idea to build a spectacular bridge connecting New York with the Long Island.

However bridge building experts throughout the world thought that this
was an impossible feat and told Roebling to forget the idea. It just could not be done. It was not practical. It had never been done before.

Roebling could not ignore the vision he had in his mind of this bridge. He thought about it all the time and he knew deep in his heart that it could be done.

He just had to share the dream with someone else. After much discussion and persuasion he managed to convince his son Washington, an up and coming engineer, that the bridge in fact could
be built.

Working together for the first time, the father and son developed concepts of how it could be accomplished and how the obstacles could be overcome. With great excitement and inspiration, and the headiness of a wild challenge before them, they hired their crew and began to build their dream bridge.

The project started well, but when it was only a few months underway a tragic accident on the site took the life of John Roebling.

Washington was also injured and left with a certain amount of brain damage, which resulted in him not being able to talk or walk.

“We told them so.” “Crazy men and their crazy dreams.” “It’s foolish to chase wild visions.”

Everyone had a negative comment to make and felt that the project should be scrapped since the Roeblings were the only ones who knew how the bridge could be built.

In spite of his handicap Washington was never discouraged and still had a burning desire to complete the bridge and his mind was still as sharp as ever. He tried to inspire and pass on his enthusiasm to some of his friends, but they were too daunted by the task.

As he lay on his bed in his hospital room, with the sunlight streaming through the windows, a gentle breeze blew the flimsy white curtains apart and he was able to see the sky and the tops of the trees outside for just a moment. It seemed that there was a message for him not to give up.

Suddenly an idea hit him. All he could do was move one finger and he decided to make the best use of it. By moving this, he slowly developed a code of communication with his wife.

He touched his wife’s arm with that finger, indicating to her that he wanted her to call the engineers again. Then he used the same method of tapping her arm to tell the engineers what to do. It seemed foolish but the project was under way again.

For 13 years Washington tapped out his instructions with his finger on his wife’s arm, until the bridge was finally completed.

Today the spectacular Brooklyn Bridge stands in all its glory as a tribute to the triumph of one man’s indomitable spirit and his determination not to be defeated by circumstances.

It is also a tribute to the engineers and their team work, and to their faith in a man who was considered mad by half the world. It stands too as a tangible monument to the love and devotion of his wife who for 13 long years patiently decoded the messages of her husband and told the engineers what to do.

This is one of the best examples of a
never-say-die attitude that overcomes a terrible physical handicap and achieves an impossible goal.

Always know that as you embark on your purpose in life you will face constraints. The law of constraints states that, "between you and a noteworthy achievement there will be constraints".

You should also know that due to these constraints you will fail not once not twice not even a dozen times. But what you must never do is QUIT.

You must keep trying after every failure. Just as Michael Jordan had said, "I can accept failure but I can not  accept not trying".

Tom Hopkins once said, "The World does not judge a man by the number of times he fails but by the number of times he succeeds, but the number of times he succeeds is directly proportional to the number of times he fails".

This is why the world celebrated Thomas Edison today for inventing the light bulb forgetting that he failed almost 10,000 yes 10,000 times before he could produce the first light bulb.

In the fight between the stream and the rock the stream always win not due to strength or toughness but due to PERSISTENCE.

Persistence is what distinguishes between those who make things happen from those those who watch thing happen.

Martin Luther King Jr said, "if you can't fly, run, if you can't run, walk, if you can't walk, crawl, if you can't crawl just keep moving till you reach your goal".

And Abraham Lincoln said, "You must never give up until you make your last attempt and you must never make your last attempt until you succeed".

I want you to know that, "There is no circumstances greater than your determination to succeed".

*"The greatest tragedy of life is not that we die but that a man can live without fulfilling his/her purpose in life"*

What is the purpose of life?

Please share your thoughts with me by clicking on the post a comment box below.
Ishola Ayodele is a Public Relations practitioner and a member of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations.
He offers the following services to Large Corporations, SMEs and Individuals.
Result Oriented Communication,
Effective Crisis Communication,
Effectual Political Communication,
Reputation and Image management,
And Impactful Presentation Coaching.
He can be reached on
BBM 58ED6030,
twitter @ishopr and via Email: impactfulcommunications@gmail.com

The Great Secret Of Wealth Creation

What Investment Are You Toiling For
Ishola Ayodele (ANIPR)

I have always maintain that, "A man that is not dying for something is actually living for nothing".

It was Robert Kiyosaki who said, "business is like a wheelbarrow, nothing happens until you push". The same can be said for success it doesn't happen until you put in purposeful and creative effort.

Unfortunately today Nigerian youths are looking for fast money. This is a misplace of priority and ignorance.

Setting Money as your goal will only make you a slave to money. Money is a medium of exchange what you need to do is to create wealth.

Wealth is something of value that you posses that others are willing and ready to pay for. When you invest heavily (time, effort and money) to create wealth, money comes looking for you even while you are sleep.

It is also selfish of you to think that people must pay you for your passion. Passion in itself will not translate to wealth unless you are able to tailor your passion towards creating valuable products/service that solve a critical problem in the market place.

At the Market Square the buyers are the judge. And a very selfish one for that matter who thinks only of how your solution solves his problem and not how passionate you care about your products/service or how hard you work to create the product/service.
 To learn more about wealth creation read The human being syndrome; The principle of taking purposeful action. 

In his great book, "The Law of Success". Napoleon Hill wrote
"At the table of success there is no bargaining, a price must be paid fast and energetically"

Usain Bolt ran for less than 115 secs in total in his 3 Olympics careers and made 119 million dollars!!!
That's more than $1M for each second he ran! And he hasn't run more than 2 mins on the track.
But for those 2 mins, he trained for over 25 years!!!

That's what I call investment!

Floyd Mayweather Jr Career Boxing

Statistics Shows a total of 75 wins.  49 wins by KO (Knockout) and 26 wins by unanimous Decision. He retired undefeated champion.

Floyd Mayweather earned over $220million for his fight against Manny Pacquiao.

What this implies is that for every minute in the ring Mayweather gets close to $7,000,000.

His training is an intense 40 round training Routine.
boxingnewsandviews called "The Inhuman training'.
Dailymail described it as "brutal training regimen"

But that's what I call investment!

Mark Zuckerberg as at August 2016 is worth $53.7billion making him the 5th richest man on earth.

Zuckerberg dropped out of college to devote himself to Facebook full time, moving the company to Palo Alto, California.

That's what I call investment!!

A great thinker of antiquity Henry Wadsworth Longfellow said and I quote,
"The heights by great men reached and kept were not attained by sudden flight, but they, while their companions slept, were toiling upward in the night"

So, my question is, what investment are you toiling for presently?

Please share your thoughts with me by clicking the post a comment box below

To learn how to avoid distractions that may hinder your success read, Finding Your Focus

Ishola Ayodele is a Public Relations practitioner and a member of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations.

He offers the following services to Large Corporations, SMEs and Individuals.
Result Driven Communication,

Effective Crisis Communication,

Effectual Political Communication,

Reputation and Image management,

And Impactful Presentation Coaching.

He can be reached on 08077932282.
WhatsApp 08077932282,
BBM 58ED6030,
twitter handle @ishopr

FINDING YOUR FOCUS

The Ageless Secret to Effective Time
Management.

 

In his book "18 minutes" Peter Bregman suggested, " The need to slow down our momentum and focus on our outcome and be open to extraordinary potential.

He postulated the THE THREE DAY-RULE

This rule states that "nothing stays on the list more than three
days".

everything falls into one of these 4
categories after three days:

1. Do it immediately.

2. Schedule it. Put it on your calendar and commit to doing it.

3. Let it go if it is not enough of a
priority.

4. If you simply cannot let it go, then he has a “someday/maybe/later list” that he looks at monthly.

Finding our Focus entitles effective management of our time and managing our time needs to become a ritual.

It needs to be an ongoing process we follow no matter what to keep us focused on our priorities throughout the day. This is the only way we focus on doing what real matters as far as achieving our lives' ambition is concern.

I think we can do it in three steps that take less than 18 minutes over an eight-hour workday.

STEP 1 (5 Minutes) Set Plan for Day.

Before turning on your computer , sit down with a blank piece of paper and decide what will make this day highly successful.

What can you realistically accomplish that will further your goals and allow you to leave at the end of the day feeling like you’ve been productive and successful?
Write those things down.

In their book "The Power of Full Engagement",
Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz describe a study in which a group of women agreed to do a breast self-exam during a period of 30 days. 100% of those who said where and when they were going to do it completed the exam. Only 53% of the others did.

STEP 2 (1 minute every hour - 8 minutes) Refocus.

Set your watch, phone, or computer to ring every hour. When it rings, take a deep breath, look at your list and ask yourself if you spent your last hour productively.

Then look at your calendar and
deliberately recommit to how you are going to use the next hour. Manage your day hour by hour. Don’t let the hours manage you.

STEP 3 (5 minutes) Review.

Shut off your computer and review your day.

What worked?

Where did you focus?

 Where did you get distracted?

What did you learn that will help you be more productive tomorrow?

It was Ralph Waldo Emerson who said, "That which we persist in doing becomes easier to do, not that the nature of the task has changed but that our ability to do it has increased"

And according to Wood & Nea (2007),   "As behaviors are repeated in a consistent context, there is an incremental increase i the link between the context and the action. This increases the automaticity of the behavior in that context."

So the outcome of a ritual is predictable too. If you choose your focus deliberately and wisely and consistently remind yourself of that focus, you will stay focused. It’s simple.

Please share your thoughts with me by clicking the post a comment box below

Ishola Ayodele is a Public Relations practitioner and a member of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations.

He offers the following services to Large Corporations, SMEs and Individuals.

Result Driven Communication,

Effective Crisis Communication,

Effectual Political Communication,

Reputation and Image management,

And Impactful Presentation Coaching.

He can be reached on 08077932282
WhatsApp 08077932282,
BBM 58ED6030,
twitter handle @ishopr

8 Effective Communication Skills That Will Make You A Better Communicator

Communicating in way that inspires your listener and moves them to where you want them to be.

By Ishola Ayodele (ANIPR) Result Driven Communication Expert.

An effective communication skill makes it so much easier to be understood and listened to, leaving you feeling much calmer and more appreciated, thus eliminating a lot of tension that people have in their lives.(speakthemovie.com)

To communicate in other to move people to where you want them to be requires understanding where they are presently and why they are there (in term of their reasoning, ideology or perception.)

Communication is not all about talking or getting an applause. This has been the major draw back of most motivational talks, people applauded the speaker then went back to their old attitudes.

Effective communication seeks to change people's behaviour by first acknowledging their differences and perspectives of life then getting them to see a clear picture of things in their minds so they begin to see things the way they are.  This enable the people to discover the truth by themselves and accept it as their own without being forced or feeling humiliated into accepting the other person's opinion.

Here are some 8 Effective communication skills that can help boost your career and relationship.

1. Give them the impression that you’re
enthusiastic about talking to them.

They want to feel that you would rather be talking to them than anyone else. When you give them the impression that you are excited about talking to them and that you care about them, you make them feel better about themselves. As a result, they’ll be more likely to really open up to you.

2. Ask open-ended questions about

their interests. 

Ask questions that will get them to talk about their interests and their life in a way that provides you with insight into their needs and wants.

When you help them gain a new, positive perspective about their situation, they will feel a deep sense of

connection with you.

3. Adapt to their body language and

feelings. 

Pay special attention to their

nonverbal communication. Watch their body language and posture, also take

note of their inflection and word choices. Now, tailor your words, body

language , and voice tone to match what

you have observed. Doing this will help

them feel a deep subconscious

connection with you.

4. Show them approval: Tell them what

you admire about them and why. 

One of the best ways to instantly connect with people is to be forthright and tell them exactly why you like or admire them. If being too direct isn’t appropriate, insinuate with a few indirect statements here and there. Either approach can be equally as effective because everyone responds well to approval.

5. Listen attentively to everything they

say. 

Don’t focus too much on what

you’re going to say next as they are

talking. Instead, listen to every word

they say and respond back as relevantly

and smoothly as possible. This shows

people that you are interested in what

they have to say and you are fully

engaged and in the moment with them.

Also make sure to ask questions

whenever there’s something they say

that you don’t quite understand. This

will help fill any potentially awkward

lapses in communication.

6. Respect the other person's opinion.

People won't care about your facts and genuine opinion if you make them feel they are stupid for having such opinions. At best they keep their grudges inside them if you are their boss, at worst they will insult you back and the discussion becomes an argument and then a disputes.

But If people felt that you respected their point of views and have listened attentively to them, they will reciprocate by respecting your opinion too and may want to give it a consideration because they would have been able to understood your point of view too and even if they won't accept your views they will be polite about it.

They beauty of this skill is that it paves the way for another meeting to rediscuss this same issue with open mind.


7. Try to focus on the hidden interest of the other person.

See from the other person's perspectives by putting yourself in his/her shoe. You will never be able to get the other person to understand you if you do not seek to understand him/her first.

If you focus on what he/she is saying and why he/she is saying such thing you will be able to understand the hidden interest.

Sometimes, 50/50 may not be the best solution. Yes, it may be 70/30 or 60/40 or even 20/80 if we really understand the hidden drive or interest that people really have in an issue.


In their book titled *GETTING TO YES*(Negotiating an agreement without giving in) Roger Fisher and William Ury illustrated this idea masterfully with the story of two sisters fighting over an orange. The elder wanted to bake a cake so she needs it and younger sister wants to eat the orange. For a win-win solution they divided the orange into two. But If each had focused on the hidden interest of the other. They would have realised that the elder sister only needed the orange peel  while the younger sister needed just the juice.

Understanding their interest you see that each actually got less than she could have gotten instead of equal share. Therefore, it becomes imperative that we focus our communication lens to see through the fog of apparent argument and look deep into the reasoning behind the argument to understand the hidden interest of people for effective communication to take place.


8. Acknowledge gender or age differences.

You must learn that different audience require different approach of responses. Many communication breakdown can be attributed to the lack of this skill especially in marriage or relationship.
We are not all the same, we process information differently.

One effective communication mistake is over-looking the acknowledgment of gender differences in communication. It may sound stereotypical, but men often communicate on a factual level, because they analyse issues but women communicate on an emotional level because they synthesis. It can lead to misunderstandings amongst the people who lacks this communication skill.
For instance,
Men quarrel over present issue and its effect on him or his Spouse. Women quarrel over a over a trend of events that they perceived may have negative consequences on the relationship or the children and their well being.

So, be mindful of your responses when discussing with opposite sex, youth, adolescents or children. Either of these people have their own peculiarities and you much treat them as such.
Remember, Effective communication is not a one size fits all thing.

Please share your thoughts with me by leaving a comment in the post a comment box below.

Ishola Nasirdeen Ayodele is a Public Relations Practitioner, An author and an effective leadership communication coach. 

He is on hand to provide you, your association or business the following beneficial services:

• Effective Communication Strategies for Outstanding leadership success, Unprecedented Political triumph and Exceptional Marketing breakthrough.
• Thought provoking and action propelling motivational speeches.
• Impactful Presentation Coaching. 
• Reputation and Image management. 

For enquires or booking call   08077932282 or  email: isholaayodele77@gmail.com  

           

                Connect with him on

                facebook.com/Ay.ishola ,

    twitter @ishopr,

    BBM 58ED6030

How Your Sleeping Position Is Connected To Your Personality

SLEEPING POSITIONS

how do you sleep?

A sleep study undertaken by specialists in London have discovered that there is a connection between your sleeping position and your personality.

The study found that there are six main sleeping positions and those that shared the same positions also had the same personality.

1. The Fetus – Curled Up With One Arm Under The Pillow.

You are strong on the outside but sensitive and vulnerable on the inside. You are also shy when meeting new people but eventually warm up to them.


2. The Log – On The Side With Arms And Legs Straight.

You are very trusting, easygoing and love to socialize but sometimes a bit gullible.


3. The Yearner – Similar To The Log But With Arms Stretched Out.

You are very open to people and experiences but slightly cynical. You are cautious and slow at making decisions but once decided you usually stick to your decision.


4. The Soldier – Flat On Your Back With Arms And Legs Straight.

You are shy and reserved. You also set high expectations for yourself and others which leads to being very judgmental.


5. The Freefaller – Lying On Your Stomach Hugging The Pillow
You are bold and love to socialize but find it really hard to take criticism.


6. The Starfish – On Your Back With Arms Floating Around Your Head.

You are friendly and also very humble. You like to help others but hate being the center of attention.

Thus, next time you sleep have your spouse or friend snap a pics of you so that you can know your sleeping position. (just being funny) 😀

Ishola Ayodele is the CEO of Bezit Global Link Limited and the Facilitator of Success Attitude Development And Empowerment Centre (SADEC)

A Public Relations practitioner and a
member of Nigerian Institute of Public Relations.

He offers the following services for Large Corporations, SMEs and Individuals.

Result Oriented communication,

Effective Crisis Communication,

Reputation & Political Communication,

And Impactful Presentation.

Connect with me and let us learn more from each other.

Twitter handle: @ishopr
WhatsApp number 08077932282
BBM 58ED6030

Please share your thoughts with me by leaving a comment just click on post a comment below. Thanks

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