When you can’t count on leprechauns or elves to create magic – you need to do it yourself. Magic happens when you work with the flow of life. I have found that paying attention and understanding who I am – I can create my very own magic.
While raising my boys my objective was to set up my kids for success or finding their flow. I had twins who were very curious and active. They had a difficult time in certain situations. Through trial and error, we identified what situations they thrived in. Sitting in a classroom was not an ideal situation for them. There were too many distractions, not enough challenge and it lacked physical movement. Many business owners face the same issues.
Here’s some ideas on how to find your work flow and create your own magic:
- Design your working environment to be the most productive for you. That can mean different things for different people. By knowing yourself you can create an environment that will help you push thru the tough times. Do you work well by yourself or in the midst of others? Can you stay seated behind a desk or need to stand up and walk around? What noises are distracting and which ones help you focus? Do you need a written to do list or a white board listing what needs to get done today?
- Choose who you work with. Your fellow staff, customers and even the culture will have an incredible impact. Do you need someone to hold you accountable? Do you work independently? Is the culture supportive or based on fear? Do you even want to be there? Is your job defined and do you have a clear purpose? Do you feel needed? It always helps to feel like you belong.
- Select the type of work that energizes you. I need to balance my meeting time and time alone working with my numbers. You may need to work with other people to be at your best. Do you need to build something that you can touch and see? Do you need variety or enjoy doing the same thing over and over?
- Develop habits that lead to your success. Take care of yourself. Eat to fuel your body, rest to recharge your mind, meditate to keep in balance. Create a routine. Routines allow us to spend less time making decisions.
- Define what success means to you. The clearer we understand what success means to us the less time it will take to get there. For some, money is a measurement. That can be your annual salary, your 401k balance or the value of your house. For others, it is accumulating stuff. The need for toys, cars, name brand clothing, etc. When I was raising my boys, I defined success by the time I spent with them. I couldn’t control the outcome, but I could control where my time went. I also had to balance my need to work and my need to be there for them.
It took me many years to understand what I needed. I also discovered that over time, it changed. As I look back now, I wish I could have counted on leprechauns or elves to create my magic. May you find your four leaf clover and live a magical life.
Mary Guldan-Lindstrom, CPA
