From the Editor
Yes, perhaps everybody knows already that New Year’s resolutions are just another reason for frustration, desperation and disappointment. Even the greatest productivity gurus wouldn’t be able to force themselves to deal with the fears, bad habits and defense mechanisms that they have been fostering carefully for many years now. In order to introduce a meaningful and lasting change in life, one needs to desire it and be sure that it is definitely going to be a change for the better. Thus, instead of the usual half-hearted resolutions, many people have decided to create goals for the new year. And I am one of them. :)
The beginning of a year is a good time to organize your things and review your commitments and plans. Why not use this time to think about what you really want from life and what is good for you, your close ones and your business? And while wondering what’s good, it is much easier to pick out the stuff we keep doing that is not-so-good. Consider what things you wasted most of your time on. Consider your nerves, your health and your financial situation last year. Think about which of your negative habits you could give up or at least minimize.
Once the thinking and dreaming stage is done, move on to the next level: a planning and organization skills test (see if this short video could be helpful).
It’s not too late to make this year your best yet. We’re approaching the end of January. According to research, most of us have already forgotten about our New Year’s resolutions, so let me give you some advice.
There are still 11 months left in 2015 — stop your wishful thinking and treat your resolutions/plans/dreams as real and achievable projects. Take your time, and choose several important things you already started in 2014 that you would like to push forward this year. Step-by-step, plan how to change the things that stressed you out or held you up for the last few months (providing it is not beyond your sphere of influence). Make true those dreams and plans that you’ve been hanging onto. Go ahead with the specified and well-planned actions you’ve mapped out — these will help lead you to where you want to be.
Take a look at some items from my own list
- #NoOffice book — I have already gathered much data on this topic; it has always fascinated me; I wrote my MA thesis on it; I can count on several people’s support; I can combine getting this project done with developing my personal blog (2-in-1 is productive people’s favorite rule).
- New business project — we started working on it many months ago; the majority of work has been already done; there are several people already involved; at this stage I have nothing to lose, really.
- Nozbe app development — an obvious goal of my whole team — I just have to make sure they have optimal conditions and time to work and manage their actions well.
- Fitness — I need to create a training program, which I have to get done anyway to be able to plan my work and family time; I want to prepare for and then finish a couple of triathlons (I wouldn’t want to waste all the training and preparation I did last year); and so on, and so on…
As you can see, everything on my list has meaning — every goal is either a continuation or a natural outcome of the stuff that I have been preoccupied with for months. Now it is all about getting myself together and planning specific, measurable and achievable steps and sensible time-management.
The quote of the month
This quote comes from Michael Hyatt’s article, which you’ll find at the end of this issue of our magazine:
“Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment.” (Jim Rohn)
Meet the Productive! Magazine team
Execution: Magda Błaszczyk
Editing: James Tonn, Emily Derr, McKinley Coles and Daniella Conley
Design: Radek Kozieł
Technology: Radek Pietruszewski and Tomasz Kapelak
Video editing: Rafał Meszka
Vision (that’s me!): Michael Sliwinski
