Paul Kix’s Post

December is busy. I observe two primary "busy-bodyness" for the month. Family and friends busy, parties, gifts, travel, meals. Similarly with work. Parties, meetings, gifts, events. I'm in up to my neck and it can be very easy to miss a great opportunity. Intertwined with this mess of stuff to do is always time off. Use it. Recharge, rest, relax. And plan your next year. I don't men resolutions. I mean goals. What are you going to crush next year? What kind of person are you going to be? What didn't quit work out this year and you're going to fix it in 2024? I have at least two weekends picked out where I will spend it with family to enjoy their company, I'm gonna hit my rest/relaxation goals, AND I will have a solid roadmap for next year. So make the time you need for you, and use it to figure out how to be the best you. Enjoy this image of my dog Max, playing in the snow. #startsomewhere #personaldevelopment #professionaldevelopment #goalsetting #planning #dogoftheday

"I don't work on Sundays." Really? Morning alarm? You check work emails first. Brunch time? Reports are open on your laptop. Chatting with your child? Your mind's on Monday's agenda. Family movie night? Half of you worries about work. Trying to sleep? Your brain plans projects. You're blending work into your Sunday. On weekdays, at the office: Deadline looming? You're browsing celebrity gossip. Report due? You're shopping online sales. Big meeting ahead? You're dreaming of your next getaway. Team needs you? You're planning the weekend with friends. Data analysis time? You're scrolling through social media. This isn't working either. Focus where you are. Fully engage in the moment. At work: Immerse in your responsibilities. At home: Cherish life beyond the office. Whether it's a quiet Sunday Or a busy weekday, Make each moment meaningful. Live with intention. P.S. 👇🏽 Found value in this? Repost/share. Press "Follow" on my profile for daily insights. #ramsabode #coaching #ceocoaching

In the daily hustle and bustle. Staying afloat can be nearly impossible. This is how I stay afloat during busy work stretches.   🌹 I make a to-do list and categorize tasks based on urgency and importance. 🌹 I tackle the most critical ones first and delegate or reschedule anything I can. 🌹 I set realistic goals for each day or shift and avoid overloading myself. 🌹 I schedule breaks throughout the day to recharge and refocus. 🌹 I fuel my body with healthy meals and snacks. 🌹 I dedicate focused time to specific tasks. 🌹 I explore apps and techniques to help me stay organized and track my progress. 🌹 I ask for help if I am feeling overwhelmed. 🌹 I celebrate my accomplishments, no matter how small. 🌹 I reflect on the positive aspects of my work and the things I am grateful for. 🌹 I schedule time for activities I enjoy outside of work to help me de-stress and unwind.   Remember: Taking care of yourself is crucial during busy periods.   What are your best practices for staying afloat during busy work periods? Share your tips in the comments below! Happy new week friends.

I decided to take a break on Sundays.⭐ It might sound unusual; everyone takes a break on Sunday. Well, not necessarily. Once you start your own business, the impulse to be available all 7 days is strong. For me, Sundays felt a bit boring. Sitting at home doing nothing made me anxious about not working hard enough to move my business forward. We often feel guilty when sales dip in a month. For the past 6 months, I started going to my office even on Sundays. Initially, it felt productive; I was channeling all my energy into work, creating content, writing briefs, editing videos and drafting cold emails. However, it started to pile up mentally. Despite working hard, my brain wasn’t getting the break it deserved. Physically, I wasn’t tired, but the mental pressure to achieve my goals was immense. I couldn't decide whether this was beneficial or counterproductive. Finally, I decided not to work on Sundays. If I do work on a Sunday, I ensure I take a break on another day if possible. 🧘♂️ Do you take enough breaks to recharge your mind? 🧠 Are breaks necessary? ⏸️ How do you escape the guilt trap of not working hard enough? 🧐 #architect #architectatwork #contentcreation #designinfluencer #contentcreator #worklifebalance #workbreak #businessjourney

A proper rest routine is a very important part of a good productivity routine. I recently came back from a vacation. But this time, I did things differently compared to all my previous vacations. I did the following: - Zero social media consumption (not even YouTube) - No coffee - Besides occasionally checking news and emails, the only content I consumed were books - No consuming any content directly related to my work, not even in book form Well, I must say it made quite a bit of difference. Here are the benefits I felt once the vacation was over and I was back to work: - I can sleep better - Occasional coffee now feels like a genuine boost for my focus - I can focus much better - If I visit social media, it's much easier to not stay there longer than I intended - Clickbait, political, and conspiracy theory posts on social media just look dumb and I have zero urge to engage in them - After separating myself from software development and the engineering community, I am genuinely excited about getting back to work and engaging with the community again From now on, I have decided that I will practice a full disconnection during my every vacation. Perhaps it would be even useful to do it once a week. And I am almost certain that a proper disconnection is one of the best ways to prevent or cure a burnout. #productivity #worklifebalance #focus #burnoutprevention

Is Your To-Do List Looking Overwhelming This Week? Or Are You Already in Holiday Mode? As we inch closer to the holidays, our to-do lists can start to look more like a chaotic scramble than an organized plan. Are you finding yourself in a whirlwind of tasks, meetings, and deadlines or have you already slipped into that cozy holiday mode, where the world slows down just a tad, and the festive spirit takes over? For all the hardworking professionals out there, it's a familiar crossroads. On one hand, there's the hustle to wrap up projects and meet year-end goals, on the other there's the alluring call of holiday cheer and the promise of quality time with loved ones. Striking a balance can feel like an art form! If you're feeling overwhelmed, remember, it's okay to take a step back and breathe. Prioritize, delegate, and most importantly, don't forget to care for yourself. And if you're already basking in the holiday glow, share your secrets for shifting gears so seamlessly! #holidayseason #worklifebalance #EndOfYearHustle

Challenge Day 5: LinkedIn Journaling My Weekends are not Productive but here I noticed why! You need to take a break and that's perfectly okay! But a day's break often messes up to establish your routine again. James Clear also said the same in Atomic Habits. 👉🏾In my case, I was trying to be productive but I was not mindful. On Sunday night, I was happy to have a fantastic weekend but I knew I was disconnected from routine. So, I decided to take charge and won't treat Monday as Monday blues. I woke up a bit later than usual but did makeup! Lol, staying fresh at home is also mandatory for me. I checked my to-do list and started doing my work mindfully. Moreover, I easily overcome procrastination as well. I just said to me you can do it and do it right now. Now I can say it's just the mindset. I was ready to face challenges and above all, I happily maintained my work & home life balanced. Alhamdulillah 💕 People feel like weekends and working days are the same for people who work from home. But my story is different from yours. Maybe.. 😍 So, the bottom line is to be mindful of what you're doing. Make the most of your July! #freelancing #contentstrategies #contentmarketing #personalbranding #storytelling #knacking #contentwriter

What are your work habits during the holidays? I know everyone says to disconnect and enjoy the holiday season but that’s not how I operate. I will definitely be doing some work over the holiday week, even on Christmas and New Year's day. I’ll be working not because I have to work, but because I want to work. It actually causes me less anxiety to dive into some work during the holiday week. Here’s why... A growing inbox stress me out I hate having an exploded inbox on Monday mornings. I get so much junk email or things that I can just deal with quickly that I would rather take 30 mins a day to keep the email monster at bay than return to a thousand emails in by inbox. I was pressing an employee once to really disconnect during her vacation, she said “If you want me to be less stressed, let me do some email on vacation”. Point taken! I want some introvert recharge time Don’t get me wrong, I like people… just not all day long! Knowing that I need some alone time to recharge myself has been one of the best gifts of self-awareness in my life. Diving into a bit of work is the best way that I have found to recharge. I make sure to position this properly so my family doesn't think I'm choosing work over them, I'm choosing self-care (over them 😂). It’s uninterrupted and focused There are so many distractions durning a normal day like meetings, email, slack, etc. that it’s hard to get a solid uninterrupted chunk of time. I really like taking the time to do some projects or thinking when I don’t have any distractions. It’s like taking a stroll in the woods with no particular destination. It’s relaxing and fun. I actually like working This one might be the most controversial… I actually like working 🙂 I like building, creating, getting things done. It makes me feel good to add value to the world. Some people like watching TV as a past time, I like building businesses as a pass time (no judgement here btw, do what makes you happy!). For fun I write business plans, create websites, and launch products. I call them art projects... and I love making art. #entrepreneurship #personaldevelopment #holidayseason

Have you ever tried to juggle your work and your holiday together? Last week was Thanksgiving, and though I took Wednesday off to drive and cook, I still peeked in at work. An email here, a phone call there. What's the harm? Well...without the proper work tools, I might have used a text where I should have used an email and lost track of a conversation. I might have tried to move a calendar event and not included the important notes because of my hurry. I might even have forgotten some of what I did, when typically I would have meticulously noted it. Personally, I might have missed an ingredient in a recipe. I might have let myself fall out of a conversation that might have been a source of joy. I might have felt more hassled instead of a part of the season. The holidays are fully here. Let's take the time to enjoy them. Multitasking is a myth, especially when it comes to people relations. Honor your work and personal life. I will try to learn.

Do you find going on holiday stressful? This has been a theme I've always seen with my clients. As they move towards their time off, they start to ask what steps they have to take to switch off properly. They want to be present with their family/friends, not worrying about what is happening at work. This is even harder if you are 'the boss' We focus on what steps clients can take now, so that when they are off they aren't worrying. It's all well and good to say you're not taking your laptop or sending emails but if you spend all your time worrying whilst you're off, that's not helpful as you can't be present and doesn't do any good. We discuss the importance of clearly articulating what outcomes you are after to anyone who you have delegated work to. Checking in with colleagues that they have the tools and resources they need. And then it's about TRUSTING your colleagues to do great job. I think planning for your holiday in terms of that switch off, is really beneficial. Start thinking about it a couple of weeks in advance rather than leaving it to the day before, so when you shut your laptop you are actually switched off.