One huge theme I hear these days is how overwhelmed people are. They don’t say, “Oh, I’m so overwhelmed!” They say they don’t have time, they wonder why they’re bothering with their business, they have no life, and they are exhausted.

Sound like you?

Well, how do you overcome this overwhelm? Here are three simple steps. Yea, really, as simple as this:

Step 1 – Removed from your daily planner, print up a generic schedule that gives you a grid of every hour in a full week. Print it up and do this manually. Computers still don’t work for EVERYTHING. Shade out all of your personal time, such as sleeping, eating, caring for kids/family, etc. Shade out self-care time, such as exercise or relaxing (yea, it should be on there). Then shade out any work/client time – this is the time you actually work on bringing revenue in. This can also include time spent charting, etc.  The time you have left over is the time you have to work ON your business. Perhaps NOW you can see why you’re so stressed! You’ve been trying to work on the business with time you don’t have! Just by being aware of the time you have available can put it all into perspective and help relieve some of your stress.

Step 2 – Learn to say no. It’s a simple suggestion I give ALL of my clients. When an opportunity comes your way, always, always, always ask yourself this question: Does this help me achieve my goals right now? If the answer is no, then kindly refuse, BUT keep the door open by saying, “I’m sorry, I can’t do this right now, but please contact me at another time.” You’ll be surprised how that keeps the door open.

Step 3 – Write down your goals for the week, and then break it down into your goals for the day. Keep it simple, keeping in mind the time you’ve learned you actually have (as opposed to the time you IMAGINED you “Should” have). Then prioritize your goals for the day. And then stick to it. If you get distracted easily (email, Facebook, Twitter, the phone) turn these things off. Imagine you’re in school, in class. Distractions are NOT an option. Try this just once and see how productive you are!

These really are three simple steps to move you out of feeling overwhelmed and into feeling in control of your time. Give it a try and let me know how it works!

Ok, my distraction is over. Time to get back to work!

Margie

Marjorie Geiser, MBA, RD, NSCA-CPT

Chair, Nutrition Entrepreneurs Dietetic Practice Group, ADA

MEG Enterprises

Just Jump

I just read a promo for an interview from someone who claims they are making a “7-figure income”, and they share their tips on how we can all do the same, too.

But, here’s the kicker: I personally know that this person does NOT make seven figures, who just let one of their main employees go, and things are NOT going all that well for them! YIKES!

Why do I share this? Here’s why:

How often have YOU read something with a similar claim? How often have you joined in on a teleconference led by someone who claims that THEY are today making 6-7 figures and want you to sign up for their program so you can do the same thing, too? And, have you signed up or purchased what they have to offer, based on their promises?

What is real? Is there any REAL way to know if what the person says is real? Well, sure; in some cases there is. But how often do you do a thorough check into someone who makes such claims?

Now let’s talk about what’s real:

What’s real is what works for you. You take bits and pieces of information from various people/businesses/articles, etc, and you determine how it applies to you.  I have a real issue with people saying “This is what worked for me, and I can show you how to make it work for YOU, too!”

It’s just like me telling you that my headaches are gone since I stopped eating certain foods I tested reactive to, and that if YOU stop eating those same foods, YOU won’t get headaches, either. Give me a break! How does that REALLY help you? It doesn’t, but it sure helps ME… and my bottom line dollar! So, you’ll still have headaches, but your pocketbook will be lighter…

If you’ve been reading my blogs at all, you might hear a prevailing theme, which has more to do with integrity than with how to make a quick buck. There really is no “one size fits all” approach to building a successful business. Sure, there are consistent strategies that work. And I will admit that I have a process that I’ve created that works for MOST of my clients. The process works, but the output is extremely individual. Not every single person who completes one project in my process to move them forward is going to come up with the same results.

And, it is also true that, to ensure a greater chance at business success, one MUST do the planning. Yes, this is universal, and you might say ‘one size fits all’ (there are sections consistent in every business and marketing plan), but that’s not totally true. A business plan determines goals and objectives and milestones, and a marketing plan outlines HOW to accomplish your goals and objectives. But the details of each are going to be very different in each person’s plans.

But, I am NOT going to promise that if people start their business the way *I* did, or follow what *I* do, today, that they are guaranteed the financial success I enjoy, today. I am NOT going to tell anyone that if they do what I do, they will be able to make a full-time income on a part-time schedule, as I do, today.

My path will NEVER be what works for others, and I would never feel in integrity by growing my business by telling someone I’m making a 7-figure income… when I’m not, just to get more clients. What I AM going to continue to do, though, is tell people that I can help YOU dig into your own soul and determine the introspective aspects of starting a business, and then walk you through the planning stage, speaking the language YOU understand, in order to help your vision and dreams jump out of your head and into reality. I’m fine saying that, because I know it works. Not because I’m making false promises or avoiding reality.

I know people are always chasing that ‘perfect solution’. I hear it even from some of those in my own membership program. They are not only doing MY program, but three others, as well! What are they learning? MY hope is they are learning a bit here and a bit there, which they then can apply to their own situation. But, my fear is they are overwhelmed by too much ‘learning’ and not enough doing, and not enough planning, in order to turn those goals and objectives into reality. They are spending less time INSIDE themselves, and too much time chasing a dream. And missing reality.

What is reality? What is YOUR reality? Are you living it, or still striving for it?

Margie

Marjorie Geiser, MBA, RD, NSCA-CPT

MEG Enterprises

Just Jump

What does it really mean to say, “I am doing my best”, or “she is doing her best”? Honestly, to ME, it’s saying, “well, I’m SORT OF doing my best, although I deep-down know I could do even more/better.”

Do you hear the top names in your industry saying “I’m just doing my best”? No, because they’re too busy DOING than talking about it!

I’ve had others say that to me, but it’s always felt like they were trying to give me an excuse for NOT doing what I KNEW was my best. Compare that with someone who has asked me, “Do you feel you have done your best?”

This week, how can you do MORE than your ‘best’? How can you excel at what you strive for? Take just one project and put your all into it and see what develops. And then let me know if you did ‘your best’, or if you totally went for it! OR, as I tend to say in my book, you decided to JUST JUMP!

Margie

Marjorie Geiser, MBA, RD, NSCA-CPT

MEG Enterprises

As I was writing my book “Just Jump“, I spent a great deal of time working on the PERFECT title. I came up with great ideas, *I* thought (my favorite was, ‘you have to jump to see if you can fly’), but then I sent out various options to my R&D team. And, thanks to such a great strategy, came up with THE title. “Just Jump: The No-Fear Start-Up Guide for Health and Fitness Professionals“.

As time goes on, I realize just how perfect that title is, because SO many of my clients are afraid to JUST JUMP!

Now, don’t get me wrong, you DO have to plan, but since I work primarily with health professionals, business planning is not their strong area. So, we tend to start with more introspective work, EASING them into the planning stage of a business plan and a marketing plan.

But the problem I STILL see is people hesitating to JUST JUMP! Oh yea, they’ll start embracing the planning process. In fact, suddenly they are HOOKED on planning. Grin; but that’s just because it’s a great way to avoid the jumping.

How can you take that first jump, yourself? Start with a little hop – maybe something as simple as just handing out your business cards! Or, if you’re waiting until you have a website built (“Oh, it’s not quite ready!”), then set up a blog and just start blogging! People are never going to know who you are unless you TELL them you’re out there!

Jump over here and tell me what your step is… and I do challenge you to JUST JUMP!

Margie

To purchase “Just Jump“, go to www.californiabasedpublishing.com, or visit Amazon.

I’ve noticed an interesting theme through the years. Women clients who are around/over 50 will often tell me that they really don’t have time to strive for that BIG dream, because of their age. I’m really lucky, though, because MOST of them are younger than me, today. This means I can really hit their excuses hard, popping holes in their theory that life is all but over.

When does a person start to believe that the best is behind them? Is it 40? 50? 60? 70?

When I decided to return to school for my business degree, one of my personal training clients, who was 63 at the time, asked me how old I was. At that time, I was 50. She claimed what a wonderful age that was to return to school. She had started HER business when she was 50! And she had no regrets as she was at that time embarking on a new job opportunity.

I turn 56 this summer, and I can guarantee you that I do NOT plan to consider my dreams too late to strive for! MY best is yet to come, for sure. Right now I’m LIVING my dream! Business is going so well that my husband can enjoy tinkering in the yard and accompanying me on several hikes per week.  My goals are written out and the plans to accomplish them are on track.  And I’m having FUN with both work and play.

Living the life you imagine no matter what your age

I don’t plan to slow down or ignore dreams because of my age. And I challenge YOU, if you have fallen into that ‘excuse’ that you’re too old to start a dream, to ask yourself how you’ll feel when you’re REALLY old, looking back at your life. Don’t live with unresolved dreams and goals. Don’t live your life in a way that will provide  you with regrets. Go for all you can, no matter what age you are!

Margie

http://www.meg-enterprises.com

When I moved to Arizona, we chose the room for my home-office mostly because we had to plan where the elliptical trainer would go, since my office would share space with my workout room.

It was a great plan! I now have a separate location for my office and am able to close off the space when speaking with clients. I can even work with my Coaching Gym clients who want to improve their exercise form, since I have Skype set up so we can see each other.

If you work in clutter and disorganization, it’s going to impact your business success. If you are struggling with organization right now, I challenge you to do just ONE THING to work towards putting things in order. Here are several tips:

1. FOCUS. Pick one area you would like to work on right now. Something that won’t take a lot of time. Perhaps there is a pile of papers on your work area that has been bugging you. Set a timer for 5, 10, 30 minutes – however much time you have – and JUST work on that pile! Or let’s say  your email inbox is out of control. Again set the timer and JUST focus on that one project. The key? Focus. Don’t allow anything to distract you – family, friends, phone, twitter noises, etc. Make that commitment to yourself.

2. SPACE. Do you have a dedicated work space? It doesn’t have to be a lot, but it DOES need to be JUST for your work! This will help you feel you can walk away from time to time, and if you end the day in the middle of a project, you won’t have to stop to pack it up and then spend time the next day re-organizing. This is a lot of added-up lost time.

3. PLAN. You need to be clear what you wish to accomplish in your day in order to feel productive by the end of it! Success isn’t random; it’s planned. So, plan what you need to do the day before. Put your list of projects down on paper. Don’t make a HUGE list, though, or you’ll feel overwhelmed. Perhaps ON that list is “30 minutes cleaning out emails”.

These are very simple tips, but seem to be the areas people are struggling most with. We are all extremely busy, but when  you’re working on growing a business, you have to enjoy an organized space, be focused, and have a plan. Otherwise, your success will just be luck.

Do you have YOUR chair of success in place?

Margie

MEG Enterprises

Energy, you either got it or you don’t!
What percent of your work day are you in low energy, average energy and high energy? What percent of your day off are you in low energy, average energy and high energy? (These should total 100%)

With the demands of work, your important relationships and keeping up with your constant junk mail and the mess in the garage you are tempted to run away from your life. You may  feel like you are “drowning,” or have “run out of gas” or “hit the wall.” Your body and mind collapse and the easiest thing to do is to grab another cup of coffee. But is energy that simple? If it were that simple then why are you still exhausted and stressed out after your cup of java?

Science tells us that using food and drink to get our energy fix is wrong, wrong, wrong. It feeds our emotions and makes us fat but is not the energy elixir we make it out to be.
Here are five calorie free tips scientifically proven to energize your life.

1. Move your body

Exercise is the number one way to increase your energy.
Ten minutes of brisk walking can raise your energy for one to two hours. Vigorous exercise can actually give you an energy dip but one to two hours later you’ll have an energy resurgence.

2. Listen to music

Music is only second to exercise in raising your energy. Music heals your mind, relieves stress and lifts your spirits. Music is highly underused by anyone over the age of 40 as an effective way to boost your spirit. Listening to songs with a faster tempo can energize your workouts. A study published in the Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness showed that athletes who began their workouts listening to songs with a slow beat and then switched to songs with a faster rhythm outperformed athletes who listened to either fast, slow or fast followed by slow songs. Any music that you enjoy is better than no music.

3. Take a nap (but not a long one)
Most people average less than seven hours of sleep a night and are sleep deprived. When you work more you sleep less and in turn you eat more and exercise less. Take a 20 to 30 minute nap to feel refreshed and ready to live life again. Longer than that you will feel groggy and it could prevent you from getting a good nights sleep.

4. Socialize
Call a friend. Make a date with a friend. Social interactions feed your soul and energize your day.

5. Know your energy highs and lows
Everyone has an energy body clock. Most people have low energy after waking up and it peaks in the late morning to early afternoon (11 am to 1 pm). Energy then drops in the late afternoon (3 pm to 5 pm), rises in the early evening (6 pm to7 pm),  and absolutely drops just before bed time (around 11 pm). Life looks and feels harder when you don’t have energy. Most clients I work with really start to pump out the work after 4 pm in the afternoon. What they don’t realize is that they could get more done earlier in the day from 11 am to 1 pm. Develop you own energy body clock. Notice when you are bursting with energy and also when you are overeating and snacking. Most overeating happens in the late evening when energy is low and you are looking for that energy boost. Either get to bed or if you really need a late night energy boost take a 10 minute walk around your house or up and down your stairs.

When I think of spring I think of baseball and being outside. Don’t you? Spring is the perfect time for you to hit an energy home run. The outside is begging us to come out.
So, invite a friend to take a walk and listen to music. You won’t hit the wall,  you will climb over it!

Cheers!

Chere

Source: Calm Energy: How People Regulate Mood With Food and Exercise, by Robert E. Thayer Phd , (Oxford University Press, 2003)

Chere Bork is a health and life balance enthusiast, national speaker and Wellcoach™ from Eden Prairie, who helps people, discover their purpose to live happily and healthfully ever after. Her Web site is http://www.cherebork.com

As we explore the huge expanse of hiking trails in our new home, we found the perfect ‘training’ hike for preparing for the Grand Canyon. This means it’s REALLY steep!

Today, as we headed back up the next incline, again, my husband was looking up and moaning about how crazy we must be. As I told him, “Don’t look up!” I realized that this really is the same advice with any goal that seems overwhelming. Let’s look at six of the steps to overcoming this 7-mile “eternal incline climb” with the same suggestions you’d apply to starting your own business:

1. Break your big goal into small steps. Let’s say you envision a multi-service wellness center. But you may need to start with just YOU, seeing clients, one at a time. For our hike, we literally took each incline section one piece at a time (without looking up).

2. Envision the end in sight. Do you know where you’re going? How will you know when you get there, if you haven’t envisioned the end? See your goal destination in your mind. Ideally, write it down. Set up milestones to achieve at certain times. For our hike, we set as our first goal to walk for 1.5 hours. The second hike, our goal was to pass that first location in the same time. The third time we decided to do the entire trail and documented the time it took us. Next time we’ll try to beat our previous time. And so forth.

3. Set ‘stretch’ goals. What do you know you can achieve? Now, take it a bit bigger! Do you know you can write a blog? What about submitting to write for a magazine? For us, our stretch goal was to do the entire 7-mile trail, both ways. Yea, we felt those 14 miles, but it felt GREAT to achieve that goal!

4. Share your intentions with others. It’s easy to tell yourself a goal and then back off when the going gets tough. Nothing risked! But when you tell others of your intentions, suddenly you feel compelled to ACHIEVE them! For us, just being accountable to each other is enough. Neither of us wants to back out.

5. Get support. As I said above, my husband and I use each other to keep us motivated. Support is extremely important! Who can you enlist to sit in your corner and cheer you on? Family members are the most valuable, but friends will work. A coach is a great support, because a coach is more objective to the outcome and only has your own best interests in mind.

6. Measure your progress. With any goal, knowing how far you’ve come can really help you move forward! When you set your goals, you then have a way to measure where you are compared to where you’d like to be. On our trail, using the guidebook helps us get a sense of where we are in our mileage, so we can prepare for the next part of the trail.

When a goal looks too big for reality, just a few simple strategies can  help you turn that HUGE dream into the life you once thought was for others. Take it one step at a time… and don’t look up!

Margie

MEG Enterprises

If you are working on growing your business, you probably are constantly looking for that new technique in marketing, or trying to learn how to spend less time marketing. Or you’re trying to figure out  marketing IS!

But, no matter what stage you’re in, my guess is you’ve attended a few teleseminars on at least one topic that promises to take your business to the next level. There are some great role models and knowledgeable professionals out there who truly help people who wish to grow their business, who work out of integrity and honesty. But for every one of them, there must be HUNDREDS who are just after the wholly dollar. And those ‘others’ DO make a reputation for themselves. The funny thing is although they make a reputation, and create a frenzied following, these followers don’t last very long.

I wish to expose strategies of those who are living outside of integrity, today:

1. There’s a trend I’ve noticed that seems to have taken hold, lately: It’s the hard-core seminar that will give you the ‘secrets’ to… whatever… that starts with the speaker’s own story.

Ok, I like a good personal story as much as the next person. However, when the stories ALL sound the same, you know something’s up!

And that’s where making a difference with integrity comes in. Is it right to make up a personal story in order to sell your program or to generate business? Because, I have to admit that, after seminar after seminar, when everyone relays the same personal story, I can’t help but believe the story has been contrived…

I haven’t been almost homeless and found ‘the’ answer by accident and today live in a mansion. I haven’t had to depend on others to feed me, just on the door of despair, only to find ‘the’ solution to all my failures and today have homes in all contents. And, personally, if I hear these stories from one more person, I may just scream on the call!

2. My other pet peeve is trying to sell a process to EVERYONE. You know: “I did it this way, and it will work for YOU, too!” The first red flag that pops up for me is that this person has no CLUE what’s best for anyone else, and it’s obvious just by that statement that they certainly don’t know business!  Not EVERYONE is going to succeed the way *I* did, and as a business professional, I would never presume that my way is the BEST way. As a result of my business education, I have learned how to help clients determine their OWN best way, and we use my expertise to help them make that way the path to success for them.

3. The final complaint I have is with these programs that cost thousands and thousands of dollars, but are targeting the person who really can’t afford to be spending that much money. I totally agree with the strategy of creating a sense of urgency and limitation in marketing. And I understand the concept of perceived value; the higher the monetary value, the higher the perceived value.  It’s a very effective technique. And for some audiences, who are more advanced, the more expensive programs are just what they need. But they are for the people who can afford such programs! These are not for people who are building a business on a shoestring budget. This is irresponsible for the person selling the program and it’s REALLY irresponsible for the buyer. How is this teaching good business to emerging entrepreneurs?

I struggled with this question when creating my Just Jump into Business membership program. I looked at all types of programs and concluded that the PURPOSE of my program was to be able to help more people achieve their dream of business ownership and success. How can I do that if they go broke paying for my program?

As a consumer, I enthusiastically encourage you to search what’s out there to help you grow your business. But search for resources with a critical eye. What background and education do these ‘marketing guru’s’ have? Who do you know has used the program or service? Check all testimonials if you are seriously considering the program. The more expensive the program, the more thoroughly you should investigate. Anyone online today can say on their website or on a phone call that they are rolling in dough. But “What’s behind that curtain”, really? Can you even afford this program, or will it be BEYOND a financial stretch for you? Finally, if you ask them to help you determine if you can afford their program, will they concern themselves with what’s best for YOU, or what’s best for THEM?

Margie

MEG Enterprises

As I watch this year’s Winter Olympics, I am reminded that for ALL of us, we must sometimes take great risks if we truly want great rewards.

It’s not just risk, but also determination. You have to have both.

What are you holding back that could prevent you from achieving your dreams? Do you avoid risk? Or are you lacking in 100% determination? Again, you have to have both.

I watched the athletes tonight, and what I saw with  ALL of these winners was willingness to risk, and determination. This is what wins medals.

Many people imagine having the business of their dreams; living the independent and rewarding life of doing what they love to do, the way they want to do it, and being in control of their own destiny.

For others, that thought it just WAY too scary!

Eighteen years ago, I made a decision that, when the time was right, I was going to move to a small, Northern Arizona town. Two years ago, I returned and declared that in two years, the time would be right, because then I would be done with school. This weekend, I spent four days in that town with the intention to find a house to rent. I spent hours and hours researching what was available in the price range I wanted to pay. The options looked slim, but I did find three for us to look at. When we got to town, however, those three were duds.  So, I pulled out my lists and found seven more houses to look at. I was determined we would find a house! But, again, they were all duds.

But I was determined! My intention was to find a house, and I was NOT going home empty-handed!

I spent another number of hours and hours researching that night, calling ads, etc, in order to find more houses to look at. I even practiced something I generally do for BUSINESS; everywhere we went, I told the people we came into contact with that we were looking for a house. I had one guy come up after hearing me tell someone else, to give me a lead.

The next day we started early. Then it happened. Cut to the chase; we have our house and will be moving in a few weeks!

Determination and tolerance to risk. People don’t understand how I can pick up and move from where I’ve lived for over 29 years, and run my business for over 10 years. They see this as a crazy move, and many people will say, “I’d love to move, but….”

I don’t look at this move as a risk. Sure, there are some scary aspects of it, but that’s what makes life interesting! That’s MY perspective.  I look at it as the next adventure in my life.

When you view something as scary, how can you change YOUR perspective to take action?

Margie