Productivity of the Rich and Famous- And How It Applies to Moms

Wow! We just had a busy weekend in the Bump Life household.  And I have a feeling we are in for quite a few more of them before the calendar flips to 2013 (that’s only 10 weekends, people!)

This time of year just seems to get busy.  No matter how much we try to slow down, edit our commitments, and focus on what’s important…there still is a lot to do.  It’s when things get busy that I try to take a step back and realign my goals, my priorities and my productivity systems.

Ok, lets be honest, FIRST, I have a complete meltdown in my car parked in my driveway.  Usually on the phone with my best friends, where I sob about how much I have to do and all the little things that have gone wrong and how I am questioning my intentions on this plan or that plan.  I’m not the only one right???

THEN, after a good cry (scientifically proven to make you feel better), I get down to business.  The funny thing, after a good break down, I usually feel more motivated to accomplish my goals and edit out the extra to do list ‘clutter.’

I am always working on my own systems for accomplishing what I want to do (and need to do), while staying true to my life’s priorities, and I am always on the lookout for new tips and tricks to help me do this.

Recently, I came across this article;

50 Terrific Productivity Secrets of the Rich and Famous

I figure who better to get tips for getting it done, than from those who have become rich and famous following their own methods!

I was curious, however, if the tips given by the elite group of business moguls, actors, artist and politicians could apply to busy moms during a busy time of the year?

I have found while most standard business advice is good, solid advice, it is sometimes hard to apply to my life a “mompreneur.”    My schedule is often set by the little people in my life, and is often unpredictable and needs to be flexible.  I don’t have a staff and things often don’t go quiet as planned! So, what could Steve Jobs and Winston Churchill teach me about productivity?

Actually, a lot, it turns out.

I picked out a few of my favorite tips, the ones I felt particularly applied to my life as a busy mom.

• Richard Branson cites working out as one of his key’s to success- This is something I am guilty of cutting back on when things get busy.  But it can be as simple as a walk in the neighborhood, even Beethoven was known to take “working walks” to gather his thoughts.

• Donald Trump gets up early to kick start his day- I always feel more productive if I have even a few minutes in the morning to get organized before my kids wake up.  I do, however, think it is important to know your own peak times (and so does writer, Gunter Grass.)

•  Arianna Huffington says her single most effective trick to getting more done, is getting more sleep.  Many successful people have cited this trick as well.

• Warren Buffet says no more often than he says yes- This is probably the single hardest thing for most of us moms to do (I know it is for me).  We want to help everyone, we want to be involved in everything and we want to prove we can do it all, but we are not able to fully focus on what is really important if we say ‘yes’ to everything.

• Steven Spielberg uses his downtime wisely- Motherhood is filled with short bursts of downtime; waiting in the carpool line, watching gymnastics class, baby catnaps.  Be prepared with small (and portable) tasks that can fit in these little bits of time.

• Einstein said to find the silver lining.-Things go wrong, plans get derailed, babies throw up.  But every setback gives us the opportunity to re-examine our plans and make adjustments.  In fact, Oprah reminds us focusing on the process to get through a difficult time is a sure way to learn lessons you can use again.

• Will Smith takes one thing at a time.  I love his quote,  “Don’t say to yourself that you’re going to make the greatest wall ever made. Set one brick at a time as perfectly as you can. Do that every day, and soon you will have a wall.”  I actually think this one applies to motherhood (and even more to working motherhood) the best.  We are not going to build the wall in one day, ladies!  But one brick at a time, we will build an amazing wall…while our kids watch.

Want more tips on how to thrive during this busy time of year?  Need a system to finally get that big project done and get back to your kids? Need some compassionate accountability to stay on task??  Do you need real time management for real world moms? Then join me Nov 5^th for my 2-week program- Nap It Out and we’ll conquer the world, while our kids sleep.

Sales open next Monday Oct 29^th.  Bump Life Newsletter subscribers will get advanced notification over the prior weekend and the first chance to sign up.  There are a limited number of spots, so be sure you are on the list. 

Nap It Out will fully support you to get that big project DONE, and done before Thanksgiving.

Sign up HERE to be the first to know.

…and if you read this far..you get a sneak peak at the working logo for the program