[Think As Inc.] July 2007 Newsletter http://ezezine.com Your life is a business. You have a: MISSION: the reasons you live your life; BRAND: the message you project to the world; PRODUCT LINE: the skills and qualities that are your unique assets; BOTTOM LINE: your financial picture; CLIENT BASE: professional, personal, and don’t forget, yourself. Your life is YOUR business, and you are its CEO. IN THIS ISSUE Something to Think About: BALLS AND A BABY Something to Do: RESPECT YOUR PEAK Inspirational Quotes: NELSON MANDELA News and Upcoming Events BALLS AND A BABY In improv, Balls and A Baby is a game where the team (typically 8-15) stands in a circle and passes imaginary balls of varying colors to each other in a different pattern for each color, all the while passing an imaginary baby to the person next to them. So, you might pass the Yellow to person A, the Red to person B, and the Green to person C, while at the same time receiving the Yellow from B, the Red from A, etc. If it sounds confusing, it is and it isn’t. It’s a focus game. There is a lot going on around you (that’s the confusing part) but you only actually have to remember a few things (who do I get Yellow from and who do I give Yellow to, etc). Life is like improv. There will always be a lot going on around you. But if you shut out the inconsequential and keep your eye on the ball(s) you will be fine. The questions you need to answer for yourself are: what balls do you want to keep in the air; how many do you want to focus on; how many can you focus on before you drop the baby. Just as balls are not the same in weight, shape, or texture, so do life goals differ in importance, complexity and need. We may be able to juggle many small balls, but fewer heavy ones. Likewise, a to-do list of many but light tasks is not equal to a long-term, lifelong dream. And don’t forget the baby passing from person-to-person. In life, there are always things handed to you outside your pet projects. You need to be able to focus on both. Define your balls, create a plan for getting them aloft, and focus on playing to the best of your ability. RESPECT YOUR PEAK There are night owls and morning people, people who flit from task to task and people who spend hours on one thing at a time. When are you best able to concentrate? How do you do your best work? Get to know when you are at your peak, and plan around it. Look at the natural blocks of time that occur in your schedule. If you work at home and have school-age children, this may mean that your time blocks are 1 hour before school, 5 hours during school, 3 hours after school and 2 hours after the kids go to bed. When do you have the most energy? If morning, maybe you can get 2 hours before school by waking up earlier and schedule less time after the kids’ bedtime by sleeping earlier. What tasks can be done at what time? It doesn’t make sense to plan errands for after bedtime when businesses are likely closed. It doesn’t make sense to do noisy tasks (e.g., vacuuming) for the morning time block. It may make sense to reserve the long 5-hour block for projects where you need hours of focus. Reflect on the projects that get done with ease and on time. Do you work for long stretches at a time on the same thing? Do you do a little each day till you’re done? The only right approach is the one that results in your best work. Once you identify how you best work, plan your schedule accordingly. Block out whole days if you need a marathon session or just hours per day for weeks if you need variety. Block out your calendar months in advance for future, as yet undefined projects. You can always modify when the details are clear, but at least you have your best hours reserved. If you want to work at peak performance, you cannot be reactive. Know your peak and plan accordingly. INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, “Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabuous?” Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn’t serve the world. There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others. – Nelson Mandela, 1994 Inaugural Speech NEWS AND UPCOMING EVENTS I am performing with two separate improv groups in August and September. I am a big believer that improv teaches life lessons (listening, trust, spontaneity) so if you are interested in learning more, see a show to see it firsthand: Fri, August 17, 7p, The Magnet Theatre http://www.magnettheatre.com/ Long-form improv, which is scene-focused Tues, September 18, time TBD but probably 6:30p, Gotham City Improv http://www.gothamcityimprov.com/ Short-form improv, which is game-focused (like Whose Line Is It Anyway) If you wish to unsubscribe to this newsletter, please email cenizalevine@yahoo.com with the Subject: Unsubscribe TAI All information is copyright © Caroline Ceniza-Levine 2007 www.thinkasinc.com