Hello!

...and Welcome to this launch issue of Time to Think - the bi-monthly e-zine of The Results Agency - dedicated to helping you thrive at work.

I'll be bringing you thought-provoking articles, top tips, inspiration, and motivation, direct to your in-box. As well as keeping you up-to-date with Results Agency news and views, there'll be competitions, special offers and discounts, and regular contributions from experts on well being and professional issues.

And for all readers of this special launch issue, an extra special free gift - the Results Agency "Get Results" workbook - download it now.

The theme of this spring issue is Renewal - and speaking of which - The Results Agency is introducing some exciting new services for 2006:

"Results BoosterTM" Programmes & Workshops and Launch-PadTM E-courses.

These will target specific areas, enabling you to dramatically improve your results. The first to be released is "Work-Life Renewal" - More details (including news of a special offer for subscribers) later.

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Making Room for the New

Renewal is a potent idea – and the good news is that we can always make a fresh start. If you want to turn over a new leaf this spring, here are some top tips to help you let go of the old and make space for the new to unfold…

Honour the past: Human beings fall easily into habits – it’s a valuable trait. Your habits and patterns all serve (or served) some useful purpose. But perhaps the outcomes they generate are no longer the outcomes you want? Acknowledging the past usefulness of habits and patterns can help you let go of them, allowing new styles to develop - styles that generate the outcomes you want now.

Honour the present: Sometimes, the reason habits have stayed around so long, is that although they have a downside, you've been putting up with that to get the other benefits ("comfort eating" is a good example). Despite the fact that the price (of the downside) has now become too high, you may still want to get the "upside" - so its crucial that you find other ways of fulfilling those needs - otherwise you might soon be back where you started.

Be honest with yourself: Regardless of what you might say your priorities are, or what you would like them to be, what you actually spend your time and energy on is what you are prioritising. Decide whether you want to change your priorities or amend your goals.

Follow the old gardening adage – “spring pruning leads to growth”: We each have 1440 minutes to play with each day (doesn’t sound like much does it?). How many of those minutes do you have ‘spare’ each day? Actually everyone’s answer is the same: none! You can’t save up time to use later – what you can do is make the best of the time you have (which is not the same as being 'busy, busy, busy' all the time!). Start by deciding what, and who, are your “time wasters”? What needs pruning, cutting back, or digging out?

Use the energy of the season: Our unconscious minds receive messages in all sorts of different ways. Symbolic gestures are often more potent than verbally “telling yourself”. Clearing out physical clutter can send a powerful message that you are ready to clear out “inner clutter” too. So - is your desk covered in, or filled with, SMOG (Some Messy Old Gear)? What about your office? PC desktop? Open the windows (virtual or otherwise) and get rid of the cobwebs. It’s not called spring-cleaning for nothing!

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Relax and Revive

Need to chill out, unwind or re-energise? You've come to the right place...

Take 2 minutes to do this little exercise at the end of a working day and you'll find it much easier to leave work behind. You can also do this anytime you need to clear your thoughts...

PART 1: First, tidy your desk. Yes, I know, but think how good you'll feel when you come in to a tidy desk! (If you're still suffering from 'desk-SMOG' - see above - then at least make a clear space in the middle.)

Now take a clean sheet of paper, or a clean page in your organiser/notebook. You're going to write 2 lists (headed "Keep Safe Until Wanted" and "Let Go Of") comprising all of the important, significant, irritating, urgent etc things about your working day - all that stuff that whizzes around in your head when you don't want it to. (NB You're not writing a report - use a FEW words for each, or doodle something - it only needs to make sense to you.)

PART 2: You're now going to let your imagination work. So sit back, close your eyes and turn your attention to your breathing. Spend a few moments listening to the sound of the breath coming gently in through your nose and out through your mouth. With each out breath, allow your shoulders to relax and any tension to fall away.

Imagine you have two boxes. One box keeps safe the things you put into it. The other box is a composter - it breaks down its contents enabling the energy to be released and recycled. Go through your lists, mentally putting each item into the appropriate box. As you transfer each item, tick off those on the "Keep Safe" list and cross out those on the "Let Go Of" list.

When you've finished, check with yourself whether there's anything else that needs to go in.

Then consider what you want to do with your imaginary boxes - do they need lids? Does the composter need switching on...?...etc...When you feel complete, take a few moments just to breath and enjoy the feeling of freedom and relaxation, before opening your eyes.

From now on, whenever you find you're dwelling on work issues and you don't want to, take a mental peek into your safebox and notice that the issue is safely stowed there, or, alternatively, send it off to the composter!

Notes:

1. Some people like to bin their "Let Go Of" lists, however, both lists are useful when looking for patterns and pointers to areas that need attention. See what you feel like doing.
2. I've used "boxes" here, but you could visualise any variations on "a safe place to keep things" & "a place where things are broken down". Have a play around and discover what works best for you.
3. The more detail you give your "boxes" - colour, size, fastenings etc, the better.
4. For a quick "clearout" you can go straight to part 2 of the exercise.
5. If you'd like help with this exercise, or related issues, call me on 01506-467970.

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Boost Your Results

Ready to start getting the results you want, but not sure how to go about it? Know what needs to change, but need a kickstart to get going? Want to spend some productive time on yourself? Results BoosterTM Programmes are designed to help you do all of this!

These short programmes are a great, value-added way of discovering the power of professional coaching for yourself, while targeting specific areas you'd like to improve.

You'll start by working through a specially designed 'Foundation Workbook' (view a sample). We'll then have 3 or 4 (depending on topic) focused coaching sessions. The workbooks lay the groundwork for your change programme, and enable us to get straight down to work in the sessions.

You'll also have access to additional support via email for the duration of the programme.

You can take up to 3 months to complete a programme (any longer and you'll probably lose momentum). There is no minimum period, but remember that you may have homework and you'll certainly have things to reflect on and try out between sessions. Optional follow-up sessions are also available.

The first programme to be released is "Work-Life Renewal for Business Professionals" and it's available now. This course is a terrific opportunity to review, revitalise and re-energise your working life. (While carrying on as you are is one option, wouldn't you rather look back at 2006 as the year you really took control of your work-life? Make sure you check out the information on benefits, features, key topics and pricing on the website...)

Forthcoming programmes include:

• Getting Organised- managing your time and space effectively is really about managing yourself effectively - develop the skills you need and the motivation to use them. (Due Apr 06)
• Thriving Through Change- change happens all the time - whether it's at work or at home, this course will help you stay focused, reassess your priorities and take care of your well-being. (Due May 06)
• Work-Life Renewal for Therapists and Practitioners- designed to address the particular issues faced by therapists and practitioners working in private practice, and in organisations. (Due June 06)

**Special Offer**: Subscribers to "Time to Think" can claim a generous 10% introductory discount off the cost of any Results BoosterTM Programme (contact me before 30th April 06 to claim).

Results BoosterTM Workshops on Work-Life Balancing and Well-being at Work, are planned for later in the year. These can also be combined with short courses of one-to-one coaching sessions - please contact me for more details.

Maybe you just want to dip your toe in the water? Launch-PadTM E-Courses will allow you to work under your own steam, at your own pace, with some coaching support available via email. These cost-effective courses will be based on the Results BoosterTM programmes. Please contact me for more details.

If there are specific topics you'd like me to cover, please do let me know.

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Joined-Up Living?

Have you noticed how "joined-up" has become the new 'must-have'? We're encouraged to do 'joined-up thinking' and provide 'joined-up services'. We buy integrated ovens and integrated systems. If someone said that you were 'together' as a person, you’d probably take it as a compliment. And yet, our lives are more disjointed than they've ever been.

The days when men and women followed pretty much the same paths as their parents did have long gone. And working for the same company, in the same location, for 50 years (as my father did) or even staying in the same profession, is no longer expected.

There are many positive aspects to this - but more opportunity has also brought more confusion. Not only is "the map not the territory", the earth itself is shifting beneath our feet.

This disconnection goes on at the personal level - even the term ‘work-life balance’ tends to suggest that ‘work’ is not part of ‘life’ as if living is something you do when you’re not at work.

So I’ve been thinking – how do we "join up the dots" between the disparate parts of our lives? What about ‘joined-up living’?

Part of it has got to be about a sense of continuity - of a connection between who you were, who you are now and who you're going to be...

There's a car advert on TV at the moment with the tagline: "What did you want to be when you grew up?" The implication is that having this car will fulfil your childhood dreams - but of course it can't. Having more things will never fulfil that sense of longing. The answer lies inside, not outside, down in the roots of who you are.

Renewal is a potent idea.

Who did you want to be? What were you passionate about and where is that passion now?

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