Listless

Listless: lacking spirit, energy, enthusiasm

I know a woman who creates lists for everything. If she goes to the store, she has a grocery list. If she’s working on a project she has a list of every step. She has lists for major things to get done each season, each month, each week. And, of course, she has a daily to-do list.

She doesn’t care if she doesn’t get everything on her list done. The lists are guides, not intractable laws. By having lists, she knows what she wants to get done. She can prioritize her time. She can choose to accept or ignore interruptions, and understand what affect that choice will have. She minimizes the chances of unnecessary surprises and catastrophes.

I’m not suggesting that you start creating lists for everything you do, though if that’s what works for you, go for it. But I do think you should be creating a daily to-do list. Having a basic to-do list focuses your day and helps you realize which things are most important.

You can create your list the night before if that’s when you’re at your sharpest. Just be sure to read over it in the morning before your day begins. Or you can create it in the morning so it’s fresh in your mind. The list should be fairly quick and simple to create. It doesn’t need to include every step of every task you set for yourself. It should, however, include all the tasks you want to complete.

You don’t have to follow the list. You don’t have to check items off. You can, of course, but it’s an individual choice. The act of simply creating the list can give you the focus you need, can help you plan and prioritize throughout the day. And when you know what your day holds, it’s easier to garner enthusiasm for things, to find energy that’s often lacking when the day’s demands seem overwhelming. It helps keep that listlessness at bay.

Take just five minutes to create a to-do list that will help you focus your day.

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is in two days. Take five minutes to remember why it’s celebrated.

Not the controversies. Not the turkey. Not the stress. Not Columbus, Pilgrims, or Indians. No, we celebrate Thanksgiving to remember the help that one group of people gave to another. Strangers helping strangers through a harsh winter in an unfamiliar land. Take five minutes to remember.

When the Pilgrims came to this continent they were woefully unprepared. They knew nothing about agriculture here. They were unfamiliar with the soil and crops. They were unfamiliar with the growing season and climate. The crops they planted failed. They were facing starvation.

The Wampanoag Indians had no such problems. They knew the land. They knew the crops. They knew how to grow them. They had an abundance of food and shared with the Pilgrims throughout the winter.

Although their crops had failed, accounts show that the Pilgrims had a harvest feast that year (1621). They invited Wampanoag sachem (chief), Massasoit. Massasoit brought many of his people and most of the food, including five deer. There were nearly 100 Wampanoag and approximately 50 Pilgrims who shared that harvest feast – allies who offered each other help and protection.

Later years brought pain, sorrow, and enmity to the relationships between the European settlers and Native Americans, but don’t let that sully the unselfish acts for which we give thanks.

What can you take five minutes to be thankful for?

Don't be a stranger

“People are strange when you're a stranger. Faces look ugly when you're alone.” ~ The Doors

There’s truth to the song lyrics above. Fortunately people don’t have to remain strangers. They don’t have to feel alone. And you can be the person to make it so.

How?

Talk to people. Talk to people everywhere. Well, everywhere it’s appropriate. And it’s appropriate in many more places than you might think. It’s appropriate to talk to people while you’re standing in line at the grocery store, bank, or deli. It’s appropriate while waiting on your oil change or doctor. It’s appropriate at the gym. It’s not appropriate if you’re watching a movie or in the stall of a public restroom.

A lot of people are hoping someone will notice them. They want to be acknowledged. They want to know someone thinks they’re special, thinks they’re worth talking to. A lot of people will love it if you strike up a conversation with them. No, not everyone will. You will be rebuffed and rejected. But so what? You’ve lost nothing by trying to start a conversation. More often people will be receptive and you’ll meet interesting people.

There are tricks to starting conversations with strangers. The biggest one is that you have to set your ego aside. If you want to engage someone else, find out about them. Ask them questions. It’s okay to start with innocuous ones – what do they think about the Muzak version of the song that’s playing – or about something that’s going on where you are (shared experience). The more you do it the easier you’ll find it and the more ways of starting a conversation you’ll discover.

Generally, people like to talk about themselves. And a lot of people are starved for opportunities to do so. Ask people about themselves. Show a genuine interest in what they have to say. Listen to their answers and offer thoughtful responses. Show each person that you know they are valuable.

Chances are most conversations will remain just chance encounters that help pass the time and give you a glimpse into someone else’s life. Every now and again, though, one of these conversations will lead to more. You’ll discover a true connection, a spark, and you’ll have made a new friend or business associate.

Will you spend just five minutes today to keep someone from remaining a stranger?

Elevator Speech

If you got on an elevator and met someone you wanted to work with, would you know how to convince them to give you a chance?

The elevator speech is a common tool touted by employment coaches and networking groups. The idea is that if you were in an elevator with someone you wanted to impress, you’d better be able to impress them before they get to their floor. Generally, you should be able to give them your spiel in thirty seconds. It’s a simple idea, but it’s execution can be tricky.

The name is actually a bit of a misnomer, and one of the reasons people have trouble creating a good elevator speech. You see, it isn’t really a speech at all.

If it isn’t a speech, what is it? That’s easy. It’s the start of a conversation.

The first part of your elevator speech tells the other person what you do, something that will intrigue the other person enough that they’ll want to know more. It is not your job title.

“Hi. I'm Tam. I tell stories that help people and businesses.”

Once someone has asked for more information (“How do you do that?”), you need to tell them why they should care what you do, how it relates to them.

“Everyone has a story that connects them to others. Using traditional and social media, I get those stories out there.”

At this point, you’re likely to get another request for more information (“Really? How?”). This is the opening you want. Rather than giving them the details of your business, you leave them with the promise of more. You suggest a meeting.

“I'd love to sit down with you later to discuss it.”

Ask for the other person’s business card. You can offer yours, too. Offer sincere thanks and a handshake (or a hug if that's your thing). Tell them it was nice to meet them and that you hope you can be helpful to one another in the future. After you get home, send them a written thank you note. They'll remember you.

That’s all there is to it. Create an initial statement that describes what you do in such a way that the person you’re talking to wants to know more. When you give them more, give them enough to have a real idea of what you do, but leave them wanting still more. And then ask for the meeting to give them the more that they want.

Do you know what would say to create the opportunity that could change your life?

That's Smokin'!

Sometimes quitting is exactly the right thing to do.

It may seem unlikely, but if you’re one of the many people who are trying to quit smoking, there are actually two ways you can spend just five minutes to help you out.

1. Five minutes of exercise

That’s right. Not only can just five minutes of exercise keep the doctor at bay, but it seems to help people quit smoking, too. And helps them quit smoking without the commonly associated weight gain.

Dr. Adrian Taylor (University of Exeter) was the lead scientist in a team that reviewed findings from multiple studies on the link between smoking cessation and exercise. What they found was that just five minutes of exercise quickly and drastically cut cigarette cravings and helped reduce withdrawal symptoms for up to 50 minutes. One of the most interesting reports from Dr. Taylor’s team was the finding that just five minutes of exercise was as effective at curbing cravings and symptoms as a nicotine patch.

2. Focus on something else

Cigarette craving are often the downfall of the person who’s trying to quit. The craving comes on strong and feels as though it will never end unless you appease it with a quick drag.

The truth is, most cravings fade away somewhere between 90-seconds and five minutes.

It isn’t easy, but you can conquer five minutes. You can overcome that craving. Find something to take your mind away from the craving. Listen to a song. Read a blog post. make a phone call. Exercise. Find something to do for five minutes, and you'll find you can get through the craving.

Once you’ve pushed through once you’ll know you can do it again. Once you’ve pushed through several times, you’ll know you have the willpower to never smoke again. You’ll have successfully quit.

Have you wanted to quit smoking? Take just five minutes to start stopping today.