Executive Assistant, Personal Assistant Congress

Presentation notes for delivery at the National EA PA Congress May 25 - 28, 2009 · Sofitel Wentworth, Sydney, NSW (Link to conference organiser IQPC). These notes are not a transcript.

Introduction

"Just as your car runs more smoothly and requires less energy to go faster and farther when the wheels are in perfect alignment, you perform better when your thoughts, feelings, emotions, goals, and values are in balance."

~Brian Tracy, Canadian Author and Professional Speaker on Self-Help

Thesis: To be a better anything... you need to be a better person

What we learned yesterday: We can’t change others: Responsible for moulding to our situation

What you’ll hear today: We are responsible for creating our own mould

Presentation Overview

So many of us fall into the common trap of ‘work, eat, sleep’ and life seems to be swallowed up in a monotonous pattern. This session evaluates the important activities you should be participating in for a healthy mind and body.

1. The importance of continuing education, volunteer organisations, health and fitness, and small business
2. Developing a checklist for self-improvement and building your skill base
3. Taking care of yourself mentally, physically, spiritually and emotionally
4. Implementing ten actions that will improve your productivity, confidence, and self-worth

What is important to you?

Rock, pebbles, sand, water

A professor walks into the room carrying an empty 10-gallon water jug and dragging an obviously heavy bag. He places them on the teacher’s desk. Without a word, he begins placing white rocks, just big enough to fit through the mouth of the jug, into the jug until they reach the very top. "Is it full?" he asks. You nod.

"Maybe not," he says. He then stuffs tiny pebbles into the jug and the pebbles find their way through the cracks in the rock. "Full now?" he asks. The whole class nods.

He then shovels sand into the jug, occasionally shaking the jug, and the tiny grains sift through the rocks and pebbles. "OK," he says, "now is it full?" The class nods in unison.

He smiles. He then slowly pours water into the jug until a water glass is finally empty.

"The lesson here," he says, "is that there is always more room in our lives than we think there is. When you think you’re out of time, there is still more available if you look for it."

Time = Schedule = Manage = Prioritise

Here’s the time-saving payoff: The ROCKS are the important things we have to accomplish regularly to be successful. They go into our "time jug" first, because they are most important. The PEBBLES represent those things we may not like to do, but we must do. They go in next. The SAND represents things that we should do, we may even like to do, but they’re not as important. The WATER represents the few remaining things that make a difference. If you reverse the order, putting in the water, then the sand, then the pebbles, there will not be enough room for the rocks. So prioritize your activities and make sure the rocks go on your schedule first.

Candle Parties

When is the last time that you lit a candle?

Make a little part of every day all about you.

Balance

Discuss Balance – work on one side offset by life on the other – funny juxtaposition. Good and evil. Bad bacteria and good bacteria.

Barbara’s keynote – Get a life. Started exercising. Ran 1 half marathon = 21.097494 kilometers

“Life is best enjoyed when time periods are evenly divided between labor, sleep, and recreation.”

~Brigham Young, American Pioneer and Leader of the Mormon Church

Excellence – Your boss will love me for it

• Success at work is defined.
• Is success in your life defined? (Goals – Rocks of Life)
• Success at sleep. :)

Wendy’s Collective Wisdom To Date (May 2009)

1. “Do or do not, there is no try.” ~Yoda
2. Make promises – X by Y (and not just at work)
3. Tell Igor to Shut Up – actively listen
4. Make it up. Use your gut.
5. Smile and mean it. (“Have a nice day.”)
6. Put your friends and family in front of your fortune. They are the rocks.
7. Stretch
8. Breathe

List of Ten Actions

1. Learn - a language, craft
2. Move - walk, run
3. Parent
4. Pamper
5. Play - sport, instrument
6. Read – create or join a book club
7. Relax
8. Teach
9. Volunteer
10. Work - more than a hobby

Closing Thought

“The trouble with the rat race is that even if you win, you're still a rat.”

~Lily Tomlin