The ability to multitask is a highly sought after skill in today’s society. Even those multitasking extraordinaires have an amazing ability to be in the present when micromanaging projects.

[What do I mean by being present? Fully concentrating on the task at hand.]

In order to be more productive, consider the following:

NOISE
For some people, background noise is helpful. For others, it impedes their ability to concentrate. Notice how noise affects you and take the appropriate steps to create the ideal work environment.

DISTRACTIONS
Notice all the small things that distract your concentration. Write the distractions down on a piece of paper and then figure what you can do to prevent these things from getting in your way.
Common distractions/solutions:
-Phone/Turn off ringer during certain hours
-Email/Create designated email moments throughout the day
-Twitter/Turn off TweetDeck and limit the time spent tweeting each day
-Web surfing/Spend a few designated minutes in the morning and afternoon

BRAIN ACTIVITY
You sit down to do something and your brain goes in a million and one “I still need to do this, this, and this” directions. This is one of the most common, yet least discussed, issues. We live in a world where we’re inundated with thousands (if not millions) of messages coming at us every single day. Turn on CNN and you’ll find 24 hours news anchors, stock reports, breaking news, and today’s headlines all streaming across the same small screen. No wonder our brains have issues being present!

One solution I have found to help me regulate my brain activity is mediation. Just ten minutes a day, at any time, helps me to realize how fast my mind moves and calm me down. Even if you start by meditating only a few times a week, you’ll see results.

(originally posted on Twolia)

I found this cartoon in the New Yorker a few weeks back and felt inclined to share it with the world.

What does this cartoon have to do with business and entrepreneurship? Everything.

So often, we stop short of living the life we’re capable of living (sounds cliché, I know)… We don’t believe in ourselves, think we’re incapable, or forget how powerful we are as humans and more specifically, as individuals. This especially rings true in times of crisis when everyone becomes panic stricken.

When there’s a will, there’s a way…You or your significant other may have just lost a job, but it doesn’t mean it’s the end of your career. On the contrary, your career is just beginning and it’s the perfect opportunity to do what YOU want to do this time around. Whether you’re looking at finding a new job, career, or starting a business you’ll soon realize that you’ll have to work harder than ever, but seize the opportunity and make sweet lemonade with bitter lemons.

Reach into your toolbox and tap into your inner wisdom… Sometimes the answer really is in front of your eyes or filed away in your mind. The guy in the cartoon is on an island waiting to be saved from adversity, while all this time, the power was within him. So many of us are finding ourselves in this situation these days and don’t realize that the power to succeed is ours.

Don’t wait until it’s too late to realize this… you might be missing huge opportunities.

As an Entrepreneur Goddess and world-class business owner, you can’t take the world on alone. That’s why you need to create your own Entrepreneur Goddess Advisory Board.

The ideal advisory board would include:

Accountant/CPA: helps with financial issues and questions that may arise when running your business.

Legal: Someone who is a lawyer or knows a lot about legal stuff for your line of work. This person helps you with contracts, avoiding lawsuits, assessing risk, etc.

Human Resources: depending on the size of your company, an HR person can be very useful when it comes to insuring your company and employees.

Planner: this person helps you set realistic business and personal goals. They help tell you want you need to do to get from Point A to Point B.

Mentor: having a person who acts as a motivator can help drive you and your business forward. This person should be very knowledgeable in your field and help you stay positive when the going get tough. A mentor can be either a trusted friend or a hired career coach.

How do you put together an Entrepreneur Goddess Advisory Board? Here are two possible suggestions:

1. On the cheap: Recruit people you know and trust from your network who are active in all of these areas. Do a trade. Agree to meet once a month or once a quarter to discuss your goals and help each other out in exchange for the expertise from your area of work.
2. Got Cash: Hire the best people who are a great fit with your business and personality. Quarterly, get everyone together to touch base about your business and business plan.

Every Entrepreneur Goddess must have her own advisory board! It’s the only way to grow…you can’t do it all alone!

One of the ways to ensure you have no excuses for not getting the job done is by taking advantage of every moment in the workday. I don’t mean this in a workaholic kind of way either. Pay attention.

When you’re early for a meeting…perhaps you gave yourself extra time for traffic or a meeting ended earlier than anticipated…take advantage of the moment and do something productive:

Run errands: There’s no reason why you should put this off until later if it’s something you need to do. Take advantage of your time and the fact we live in a world of chain office supply stores, mega marts, and global positioning systems. It’s easy to find the store as well as to locate your items once inside. With a one-track mind you can be in and out in ten minutes and might be less likely to buy things on impulse.  You’ll also clear time to do the things you love later.

Meditate: So many times, I’ve found myself in a random parking lots between appointments, not quite knowing what to do with myself. This is the perfect time to simply be. Set an alarm clock and clear your mind of the constant chatter. It’s the perfect moment.

Take a cat nap: Again, set the alarm clock and snooze in your car for a bit. It’s perfectly normal, I see people doing it all the time. Do what it takes to refresh your mind and body!

Catch up on your correspondence: You have that phone with Internet or a laptop for a reason, right? So use it. A phone can be used just about anywhere and your laptop can be connected at any number of Internet cafes or wifi spots.

Whatever you end up doing to take advantage of your time, enjoy the moment.