5 Reasons Why You Should Discover The Wonderful World Of Fiction

Reading is one of my all-time favourite activities and something I have rediscovered recently. I love finding a quiet space and losing myself in a novel. I’ve missed this little escape in my day. Now my girls are big enough to choose their own books from the library, it gives me the chance to browse through the selections and pick some of my own reading material. Not the “How To Grow Your Home Based Business in 5 Easy Steps” manuals, which are all well and good, but that’s still business. I’m referring to the wonderful world of fiction!

As entrepreneurs we need to find more balance. We often spend way more than our fair share of hours in a day thinking and doing business. We must switch gears and stimulate other interests.

Here are 5 reasons why you should make time for the joy of reading:

1. It allows you to single-task. Have you ever read and re-read a paragraph or a page in a book over more than once because your mind is elsewhere? Multi-tasking is not an option when it comes to reading and comprehending what you’ve read. You cannot cook dinner, allow your mind to wander to your to-do list, or have a conversation. You have to bring yourself back to the task at hand.

2. Learn something new – even when reading fiction. All good writers invest time to research their story. They include details, essential facts and statistics that give their stories meaning and create a reality we can recognize and be drawn to. They also use personal observations and quotations giving a story authenticity. You will gain some genuine new information that may indirectly affect your business.

3. Escapism. As entrepreneurs, we spend so much of our day dedicated to work. Reading fiction can be magical. We go places in our minds that we may never experience in reality. Or we may uncover our next travel destination!

4. Practice being present. This is related to single-tasking but takes it a bit further. You need to clear your mind of the 101 other things going thru it in order to be aware of what you’re reading. If you find your mind wandering to something you need to do, bring yourself back to the present and focus on what’s going on right now. Being present takes practice and is an incredibly useful skill in all aspects of work and life and increases your enjoyment of the here and now.

5. It’s a forced break. Because we are drawn away to another time and place, a good story gives our minds a break from what might be going on in our own reality. Time away is a good thing – we usually come back refreshed and often with a new perspective. We may be inspired by new ideas picked up through something we’ve read. Somehow answers seem to ‘find us’ if we’re open to it.

So, my question to you is this? Have you read anything good lately? I hope so and would love to hear about it!

Give Yourself Permission to Leave Some Things Undone

Ever find yourself saying something like, "When this is done, then I’ll [fill in leisure activity here]". But you repeat this until you’re too exhausted to do that leisure activity? Does being organized really give you the freedom you’re looking for? When your list of to-do’s is unending and you feel you have to do them all, then the answer is ‘no’.

Now, I’m all for being highly organized. It makes up a good portion of who I am and what I do. It’s an asset that helps me keep things straight in my own business and life and allows me, as a VA, to keep track of my clients and keep all their activities in their respective businesses flowing smoothly.

But are you like me? Do you sometimes feel you’re caught up in all the details of the never-ending to-do list?

I think this is why my mom, the wise woman that she is, gave me this plaque that reads "Give Yourself Permission to Leave Some Things Undone". It was so timely, around the birth of my first child, when I felt I had to still do everything I’d always done and look after a new baby. I keep it as a reminder & look at it every day.

Our lives and our businesses are a work in progress. Know that there will always be something else on your list and to enjoy the process! It’s not just about life balance it’s also about life acceptance.

Here are some tips that will allow you to enjoy being the organized person that you are by nature without the guilt and nagging persistence of the yet undone:

1. Do less. You can work all day rushing from one task to the next, but little quality work will get completed. Instead, focus on a couple of important tasks and invest the time to do them right from start to finish. For example, got an idea for an article? Write down your outline, let the ideas flow then put the pieces together. Voila! Now you have a properly completed article for your ezine, blog or an article submission piece that will all have a positive effect on your business. Rushing through several bits & pieces of various tasks in a frenzy throughout your day, will get you nowhere but frustrated.

2. Take a break. Get up from your desk and away from your office. If there are issues you are struggling with, clearing your head with a 15 minute walk or a step outside for a breath of fresh air, will provide some clarity on these issues. Studies have shown that frequent short breaks or less frequent longer breaks will refresh your mind and body, reduce discomfort and fatigue and increase accuracy and productivity!

3. Give yourself permission to leave some things undone. It is important to recognize and accept that you will never clear your list; there will always be undone items. Pick the top 2 to 3 items each day that absolutely must get done. Do these first and if you get to something else on your list, consider it a bonus. When you allow yourself to focus your time on fewer tasks you enjoy the process more and avoid mistakes.

4. Celebrate the victories. You are setting yourself up for success with the above approach, accomplishing great things while spending your time joyfully. Take a few moments to reflect on your accomplishment when you finish an assignment before you tackle the next item.

Remember, the goal here is to be more effective. Focus your time on fewer tasks and do them well. Avoid the overwhelm of having to ‘get it all done’. Doing less but doing it better allows you to enjoy the lasting results of real achievement.