Manage Your Time, Money & Energy And Take On The World!

All things are made of energy! — Nancy D’Agostino

1. THE SPENDING EQUATION — Nancy D’Agostino

You are what you do, so how you spend your time, money and energy is more important than ever. Shining a light on all 3 areas will give you the shift you need to take it to the next level.

We all know that there are never enough hours in a day, there’s never enough money to go round and we all wish we had a dollar for every time we said the words — “If only I had more energy!”

So I asked myself the big question…What makes all the difference in getting things done as well as conquering life biggest goals with all the struggles we face and all the uncertainty that lays ahead? Its a mouthful even to read it out loud on one breath…

The solution I came up with seemed to be quite simple and obvious to me — I call it …

THE SPENDING EQUATION

(Time + Money + Energy = Outcome)

“What you spend your money, time and energy on will be equal to the outcome or result you achieve.” — Nancy D’Agostino

Imagine taking all three elements — time, money and energy in the preferred proportions . Then we could be accountable towards achieving our short term goals and also working towards our long term goals using our resources and also by being resourceful. Then we could be accountable for what we do in every 24 hours of every day of our lives and in what we could achieve along the way with a lot more certainty.

2. Time Management

Each day we wake up with good intentions when it comes to managing our time and being responsible to getting things done. However, we can get so caught up in what we do and sacrifice a lot of who we are in so many ways:

• That feeling of exhaustion that effects the way we think and the results we get. No matter how much time we have, we cannot use our time effectively to be at the top of our game when our energy levels are depleted. That then effects our relationships, confidence, clarity and more…
• That feeling of giving up, when things get hard. That sense of being defeated and that drop in momentum.
• That feeling of not being able to think or concentrate, where you have no attention span.
• Last but not least, that feeling of when someone robs you of every ounce of energy you have and you didn’t see it coming or if you did you just couldn’t get out quick enough. This one is the most damaging of them all.

Learning the skill of good time management will allow you to accelerate the time it takes for you to achieve bigger results. Secondly, you will also free up more of your time in a more focused manner which will lead to greater productivity each day. You will also experience less stress and a feeling of being more in control and therefore accountable for the actions you take in order to achieve the results you are working towards. You will also free up more of your time to spend with the people that matter the most in your life.

We know that time management plays a huge part in what we do get done and how that impacts on us mentally, emotionally and physically. Time Management is a huge part of productivity and I know that is only one part of the equation! We all know what it’s like with the pressure of deadlines and juggling appointments, calls, meetings and life in general. Theres a million things going on every day and in the middle of it all, we need to use our time effectively in order to be more productive.

3. Essential Time Management Techniques:

• Intentional Purpose: Create a daily — Things To Do List. This is an important and powerful ways to keep you on track and moving through your day whilst giving you a sense of satisfaction as you tick things off your list and accomplish more.
• Order of Priority: Rank your tasks in priority order so they flow from one to the other in order of importance or urgency. Keep deadlines and appointments and meetings as a priority when considering your list. Things that are WIP and will take weeks, months and even years to achieve should be broken up into smaller and more manageable tasks working towards the bigger goal.
• Focus Point: Focus your mind and thoughts on the task at hand and direct all your attention and efforts towards getting it done. Also work towards minimising distractions by managing your surroundings and anything that can have a negative impact on your ability to maintain focus.
• Clear Structure: Aim to define your structure with fierce clarity to better organise your time and flow from one task to the next and manifest more of that to achieve more. By creating blocks in your Things To Do List, you can batch up similar tasks and speed up the time it takes to get them done. Example 1 — Writing a daily blog could be done first thing in the morning when your mind is sharp and focused, with the added benefit of giving you purpose and momentum to carry you onto the next tasks. Even though you may not publish it until the evening ready for the next day, but have done your part in giving back to the people who follow you and need your words most. Example 2 — Mundane tasks that are not time sensitive can be batched up and allocated to one time block that is not such a priority allowing you to shift your focus on work tasks first in order to manage your day and be more productive.
• Time Conscious: It’s vital that you are conscious of the fact that there is no such thing as catching up when it comes to time. We get each second once only and thats it! Being conscious and accountable for how we spend our time each day is what makes all the difference in what we accomplish and the satisfaction we achieve in the short term and in the long run.

4. Money Management

Next, we know that money matters can be stressful to say the least with the financial burden weighing heavy on us year in, year out unless we get serious about doing something about it in the short term towards long term freedom. Money management plays a huge part in the decisions we make in our personal lives. It also effects us on every level and is another huge part of productivity, as well as the struggle of what can anchor us and is the second part of the equation!

We’ve all heard the expression that there is never enough money to go round. However, no amount of money will ever be enough if you don’t have good management skills. Learning to handle your finances is an essential part of making ends meet and working towards a better future and life. Eg — If you receive a pay check of $500 and blow it all on unessential splurges week after week you will only have yourself to blame. Putting money aside for a rainy day may sound cliché but its not.

Life is full of uncertainty and you owe it to yourself to manage your finances and be responsible for the things that really matter in your life. You could budget your money to spend on the essentials and save towards non essential items whilst also saving a portion of your money for a rainy day. You could also invest in training and development to help nurture your talent or further your skills as well as work towards long term goals of investing in fixed assets such as a car or a home.

5. Essential Steps Towards Money Management:

• Understand your current financial circumstances
• Set and prioritise your personal and financial goals
• Create a Budget and be accountable towards sticking to it
• Establish and build an emergency fund as a back up plan, as you never know when you may need that inflow of funds to save the day
• Save for a rainy day or towards future retirement
• Work towards being debt free by paying off or settling any debts that you have
• Evaluate your current position by scheduling and observing regular reports to track your progress

6. Energy Management

We also know that Energy management is about working within our optimum peak performance times to optimise productivity focusing on our most important work first, whilst also knowing how to conserve our energy to get habitual tasks done and grouping up similar tasks to maintain momentum in a daily timeframe. Tony Robbins is the worlds most renowned Success and Business Coach and is well known for the words, “where energy goes, energy flows.” He says, “To get what you really want in life you need a clear goal that has purpose and meaning behind it. Once this is in place, you can focus your energy on the goal and become obsessive about it.”

Everything we do takes up some of our energy and it can be exhausting when trying to achieve optimum productivity. Starting with the decision making process of what tasks to add or leave out of our Things To Do List. However, habits give us the capacity to considerably reduce our Things To Do List and save us a tonne of energy by converting regular work tasks into habits. This way we can manage our time and energy effectively to focus on getting our most important work done and accomplish what you set out to achieve in a given timeframe.

We sometimes think we have all the time in the world to work. However, unless you are focused on what really motivates your, then you may be wasting both your time and your energy. The purpose of your work will push you to take action and will help you to replenish and sustain your energy levels throughout your day.

The key to unleashing greater performance is to be in tune and aware of your peak performance times, knowing that energy levels will fluctuate at different times of the day. This is when you have maximum energy available to you to achieve maximum productivity and you should use these times to do your most important and best work. We as humans can also conserve a lot of energy and time by developing good habits and implementing routines that become second nature and don’t require any thought process.

7. Essential Steps Towards Energy Management

• Get a good nights sleep every night. I for one am always pushing the boundaries on this one just like most artists and creators who are night owls and responsible for keeping one light on in the house most nights.
• Hydrate every day. Easier said than done, but keep at it.
• Get some exercise and remember that — Incidental Exercise + Physical Exercise = Health & Wellbeing
• Eat well. Clean eating a selection of real foods is best with occasional treats and processed foods kept to a minimum.
• Block out time for yourself in every day and night. Meditate, Read a book, watch a movie, Light hearted chat, read a blog, listen to a podcast or check your social media feed and notifications but mix it up. This will allow you to be the be in a great state of mind and allow you to have quality time with the ones you love.
• Focus on the most important priority first. This will give you the most satisfaction as you work towards it and also help you to conquer the fears associated with things that are overwhelming at first.
• Tackle the more difficult tasks at the start of the day when you are fresh and clear minded. This makes all the difference with staying cool, calm and collected through the process and also allow you to be more resourceful with a clear headspace.
• Learn to collate, batch and box up or file away as needed to keep you on track. (If its not part of the days plan, pack it up in a box and remove it from sight so you can focus on the task at hand. Any mental blocks can also be added to another day in your diary, putting your mind at easy in the short term.)
• Get into the flow! I mean get into your flow. The Law of Attraction isn’t just a phenomenon!(If you haven’t already done so, get familiar with The Secret — Rhonda Byrne available on Audio on Audible and will make a great inspirational listen.
• Get some social interaction of the human kind into your everyday. (Family members, friends, colleagues, associates, students, neighbour, pets can all make you feel complete. You know theres no place like home!
• Keep your consumption of Social Media to a more controlled healthy level. Check your notifications as a priority and to connect. Check your homepage feed when you have time to pass the time.
• Unsubscribe to all emails that are not needed. Flag, Delete or Move to Junk Folder.
• Get Motivated by people you look up to! Find yourself a mentor. It can be someone you know or someone you can learn more about through a book such as a memoire, blog or podcast, a teacher, a successful public figure etc. Someone who can inspire you, motivate you and help you to gain momentum. Someone who has already traveled the journey you are beginning on and can guide you through the steps.
• Get inspired by the things that are all around you. You may have your eyes opened, but they may as well be shut if you don’t see the beauty before you. The world is full of hidden gems for those who see with opened eyes. Otherwise, they may as well be shut. Think about Andre Bocelli singing ‘Con Te Partiro’, he see’s in ways most will never see and with that he gives us an experience that is not only mesmerising but transformational on so many levels and magnificently unforgettable and timeless. That in itself is the life gift that keep on giving.
• Learn to make a difference in other peoples lives. There comes a time when you are ticking all the boxes and suddenly realise that you can do a lot with what you have learnt. You can make a difference by sharing what you know.
• Experience the feeling of positive energy forces coming together and multiplying. You know that you’re on track and in the flow, you are excited and driven towards your purpose and you are excited to spread it around like confetti. Its not unusual, for someone to comment about where I get my energy from and that if they could only bottle it up and sell it! The crazy thing is that I do package it up in what I do and love. If you’ve ever been in one of my singing lessons or even been part of one of my conversations or presentations then you would have experienced this many times. I’ll leave this to the ones that know me!
• Stay clear of people who are serial energy robbers! Remember that if someone or something is depleting your energy levels, then it’s time to go!!! Exit the conversation, exit the room! You know what I mean….Elvis has left the building! Never mention it again or manifest it or vent about it to someone else. Box it up or write it on a note and either file it away or scrunch it and throw it in the bin for good housekeeping!
• Work towards boosting your confidence in order to optimise your energy levels. Research shows that a drop in confidence is often associated with a dip in energy levels. We want to fire up and burn bright with momentum as opposed to feeling down and questioning our ability to be productive and accomplish what we set out to do in the first place.
• Gain clarity about the why in your work or life to help boost your energy and help you to sustain momentum as you make your way on your journey towards your purpose or life mission. Eg — I began writing my first blog post that could have been about anything Singing. I began to dig for ideas and suddenly found myself compelled to write about mindset and all the things that matter in moving towards your true calling, your goals and managing it all with accountability so that you can live your best life, whatever that may be. I wrote my first 12 blogs and became obsessed and compelled to stop and turn it into a book by going deeper with each post and suddenly here I am writing the next chapter just for you. I gained clarity in the why when the epiphany hit me — this is the information that I wish I had when I was starting out and what I know and apply every day of my life. Imagine how valuable and helpful this would be to anyone getting started with a pocketful of hopes, dreams and desire and for those on a mission full of purpose and commitment to take it all the way. I know I could make a difference by guiding you on your journey and I also know that mindset is 80% of success so this will give you a head start to the finish line.
• Monitor your energy levels each day and become familiar what boosts your energy levels up as opposed to what causes your energy levels to dip. You can then control what you do to maintain higher energy levels. Eg 1 — Exercise, dancing, singing, sports, creative arts, fashion and even a summers day are some of the things that are associated with good endorphins and a sense of happiness that increase your energy. Eg 2 — Job Interviews, Public Speaking, Exams, a bad hair day or running late can all contribute to a lower confidence levels and a dip in energy. Keep in mind that this is not always the case. With good preparation you could blitz that Job Interview, Public Speaking engagement and even that Exam that you have been studying for day in day out.
• Everything including the human body is made of energy. Our thoughts, emotions, beliefs and attitudes are all composed of energy and therefore, everything is connected to everything. We are what we do and forcing things isn’t the way we want to move forward. However, manifesting positive energy and removing negative energy is the key to energising yourself and those around you for maximum benefits to all.
• Stop Multitasking and start mono-tasking to avoid mistakes and compromising quality and wasting time fixing the mistakes made along the way. Mono-task by grouping related work tasks together. Eg 1 — Such as phone calls, website updates, marketing, writing etc. Eg 2 — It may also include warming up your voice with a 10 minute vocal work out before a 1 hour song rehearsal session working through your new song repertoire with backing tracks to prepare for your upcoming debut performance. Eg 3 — Brainstorming your ideas for your children’s book manuscript 1 hour block, then piecing together your ideas in a word doc, 1 hour block, followed by collating visual ideas that flow with the manuscript ideas and putting them on a word doc in another 1 hour block. Thats 3 hours dedicated to a new book idea that will boost your energy and momentum. You will be excited to continue the process the next day and be on your way to becoming a budding author.
• The Power to Pivot when things aren’t going to plan or how you envisioned earlier will allow you the alter, move or adjust accordingly to maintain and or boost your energy in order to achieve the desired result and success.
• Embrace each day like its your first or your last, is the best way to take action and move full steam ahead with momentum and not waste a second of it. Boredom is not even a word I would say out loud but one that could literally sabotage all that you stand for. It has a way of manifesting fatigue, laziness and harmful in so many ways. Protect yourself from boredom by energising your outlook on life and compiling a list of dreams, goals and things to do that are ready do go well in advance and you’ll never look boredom in the eye again!
• Get personal by learning how to protect, manage and boost your energy levels to handle the physical demands of your day. Aim to take of your body by eating, moving and sleeping well from a wellness perspective.
• Life is a balancing act and everything works best in balance to avoiding burning out. The term work-life balance refers to the idea that you need time for both work and all other aspects of life being family related as well as personal interests. However, I believe that working towards achieving a good balance of energy to be highly productive each day is the elusive goal but not easily achievable as you may already know. The saying goes that “all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”. So I came up with The Spending Equation to take the work-life balance to the next level of accountability.

8. Ways To Recharge Your Energy Levels:

• Find ways to recharge your energy levels to avoid energy depletion. When it’s not going to plan and theres no way to save the day, do what you can to switch off and reset. Watch a movie with a box of popcorn and a chocolate bar and a cosy blanket solo or with your kids, pet or partner. Perhaps a walk or exercise session would help to clear your headspace or you might try some Yoga, Pilates or Meditation. For me, I’ll sing for an hour or two or until I’ve been at it for hours and my voice is souring and I’ve go not energy left and need a bowl of spaghetti!
• Get a good nights sleep so you bounce out of bed in the morning knowing that the day is full of opportunities and you are going to seize every moment that you can. Starting the day ahead of everyone else gives you the upper hand in steering through your day without brain fog and a tonne of momentum!
• Start your day with a good breakfast and make better choices for a healthy lunch, dinner and snacks. This gives your body fuel for longer and also allows you brain to be focused on the job at hand and keeps you motivated with fierce clarity.
• Dedicate a minimum of 10 minutes a day on getting fit above and beyond any incidental exercise you do as in housework etc. This way you not only use some of your time to move and exercise your body but work towards strengthening it. Best yet, the more you do the more benefits will come your way starting with the release of the endorphins to increase you happiness and positive outlook on your day and your life. Imagine a super-charged version of yourself day in, day out!
• Stop to think for a minute and reset when you feel like you are getting bogged down and not moving forward with whatever you are doing. Eg- Trying to get a years filing done can be overwhelming at the best of times. But what if you could pen out the different types of filing under headings and then buy some Manilla Folders that can quickly be labeled to match your list. Then you could position them on a table or floor in alphabetical order and then quickly walk from left to right place each item of filing on top of the right manilla folder in no time. You will have your filing fully organised and ready to go minus the brain strain and depletion of energy. Why! Because you planned and worked out a better way to spend your money, time and energy! And you did it all with MOMENTUM!
• You are not alone on this journey you are on! Feed your mind with knowledge that is related to what you are trying to accomplish. Read a book or a blog or listen to a podcast! Experts, Coaches and Mentors in every field invest their time in sharing their knowledge with the world by publishing regularly on various formats and platforms. We all have time when it comes to nurturing and growing our mind and knowledge and we owe it to ourselves. Think of it as a back up plan to keep our minds sharp and clear with the power to execute at the drop of a hat! You can even listen whilst on your morning walk or cooking up dinner, driving in the car or at night in bed. There are not limits here.
• Remove the noise in your head! Stop thinking about all the things that will stop you from ticking your list of things to do. Instead, focus on moving the needle by doing only the thing that will give your the results you are needed to achieve each day. The bigger goals can be broken down into smaller parts by getting clear on absolutely what needs to be done first.
• Declutter your mess. It’s difficult to get to the end of a task when you are bogged down with piles of paperwork and other resources that you’ve accumulated. You will be overwhelmed and begin to procrastinate and eventually become anchored. The best way is to take only what is required and move to another space and get stuck into it. Having the Power to Pivot is essential to moving forward and maintaining momentum. The mundane task of sorting out a stack of mess can be done at another time so that you stay on track.
• Delegate by hiring people to do the jobs that are not essential to your expertise or skill set. You will free up more time to do the things you do best that need to be done by you to make all the difference. This is the way to keep things moving and also getting things done efficiently by using your resources as well as being resourceful.
• Pack up what is not on your agenda and box it up with a clear label. We all have daily to do lists, weekly, monthly, yearly and life to do lists and goals. Problem is that when we get into the flow, we begin to flourish through the though process and realise our potential is by far in reach and the excitement of that drives our energy to surplus levels and there is no stopping us. Or is there? Time is not on our side and it is a limited commodity and so with that in mind, we must be realistic although it pains me to say it and let something go or for the time being pack it away and keep it for a rain day should you require it.

9. Mindset Reset

• Nowadays, I begin each day with a quick calculation of how I will spend my day in terms of The Spending Equation and know the Why behind the tasks in my Things to do list.
• I quit being busy… just being busy a long time ago and am accountable.
• I replaced working smart with working purposefully and I intentionally get to where I am headed each day.
• Getting stuck on the phone unexpectedly is a thing of the past unless its essential or purposeful.
• Distractions are kept to a minimum and the power to pivot and reset is a back up plan at any given moment to avoid getting anchored.
• Knowing that there is time for me in the middle of the hustle and bustle of life to give me the freedom to do the things that really matter to me, keeps me energised and moving forward with tonnes of momentum. My fire burns like a flame and there is nothing I couldn’t achieve with the right mindset.
• I for one, have followed my heart and my dreams and passion for most of my life. I’ve also had many wrong turns along the way and a lot of influential moments that steered me in the direction that was anything but my true life calling.

Managing your time more effectively, is easier when you make yourself accountable in order to keep moving towards your goals and desired outcomes. Managing your money is not just your responsibility but you owe it to yourself to make the most of it by using your resources as well as being resourceful. Learning to boost your energy levels will supercharge your ability to optimise your productivity towards achieving your goals as well being vital to feeling incredible everyday. Learning how to recharge your energy level and reset your mindset is essential to your mental, emotional and physical wellbeing. Whilst staying clear of negativity and toxicity is a no brainer in any language! Best of all, by increasing your energy levels you’ll gain the momentum needed to do anything that sets your heart on fire and ultimately take on the world!

Nancy D’Agostino

DO YOU WANT TO LEARN TO SING FROM SCRATCH TO SMASH!

Day 9 — Write 365 Blogs In One Year Challenge! Starting 28/10/2020