How To Reduce Your Stress In The New Year
by Anne Warfield

Which Motto Fits You Best:

Why do today what you can put off 'til tomorrow.
Why put off 'til tomorrow what you can do today

Each of these mottos follows a different path for setting goals, achieving goals, and living life. If you don't realize which style you follow you will set yourself up for frustration and pain. They each have different strengths and weaknesses and they each achieve very different results.

Here is an easy way to know which motto you follow and quick steps to ensure success with less stress!:

Why do today what you can put off 'til tomorrow- This is your motto if:

1. You always wait to run out of products before you fill up-- you wait until you are on the last roll of toilet paper before you buy more



2. You wait until you are almost on empty to refill your gas tank



3. You are invited to more parties than you ever plan. Your idea of planning a party is to pick up the phone and say, "do you want to come over?"



4. You dislike Palm pilots and organizers because you like to go with the moment and time



5. You are often the one to brainstorm ideas in a meeting but the least likely to execute the details without people pestering you



6. You rarely directly say "I'm sorry or I screwed up" because they both feel negative. You prefer to say things like, "it didn't work out like I thought or I guess we each understood something different."

RESULTS: You will most likely never become good at setting goals and following up with them. You are better off playing off your assets- your ability to connect with others-and use that to move up and get projects done. You are better off telling people you don't handle details well and asking them how they want to best push you to get the details they need. You actually do very well in a chaotic work environment because you thrive on making constant changes. Structure is hard for you so let others build the structure and you are the tool that executes by connecting with others. The only time management system that will work for you is one that has lots of reminders and pushes you to the limit.

Why put off 'til tomorrow what you can do today-This is your motto if:

1. You always have certain staples on hand so you never run out-most likely you even have a system for it



2. You grocery shop with a list in hand so you only buy what you need



3. You fill up your gas tank religiously once it reaches a certain level such as ¼ left in the tank



4. You plan parties and events by making a list of what needs to be done



5. You live by your Palm Pilot or Franklin Organizer



6. You are the one to push for final decisions in meetings. You hate to have a lot of dangling commitments



7. You have no problem saying "I screwed up." You have a big problem with people that CAN'T say "I'm sorry or I screwed up."

RESULTS: You are great at setting goals and achieving them. You probably come off as to rigid to others at times. Use your sense of structure to push you in to more creative and uncomfortable zones so you can be seen as more flexible. If you work in a chaotic environment that doesn't allow you control, you will die a slow death.

Anne Warfield Impression Management Professionals 952-921-9421 copyright 2002

As the leading Outcome Strategist, Anne Warfield shows people how to present their ideas, products and services so people WANT to listen to you. Her communication formula is easy to apply and produces proven results. Fortune 500 companies around the world have utilized her expertise and her work is published around the world. She has been published in Business Week, Good Housekeeping, Forbes Publications and has been featured on ABC, NBC and CBS. Anne speaks around the world about Outcome Focus™ Communication. To book Anne, contact her at 888-imp-9421 or check out her web site at www.impressionmanagement.com. Check out her website to take the communication quiz for yourself! Books can be purchased from Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble. You can also email us at contact@impressionmanagement.com.

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