Work Hard, But Also Play Hard- A Note From The A Real Change "Happiness Engineer" 

By: Amity Hook Sopko

Working with Sandi over the past year as the resident “Happiness Engineer” and Marketing Manager for A Real Change, Int’l has been an incredibly rewarding experience. 

Not only do I feel a sense of purpose in serving our company and Sandi, I’m extremely energized by working with YOU!  Each day, I watch in awe as she coaches business owners – in just about every niche imaginable – along the path of success they were called to follow.  And each day, I’m inspired by her encouragement to live your truth and be who you were designed to be.

I’m often asked what are some of the best business tips I’ve learned from Sandi.  While I’ve picked up a ton of actionable advice about marketing, copywriting, e-commerce, and WordPress along the way… I have to tell you, the best tips are those that apply to life in general – not just business. 

Today, she has asked me to share one of those with you.  So in honor of her Maui vacation, I decided to focus on what I call her tendency to Work Hard, But Also Play Hard.

You’ve undoubtedly noticed how productive Sandi is.  Maybe you’ve even heard me accuse her of having a clone, since I’ve never seen anyone churn out high quality sales pages and content at the rate she does.  Well, as much as it would make some of us feel better about our own productivity, there’s no clone.  The simple fact is – when it’s time to work, she puts her head down and DOES THE WORK.

Talking with thousands of clients over the past year, and dealing with past productivity issues myself, I’ve seen where many of us get stuck. 

When an idea or that spark of inspiration comes, instead of writing now, we decide we need to “think” about it just a little more, or there’s the all important “research” that needs to go into it. 

Or even worse, we get overwhelmed with the thought of seeing it through, and what do we do next?  Cruise on over to Facebook or Twitter to see what’s going on.  I think subconsciously, we’re just trying to make ourselves feel better when we see all the other people who aren’t working either.

Before you know it, 45 minutes have passed.   You’re still sitting there with no blog post.  And it’s time to start dinner.  Oy!  It’s tough when the tool that helps us run an online business (our computer) is the very same tool that’s a source of endless distraction!

So, what’s the key to doing the work in the time you’ve set aside for work? 

Focus.

I was fortunate to be part of Sandi’s Inner Circle last spring as a client, when she led a phenomenal call on focus.  Hearing her perspective completely shifted some things around in my brain that allowed me to improve my productivity instantly.  I actually still listen to that recording and pick up things that help me work more efficiently. 

If you need to maximize your productivity, you’re not alone.  I think it’s safe to say this applies to most of us, given all the distractions we face each day. 

How does Sandi do it?  Well, there are archives of Monday night calls that give some of her tactics.  But the yin to her yang of working hard is definitely her ability to enjoy life!

Have you been reading her Facebook posts from Maui?  Don’t you love her enthusiasm and the sheer joy radiating from each picture she posts?

She’s been very open about the fact that her family hasn’t taken a vacation in several years.  Partly because she used to be a work-a-holic.  And partly because they had serious debt to pay down a few years ago. 

But you don’t have to take a trip to Hawaii to immerse yourself in pleasure.  I crack up when Sandi texts me a picture of herself with foil in her hair and a big grin from the salon.  Or when she posts photos of the lavender shrub behind her house… because I know she delights like a child at Christmas in some of life’s little moments. 

Sometimes for everyone on our team, it’s enough of a reward to see the photos and hear happy stories about the babies in the orphanage A Real Change sponsors.  Talk about making something bigger than yourself!

So what will you do this week to work hard and play hard?  We’d love to hear about it on Facebook.  Or just stop by and live vicariously through Sandi’s dolphin cruise and sushi photos. 

 Amity Hook-Sopko is the "Happiness Engineer" and personal assistant to Sandi Krakowski at A Real Change Int'l, LLC. She is also the CEO and Owner of Green Gifts Guide, a cottage industry she created with a passion to share how gift giving can be green, renewable, sustainable and fun! She's the happy wife of Mike and proud Mommy of 2 amazing little guys.. She's the glue that holds everything together at A Real Change and loves serving our clients in anyway she can.