Welcome to our Newest Members:

Kendel Huber Trucking - 306.631.2973

Konica Minolta Business Solutions - 306.501.4671

Lions Creek Extra Virgin Olive Oil Inc. - 306.972.3545

The Chopped Leaf Moose Jaw - 306.694.5323

Dear Chamber Members,

Happy New Year! We hope everyone had a happy holiday season and are looking forward to great start to 2020. 

We are more than encouraged and applaud the City’s recent announcements of SaskPower, Canadian Tire and hosting the Scotties, this is all paramount to the economics of Moose Jaw in establishing advancement in growth, stability in infrastructure, contributing to a strong and vibrant Moose Jaw. 

We are encouraged for a fresh new year with more exciting announcements and events in our community and we will maintain the approach of promoting and protecting the interests of the Moose Jaw business community and it’s members. 

The Moose Jaw and District Chamber of Commerce understand the importance of a unified partnership in dealing with business issues that affect our diverse membership. We remain increasingly dedicated to identifying and advocating issues that matter to our members so we can effectively advocate for local business interests. We will do the very best to understand these issues and communicate your perspectives, please feel free to share your comments and thoughts.  

Chamber e-newsletters are sent to our entire membership of over 520+ businesses at the start of each month. There are several ways to be featured in the newsletter, if your business has any important updates, anniversaries, promotions and/or awards, simply let us know or send us a press release. 

If your interested in advertising or writing something for the Chamber newsletter, please contact the Chamber at 306-692-6414 or email heather@mjchamber.com  

Rob Clark - CEO

Upcoming Events and Important Dates: 

• Citizen & Group of the Year Nomination Deadline – Jan 10^th – nomination forms at www.mjchamber.com
• Citizen & Group of the Year Awards Luncheon – Jan 28^th – Heritage Inn, tickets must be purchased in advance - $30 per person; event sponsored by CAE Inc, Golden West Radio and the Moose Jaw & District Chamber of Commerce
• Nominations now open for the 2020 Moose Jaw Business Excellence Awards presented by WOW Factor Media – nomination forms at www.mjchamber.com, deadline Feb 15^th
• Moose Jaw Family Home Show – April 3 & 4 presented by the Moose Jaw Exhibition Company, Moose Jaw Chamber of Commerce and Moose Jaw Kinsmen Club - call Dodie to book your exhibitors space 306.631.4092
• MJBEX Awards banquet April 8^th, – Heritage Inn – tickets on sale soon.
• April 22^nd Administrative Professionals Day Luncheon – more details to come.

Times are tough at the moment and it's sometimes hard to stay positive when we continue to hear of new COVID-19 cases every day. When the economy is suffering like never before, and many businesses are barely surviving. There are no easy solutions, there's no panacea, but hopefully this article will help you get your feet onto some solid ground.

Being positive doesn't mean "head-in-the-sand everything's going to be fine" behaviour in the face of difficult circumstances. It does, however, mean looking beyond your current circumstances to the bigger picture. It's about being proactive with your life, and practicing positive behaviours so that when those tough times arrive, your ability to stay positive will be easier and more natural.

Know Where You're Going

Review your business plan and goals in light of the pandemic. Being confident in your goals and direction will help you to stay focused and on track when others question your strategies or decisions.

Choose Your Point of View Every Day

How you feel in the first five minutes after you wake up in the morning sets the tone for the rest of your day. We all have around 900-minutes each day, some people use them more effectively. Wake up, smile, and then focus on something positive immediately. Train yourself to start your day with a positive attitude and you will start to see things go better. You are in total control of how your day will pan out.

Be Willing to Accept Change

Change is inevitable – it affects us every day. Current events are particularly challenging because everything is changing daily. If you become the kind of person who welcomes change and looks for opportunities, you'll be able to sustain a more positive outlook. Remember, going through periods of change helps us to grow. Take time out to reflect on what you are learning during these times of extreme change.

Live with Humour

Don't take things so seriously. Life is full of reasons to laugh, and if you look for them, you'll find them even in difficult circumstances. Incorporate laughter into your life every day.

Learn to Play

Running a business is hard work. It takes time and energy, and there will be days when you feel as if you don't have an ounce left to give. But, if you don't find time to play you'll find yourself burned out and ready to quit. Life is too short not to play once in a while.

Reward Yourself

When things go well in your business or personal life, reward yourself. If you have ever had a good boss, you will remember the words of appreciation, the pat on the back, or the small bonus. If you are your own boss – be a good one. Give yourself rewards based on what you have achieved; getting a small order might warrant a latte at the local coffee shop and half-hour of people watching. A bigger achievement might result in a bottle of champagne shared with your spouse. As entrepreneurs we have to sweat the small stuff, so reward the small advances you make too!

Choose Your Fellow Travellers Carefully

You have a choice who you spend your time with. Is your life full of people who whine and complain and feed on negativity? Or do you spend time with people who inspire you, lift you up and encourage you, make you laugh, help you to see the good things in life, and energize you with their presence? It's your choice. You become the company you keep.

Live By Your Own Code

Compromise kills your positivity more than you can imagine. When you behave in a way that is counter to your values, your spirit takes a beating. Don't allow others to determine how you will or won't behave, or impact your decisions in ways that are contrary to what you believe. Be true to yourself and go to bed every night proud of how you have lived. Figure out what your code is and when you do, positivity will be your reward.

The state the world is in today is enough to depress anyone. If you aren't determined to rise above current circumstances, you might be in danger of succumbing to them. Make it your choice to build positive things into your life, so when you are hit with difficulties, you'll be more effective at staying positive.

Ask anyone what they wish they had just a little more of every day, and they will probably answer, "Time!" In an age where we have more time-saving gadgets than ever before we still have less time. Of course, there are the same amount of hours in a day as there ever was, the problem lies in how we use our time. It all comes down to choices. Does how we choose to use our time reflect our values and priorities, or are we frittering away precious minutes on extraneous stuff like watching cat videos on Facebook or YouTube? Wouldn't it be nice if we could somehow carve out an extra hour to spend with our family, or to exercise, or meditate, or anything else that soothes our soul?

Here is a dozen quick tips that might help you carve out a few extra valuable minutes in your crazy, hectic day.

• Make a "to do" list every day and review it often. It will make you more productive – seriously.
• Turn driving time into learning time – check out podcasts, audio books, educational courses, the list is endless.
• Learn to say no and delegate – you don't have to do it all. Learning what you can and can't do is vital to your productivity and your sanity.
• Use your natural work rhythms to your advantage – recognize when your peak productivity hours are. Plan your most difficult tasks during your natural peak hours and you'll get more done in less time.
• Communicate your schedule to others – so much time is wasted when someone else in your life schedules an appointment or activity at the same time as when you've got something else on your agenda. Sharing online calendars can reduce stress and save time.
• Pick up the phone. We live in a texting and emailing world. Remember, sometimes a 3-minute phone call can replace a dozen texts and a 500-word email and its subsequent replies.
• Focus on sleeping better – depriving yourself of a good night's rest to get something done is counterproductive. The time you saved the night before will actually have been robbed from the next day. You may feel like you've saved time but you'll actually be less productive the following day.
• Don't rush tasks – trying to get things done too quickly means you'll probably have to redo it, or spend more time fixing mistakes later. Taking a little extra time to do it well initially is a more efficient use of your time.
• Ask questions often – if you don't know, don't spend hours trying to find the answer yourself. Ask someone.
• Don't rely on your memory – write everything down. So much time is wasted by "going back."
• Don't procrastinate. Easier said than done, but it really is the thief of time.
• Meditate – just 15-minutes of quiet time will increase your effectiveness and productivity ten-fold.

You may not be able to literally create more time in your day, but you can make your days more productive and less stressful by managing your time just a little better.

School is back in session, well in some form or another and for some children at least, and with it a new year. Or at least that's what it seems like. After those lazy days of summer, it's time to look at the important projects or tasks ahead of you. This is a great time to look at what new habits or goals you'd like to form or achieve before year's end.

As creatures of habit, most of us look at the new school year as representing a new beginning. It's an opportune time to reflect on the past and then move forward. You might want to ask yourself what new beginnings do I want to see?

If you are not too sure of what new habits or goals you want to introduce, you might reflect on previous resolutions. What were the resolutions you made in January? Why were they important? On a scale of 1 to 10, how far along are you in achieving them?

If you have not made much, or any, progress in achieving your previous resolutions and they are still important to you, a couple of questions come to mind. First, what derailed you from reaching those goals or forming those habits? What can you do to get back on track?

Sometimes, in reflection, those previous resolutions don't make sense anymore or they are no longer important. If that's the case, then this may be a good time to think about what is important to you now.

"The first step towards getting somewhere is to decide that you are not going to stay where you are." Chauncey Depew, American Politician, 1834 - 1928

Often, asking yourself questions will help you move forward. These may include, what is the first step I need to take? Are there any barriers in front of me that may obstruct my resolve? Who can help me ensure success? What does success even look like?

It is important to be accountable, not only to yourself but to others if you are going to reach your desired goal. Whether you issue yourself the challenge of becoming fitter, or completing a project, or achieving a specific personal or career outcome, you will find more success if you have articulated your desired outcomes to a trusted friend or colleague, a family member, a mentor or a coach. Keeping it in the forefront of your mind and working on it every day will increase the odds of you reaching your goals.

"A fresh day brings new sunrise and new hope for a fresh start." Lailah Gifty Akita, Author

Paul Abra, Certified Executive Coach, Motivated Coaching and Development