Take control Of Your Life
Establish priorities. What is really important to you in life? For people who want to live their lives to their fullest
potential, their priorities are health, family, relationships, fun, financial stability, spirituality, continuous education,
personal growth, and professional success. If you don't have all of these in balance, your life will not be in balance.
Avoid procrastinating in your personal life. What is it that you want to do, learn, go, start, or finish that will bring
you a sense of happiness and accomplishment in your personal life? Leroy Brownlow states, "Procrastination is
the art of putting off what you should get done. Today is the golden opportunity, tomorrow the silvery chance, and the next day the brazen improbability, and the day beyond that the iron impossibility. All such put-off days quickly
turn into yesterdays, while immobile people stand on feet of clay that soon turn to dust."
Plan leisure time in advance to avoid job-burnout. Plan time to take care of your physical well-being—exercise,
walk, go to the health club. Develop rituals in these areas as well. Studies have proven that people who are
physically active are more productive on the job. I know an executive of a Fortune 50 company who often has
people meet him at the health club in the early morning hours to discuss business issues while he's on the
treadmill. In my book, "Wake Up and Smell the Competition" I write of busy business professional who takes his
kids on the golf course, let's them drive the cart, and talks to them about their week. Remember, for every problem, there's a solution. Find yours.
Weed your garden. Eliminate spending time with people who do not add real value to your life. Sometimes we
spend our valuable time and energy with people whose interests have grown apart from ours. Spend time with
people who give you energy, ideas and reaffirm your efforts. Eliminate relationships with negative people - they are toxic to you. Seek to develop and build relationships with positive people who reinforce you.
Accept the things you can't change. Learn to deal with the difficult people in your personal life who drain your
energy. If you can't change the person, change yourself. Learn to deal with difficult situations. If you can't
change them, change your approach to them.
"Just say no" to volunteer activities or social functions if you already have too much on your plate. Do not let
others manipulate you through flattery, guilt, or obligation. Learn to say no to activities that steal your energy, but
do not help your business or family life.
Give yourself permission to be a couch potato when you need to recharge your batteries. Rent movies and "veg!"
You'll be twice as productive the next day. Another way to recharge your batteries is when you have a day off,
get out and go somewhere or do something you've never done before. Go hiking, visit an auction, or rollerblade!
Empower yourself with education. Make time to read. Clip articles, and save them to read later. Use your car as a
learning vehicle. Listen to educational or motivational tapes while you drive.
Plan family time. Set up an "End Time" for social functions before you get together with friends or family.
Be clear about what you need from your family. Delegate and reward good behavior from your children.
Be organized in your personal life. Keep dry cleaning and things to be repaired in your car. Keep personal
files well organized. Keep your pantry well stocked. Shop at non-peak hours. Shop doubles, if you can afford to
do so, to prevent running out of important food items. Be proactive by taking good care of your car and appliances so that they don't break down - same with you! Throw or give away things you don't need. Clean out those closets and drawers too! Do one a day. You'll feel great when you do.
Take the time to think about what's really important to you: Then, live your life to it's fullest potential.
TAKE TIME TO DREAM, TO RELAX, TO LIVE ONE - DAY - AT - A - TIME. And remember, balancing
business life and personal life can be a tightrope act. Don't assume that you can achieve perfect balance in
everything. With a healthy attitude, you can become more well rounded and find greater fulfillment in everything
you do. Make a commitment to yourself to develop good habits that will help you manage your time more effectively so you can find more balance in your life.
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