| I was upstairs when I heard this terrible and very | | | | for more important tasks. |
| loud clanking sound coming from downstairs. I ran | | | | Don't overload your circuit |
| down to see what it was and discovered that it was | | | | My computer is an older version, much like myself. I |
| coming from the laundry room. | | | | find that if I have too many windows open on my |
| Yep! You guessed right! The washing machine was | | | | screen, going back and forth between programs, my |
| jumping around and trying to walk out the door! I | | | | computer slows down. It is not as efficient and |
| had to stop the machine and rearrange the clothes | | | | sometimes it will even crash. When you put too |
| to re-balance the system. | | | | many items on your agenda you will not be as |
| When my life is off balance I find that I am | | | | effective and if you stayed focused on one or two |
| ineffective and unproductive and much like the | | | | priorities. |
| washing machine, I feel like running for the door! | | | | Take Time Just For You |
| Keeping your life balanced will save you both time | | | | When the oxygen mask comes down in the airplane |
| and money. The following nine steps will help to keep | | | | passengers are advised to put the mask on |
| you focused and productive by leading you to a | | | | themselves first. They are no help to others if they |
| balanced life! | | | | do not take care of themselves. |
| Live your values | | | | By putting yourself first you are not being selfish but |
| Just like most of you my husband and I are very | | | | rather you are filling yourself up to allow you to give |
| busy people. We both work and sometimes we | | | | more back. Schedule some time for yourself every |
| come home to tired to cook. So we resort to the | | | | day. Take a walk, journal or listen to music. |
| good old American standby; takeout. One month it | | | | Jump-start Your Day with Intention and Focus |
| seemed like that was all we were eating and I | | | | Do you know where you are headed? Many people |
| desperately longed for a home cooked meal. But I | | | | jump out of bed in the morning and hit the floor |
| certainly didn't have time to make that happen. | | | | running without a thought of what they really want |
| Then I remembered that wonderful little | | | | out of their day. Begin every day by deliberately |
| invention-The Crock Pot! Perfect! I could just smell | | | | setting your intention. Intend to feel happy and |
| the aroma of a home cooked meal already. I got out | | | | productive and you will be amazed at the result. |
| my crock pot and dusted it off. Off to the store I | | | | When something happens to change the course of |
| went to purchase a roast, carrots, potatoes and all | | | | the day you will find that you are able to easily and |
| of the fixings for a delicious home cooked pot roast. | | | | effortlessly bring your attention to creating that |
| I could hardly wait until tomorrow! | | | | happy and productive day. |
| The next morning I woke a tad bit late. Do you ever | | | | Un-Clutter Your Life |
| do that? There I was rushing around to get ready | | | | Take two or three minutes to think about where |
| and suddenly I remembered the crock pot. I threw | | | | your life is too cluttered. Do you have physical clutter |
| my purse and briefcase down on the table and began | | | | like a messy desk? Do you volunteer for too many |
| to pull out all of the ingredients from the refrigerator | | | | things? Do you have too many projects going on at |
| that needed to go into the pot. I quickly began | | | | once? Write these all down on the left side of your |
| stuffing in the potatoes, the carrots and all of the | | | | page. Now on the right side right down where you |
| other vegetables. I grabbed the roast and tried to | | | | could simplify. Turn your paper over and on the left |
| stuff it on top of everything but it wouldn't fit. I | | | | side write down what the positive results will be once |
| pushed and shoved to no avail, it wasn't going to fit. | | | | you have accomplished these simplifications. Now on |
| So I took everything out and began again. This time I | | | | the right put down the action you will take and a |
| put the roast in first, after all what is a pot roast | | | | timeline of when you will action. |
| dinner without the roast? Amazingly I was able to fit | | | | Develop an Attitude of Gratitude and Feel Your |
| all of the vegetables in this time, squeezing them in | | | | Energy Soar |
| around the roast. | | | | I heard a speaker tell a story once that really stuck. |
| When you put the important ingredients of your life | | | | David, a second grader, was bumped while getting on |
| in first, the people and things you value most, | | | | the school bus and suffered a two inch cut on his |
| everything else just slides in around them, fitting | | | | cheek. At recess he collided with another boy and |
| perfectly. | | | | lost two teeth. Then while sliding on ice, he fell and |
| Stay in the present | | | | broke his wrist. Later at the hospital, his father |
| Multitasking is seen by many in the business world as | | | | noticed that David was clutching a quarter in his good |
| a badge of honor. Women are quick to point out that | | | | hand. David said; I found it on the ground when I fell |
| they are much better at multitasking than men. Is | | | | and this is the first quarter I ever found. This sure is |
| this a good thing? New studies have shown that | | | | my lucky day! Now that's what I call gratitude! |
| multitasking will actually make you about 45% less | | | | Celebrate Every Day! |
| productive. | | | | My friend Pamela Grant, a life and career coach, has |
| Stay in the present. Stop to smell the roses. Enjoy | | | | a wonderful custom that I think everyone should |
| life now! Don't let life be what happens when you are | | | | adopt. At the end of the day she and her husband |
| busy making other plans. | | | | sit down together and tell one another what went |
| Write it down | | | | right that day. They celebrate! Too often we beat |
| Whoever told you that you have to remember | | | | ourselves up at the end of the day, looking and |
| everything? You can only hold so many thoughts in | | | | ruminating over what went wrong or what we should |
| your mind at one time. Is it really important to | | | | have done. Isn't it so much better to celebrate all of |
| remember to pick up the milk on the way home? | | | | those accomplishments, both small and large, and give |
| Write down your list of to-do's and free your mind | | | | ourselves credit for the good in our life? |