Make Time For Your Life Before it's Too Late
Make Time For Your Life Before it's Too Late
It’s amazing to see so many people who are prepared to sacrifice their lives for the sake of their business. I’m sure you know of someone like that. They get up at the crack of dawn, drag their weary bodies out of the house and head off for another rollercoaster ride at work. Ten or twelve hours later they head home totally exhausted with all their energy sapped from their body.
They might make the effort to find out how the rest of their family’s day has been, even read their children a bed-time story. Finally after having something to eat, taking a hot shower or bath, they then veg out on the couch. They immerse themselves in the newspaper (again) or watch the news or some mindless television show (if they don’t fall asleep beforehand).
Of course there are many others that never switch off. They spend the minimum amount of time with their family and then race off into their home office and keep working until they can't keep their eyes open...what a life!
Bill's Story
I made a follow-up call to a gentleman who initially had contacted me earlier this year. He was interested in getting coached as his business and his life was in turmoil. Bill has run his own accounting practice for many years with 3 employees. There were many issues affecting the situation he was currently in and one major one was the fact that he never had the time together with the right knowledge to work 'on' his business.
He never invested any time or energy in making his business better. Sure he attended 'professional development' days run by for his industry but these were on technical aspects of being an accountant...tax matters etc. He lacked business and life skills - how to run his business effectively and profitably. One of his key headaches was like many business owners attracting and retaining good people. His health was also suffering from the stress and the fact that he never did anything to invest in his personal well-being.
Being a procrastinator, Bill didn't go ahead with coaching...he did what he's always done - he puts things off. I followed up with him this week to see how he was going and you know what happened? I'd just caught him as he was heading out the door...heading into hospital for bowel surgery!
This was one situation he couldn't put off or say he didn't have time for.
If you've ever heard me speak at a conference or business event you may have heard me read the following article by Cheryl Richardson which really rings true and makes you realise it's up to you to take charge:
"I never seemed to be able to make time for the things that mattered most to me. For years I believed that if I could just learn to manage my time more efficiently I'd be able to handle it all. It wasn't until I hired my first personal coach that I realized it wasn't about time management at all--it was about self-management.
‘I have no time for my life’ was the most common complaint I'd hear from clients who hired me as a personal coach to help them create more balanced lives. Although they'd say their family or their health was a top priority, their schedules reflected something very different.
The "in-box of life" never empties. Our fast-paced, adrenaline-based culture will trap you into believing that you'll finally be able to relax once you make that one last phone call, finish one final project, or respond to one last e-mail. But, if you keep waiting for your to-do list to be completed, you'll miss your life.
Schedule time for your life. Put it in your weekly calendar (in ink!) and hold this time as sacred. When someone calls to make plans during that time (and they will), simply smile and tell them you're unavailable.
Guilt is good. When you start saying no to those things that you'd really rather not do (like helping a friend move for the second time, or taking on the extra project at work that will keep you up at night), you'll most likely feel some guilt. Let guilt be a sign that you're on the right track. Look for opportunities to practice saying no. After all, you can't take time for your life without learning to disappoint others first.
Play by new rules.
As technology continues to bombard us with information and we become slaves to other people's agendas, it will be more important than ever to set limits. Protect your peace of mind. Turn the ringer off on the phone. Check your e-mail or voicemail only once or twice a day. Tell people that you'll respond to calls and e-mails within a week instead of the politically correct 24-hour period. Remember, this is your life we're talking about!
Stop juggling and start living! It's time to let a few balls drop. Here are some of the balls I'd recommend you let go of first: trying to please everyone; trying to be a star at the expense of your life; trying to do everything perfectly; and, trying to do everything. Kiss your "good girl" or "good boy" role goodbye--it will rob you of your life!
A high-quality life has more to do with what you remove from your life than what you add to it. So, instead of looking at what you'd like to add to your life in the New Year, focus on clearing out the old. Clear out the clutter, let go of the obligations that make you feel resentful, and challenge the people who drain your energy to stop. Trust me, as you dedicate the next year to your self-care, you'll be a much better person to be around."
The Final Word
It's all down to you. Identify what you want to change in your business and your life and if you are serious about changing, take the necessary action and start right now!
Have a great week!
Make Time For Your Life Before its Too Late - To learn more about this author, visit Lorraine Pirihi's Website.
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Hi,
It’s amazing to see so many people who are prepared to sacrifice their lives for the sake of their business. I’m sure you know of someone like that. They get up at the crack of dawn, drag their weary bodies out of the house and head off for another rollercoaster ride at work. Ten or twelve hours later they head home totally exhausted with all their energy sapped from their body.
They might make the effort to find out how the rest of their family’s day has been, even read their children a bed-time story. Finally after having something to eat, taking a hot shower or bath, they then veg out on the couch. They immerse themselves in the newspaper (again) or watch the news or some mindless television show (if they don’t fall asleep beforehand).
Of course there are many others that never switch off. They spend the minimum amount of time with their family and then race off into their home office and keep working until they can't keep their eyes open...what a life!
Bill's Story
I made a follow-up call to a gentleman who initially had contacted me earlier this year. He was interested in getting coached as his business and his life was in turmoil. Bill has run his own accounting practice for many years with 3 employees. There were many issues affecting the situation he was currently in and one major one was the fact that he never had the time together with the right knowledge to work 'on' his business.
He never invested any time or energy in making his business better. Sure he attended 'professional development' days run by for his industry but these were on technical aspects of being an accountant...tax matters etc. He lacked business and life skills - how to run his business effectively and profitably. One of his key headaches was like many business owners attracting and retaining good people. His health was also suffering from the stress and the fact that he never did anything to invest in his personal well-being.
Being a procrastinator, Bill didn't go ahead with coaching...he did what he's always done - he puts things off. I followed up with him this week to see how he was going and you know what happened? I'd just caught him as he was heading out the door...heading into hospital for bowel surgery!
This was one situation he couldn't put off or say he didn't have time for.
If you've ever heard me speak at a conference or business event you may have heard me read the following article by Cheryl Richardson which really rings true and makes you realise it's up to you to take charge:
"I never seemed to be able to make time for the things that mattered most to me. For years I believed that if I could just learn to manage my time more efficiently I'd be able to handle it all. It wasn't until I hired my first personal coach that I realized it wasn't about time management at all--it was about self-management.
‘I have no time for my life’ was the most common complaint I'd hear from clients who hired me as a personal coach to help them create more balanced lives. Although they'd say their family or their health was a top priority, their schedules reflected something very different.
The "in-box of life" never empties. Our fast-paced, adrenaline-based culture will trap you into believing that you'll finally be able to relax once you make that one last phone call, finish one final project, or respond to one last e-mail. But, if you keep waiting for your to-do list to be completed, you'll miss your life.
Schedule time for your life. Put it in your weekly calendar (in ink!) and hold this time as sacred. When someone calls to make plans during that time (and they will), simply smile and tell them you're unavailable.
Guilt is good. When you start saying no to those things that you'd really rather not do (like helping a friend move for the second time, or taking on the extra project at work that will keep you up at night), you'll most likely feel some guilt. Let guilt be a sign that you're on the right track. Look for opportunities to practice saying no. After all, you can't take time for your life without learning to disappoint others first.
Play by new rules.
As technology continues to bombard us with information and we become slaves to other people's agendas, it will be more important than ever to set limits. Protect your peace of mind. Turn the ringer off on the phone. Check your e-mail or voicemail only once or twice a day. Tell people that you'll respond to calls and e-mails within a week instead of the politically correct 24-hour period. Remember, this is your life we're talking about!
Stop juggling and start living! It's time to let a few balls drop. Here are some of the balls I'd recommend you let go of first: trying to please everyone; trying to be a star at the expense of your life; trying to do everything perfectly; and, trying to do everything. Kiss your "good girl" or "good boy" role goodbye--it will rob you of your life!
A high-quality life has more to do with what you remove from your life than what you add to it. So, instead of looking at what you'd like to add to your life in the New Year, focus on clearing out the old. Clear out the clutter, let go of the obligations that make you feel resentful, and challenge the people who drain your energy to stop. Trust me, as you dedicate the next year to your self-care, you'll be a much better person to be around."
The Final Word
It's all down to you. Identify what you want to change in your business and your life and if you are serious about changing, take the necessary action and start right now!
Have a great week!
Make Time For Your Life Before its Too Late - To learn more about this author, visit Lorraine Pirihi's Website.
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Cheryl MatthynssensCheryl is a life skills coach, licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor and a 20 year entrepreneur. Cheryl's dedication to achieving a life of balance led to her expanding her teaching from the simple managing of life's daily challenges to adding financial well being as well. A direct marketer with DrinkACT, she is gaining ground in the online community with her concepts of making sure business owners, entreprenuers and employees have well rounded life styles. She opened up a small affiliate site - The Balance Guide- to help others find resources for mental and emotional well being. Visit Cheryl's blog to see more of the diversity beyond business she has began offering online at www.thebalanceguide.blogspot.com - Visit Cheryl Matthynssens's Website |
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George LudwigGeorge Ludwig is a recognized authority on sales strategy and peak performance psychology. An international speaker, trainer, and corporate consultant, he helps clients like Johnson & Johnson, Abbott Laboratories, Northwestern Mutual, CIGNA, and numerous others improve sales force effectiveness and performance. Though it's George's strategies and processes that help corporations increase productivity and performance, it's his tremendous energy and dynamism that spark the transformation. Again and again, clients remark on his amazing ability to unleash human capacity and inspire men and women to break out of their comfort zones. The result is a whole new type of salesperson. His customized presentations teach achievers to make stunning advances in their lives. From helping salespeople realize cherished dreams to helping corporations exponentially accelerate revenue streams, George Ludwig leaves audiences and individuals empowered, emboldened, and clamoring for more. George is the best-selling author of Power Selling: Seven Strategies for Cracking the Sales Code and Wise Moves: 60 Quick Tips to Improve Your Position in Life & Business. - Visit George Ludwig's Website |
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John PowerJohn Power, founder of Biltmore Franchise Consulting, has extensive experience developing and marketing franchises and business opportunities. He has been in and around franchising for over twenty years. From 1980 through 1990 he conceptualized, organized, and developed the American Video Association. He grew AVA to 2,000 national members, before selling the company it 1990. It was later merged into another home video marketing company. From 2000 to 2005 he worked as a contract marketing and human resources consultant to several local and national companies. In 2005 Mr. Power began working as a franchise development consultant on a full-time basis. Since that time he has helped more than three dozen companies initiate and develop their franchising program. He notes that there are many companies interested in developing a franchise program, and who need his specialized assistance. Mr. Power is a “hands-on” franchise consultant. He said, “I am the ‘nuts and bolts’ person who tends to the details for my clients.” Mr. Power holds a B.S. degree with a major in Marketing. See: www.biltmorefranchise.com You may contact Mr. Power at: jpower@biltmorefranchise.co - Visit John Power's Website |
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Kim CastleWith nearly two decades in the advertising and design business, with clients like Domino's Pizza, General Motors, Direct TV, Pedigree, Wolfgang Puck, Higher Octave Music, Hollywood Celebrity Products, Disney, and Paramount, as well as thousands of entrepreneurs around the world define, structure, communicate, and position their business for greater profits, BrandU(R) co-creators Kim Castle and W. Vito Montone discovered that entrepreneurs could experience the same power that big brands command for a fraction of the cost with the world's only process-based results-drive Integral approach to business creation. BrandU(R) is helping entrepreneurs grow with the power of extreme clarity from idea...to brand...to market(TM) and helping one million entrepreneurs become successful and whole so that they can make a difference in the world. Are you one of them? If you want to experience clarity all the way to the bank(TM), get started now at http://www.brandu.com. - Visit Kim Castle's Website |
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Dave KurlanDave Kurlan is the founder and CEO of Objective Management Group, Inc., the industry leader in sales assessments and sales force evaluations, and the CEO of David Kurlan & Associates, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in sales force development. Dave has been a top rated speaker at Inc. Magazine's Conference on Growing the Company, the Sales & Marketing Management Conference and the Gazelles Sales & Marketing Summit. He has been featured on radio and TV, including World Business Review with General Norman Schwarzkopf, in Inc. Magazine, Selling Power Magazine, Sales & Marketing Management Magazine and Incentive Magazine. He is the author of Mindless Selling and Baseline Selling – How to Become a Sales Superstar by Using What You Already Know about the Game of Baseball. He created and wrote STAR, a proprietary recruiting process for hiring great salespeople, and he writes Understanding the Sales Force, a popular business Blog and is a contributing author to The Death of 20th Century Selling and 101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life, Volume 2. - Visit Dave Kurlan's Website |
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