The second habit described by Stephen Covey in his book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People says to “begin with the end in mind.” Thinking about what is important to us, what we want to be remembered for allows us to clarify our personal mission and direct our efforts to the areas that matter most. Taking this end-of-life perspective can help us understand how to focus our … [Read more...]
Stop Trying to Reinvent the Wheel
Doing something new can be a daunting endeavor. Whether we are taking on a new project, developing a fledgling idea, or simply learning to do a task we haven’t done before, trying something new can leave us feeling a bit overwhelmed. This is especially true if we are starting from scratch, trying to reinvent the wheel, as the saying goes. Although new things often require a … [Read more...]
Time Management Secrets for Getting the Most Out of Every Day
We all want to make the most of the time we have, but too often a day seems to slip away before we accomplish everything we wanted. I write elaborate to do lists only to have most (and sometimes all) of the items left at the end of the day. Even when I do manage to make a dent in everything I need to do, the achievement is soon crowded out by everything that still needs doing. … [Read more...]
One Powerful Book that Will Change Your Life
Our lives can get very dull when we feel trapped in the mundane tasks and routines of daily life. It is easy to get bogged down in our responsibilities and the work that simply must get done. Yet, too much of the mundane will dull our senses and suck the life out of us, leaving us dry and bored. The solution? We must find ways to engage our creativity on a regular basis so we … [Read more...]
Lessons from Your Big Toe on Work-Life Balance
We all want to know how to achieve balance in our work-life spheres, hoping that when we do, we will be able to move smoothly between work and life activities. While some have criticized the balance metaphor, Michael Hyatt, in a recent blog post titled What No One Ever Told You About Work-Life Balance, challenged the “magic bullet” misconceptions about balance and reframed the … [Read more...]
How Much Is Your Job Costing You?
When we evaluate our work we usually look at how it suits our skill-set, whether the schedule fits our needs, and if the salary is fair. We may not consider how much a job is costing us. I’m not talking about the intangible aspects of a job like health or commuting time. Sticking strictly with dollars and cents, every job has a cost. Weighing the costs against the benefits can … [Read more...]
Making Peace with a Never-ending To Do List
Lately I have been reflecting on my to do list, and the fact that it never ends. For every item I cross off, there seems to be two items that take its place. Each day I work to finish the list, but each night there are still items leftover, waiting for the next day to start again. As a goal-oriented person, having items left is like failing to accomplish my goal. I want to … [Read more...]
Cultivating your Calling
When my oldest daughter was 18-months-old, she had defined abdominal muscles. It was not because of anything we did; she simply loved to move and stayed very active. The day my son was born I took one look at his long fingers as he waved them in the air and knew he must play the cello. My second daughter often reminds me that she was “born to dance.” And my youngest son is our … [Read more...]
Guilt-Free Getaways
Taking time to recharge is vital to maintaining a high level of productivity. While we often push ourselves to work more, it is actually best to stop working on a regular basis so you can return to work refreshed and re-energized. Scheduling in low-cost getaways is a great way to get a change of scenery and time for renewal on a regular basis. Getaways don’t need to be … [Read more...]
Planning for Where You Want To Be
Are we there yet? It’s the annoying question my children often ask from the backseat on a road trip to visit family. In my better moments I distract and entertain them with stories and games and if I’m lucky a nice long nap. In my lesser moments I retort, “Does it look like we have arrived?” Trapped in a car for hours has a way of putting us all on edge and make us impatient to … [Read more...]
