Sheer Balance

Feel like your life is out of control?  You are not alone. In today’s world, demands on our time and energy are at an all-time high. When we feel overwhelmed, over-extended and exhausted, life seems out of control. One of the greatest challenges in achieving life balance is finding time to work on our long-term goals. It requires commitment, discipline and practice.

Define what you want (Goals)

Think about what your long-term goals are. These could include anything. For instance, you might want to:

• Increase your physical energy
• Have more time for yourself
• Spend more time with family
• Advance your education
• Pursue an avocation or hobby
• Make a career change

Step 1: Commit to yourself (Commitment)

1. Write yourself a contract.
2. Enhance confidence by speaking positively about your commitment.
3. Break your goal down into incremental levels of success.
4. Visualize your success by imagining you have already achieved the next level and how it feels.

Step 2: Develop a follow-through plan (Discipline)

1. It is better to devote a realistic amount of time and to be consistent than to commit more time and not follow through.
2. Set aside just 10 – 20 minutes each day/week in the beginning.
3. To create time, list all your responsibilities and try to reduce the list. Some ideas might include:
   • Hiring a neighbor to walk the dog.
   • Hire a house-cleaning service once a week.
   • Being flexible about non essential activities:
     • Does the car need to be washed today?
     • Can your partner help out?
     • Don’t be afraid to ask!

Step 3: Make it a reality (Practice)

1. Once you feel comfortable, try to increase the time spent to 20 – 40 minutes each day/week. Always keep it manageable.
2. Break down the goal into realistic segments (levels of success).
3. Set levels of success that can be achieved within 2 week increments.
4. Include rewards at each level of success.

Lauren Mackler, a leading expert in activating human potential, is a renowned coach, keynote speaker, workshop facilitator, and popular radio and TV talk show guest. She is the fellow author of Speaking of Success with Jack Canfield, Stephen Covey, and Ken Blanchard, and founder of the coaching and consulting firm, Lauren Mackler & Associates. She lives in Boston, Massachusetts. Visit Lauren's web site at www.laurenmackler.com.