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What Not to Do Every Day
and what to do instead
By Kathy Gates
With time flying by faster and faster every day, you already
know it's important to decide what you're going to do each day. However, it's
equally important to know what not to do. Add some Don'ts to your day, and see
how it helps with all those Do's.
Don't over schedule your day. It seems like scheduling every
minute would be the logical way to get everything done, but it actually tends to
work against you. Some things will take longer than you expected, some things
will interfere that you can't predict. If you're scheduled to the max, you'll
have no room to absorb them, things will overrun, and frustration will set in.
Instead, plan in the free time. Aim for about 75% scheduled, 25% free.
Don't say Yes to everything. Saying Yes to everything is like
cholesterol - it clogs your day with stuff you don't want there. Doing other
people's work, answering annoying phone calls, deleting junk emails. If you want
to read a book, say No to TV and the internet. If you want to start a home
business, say No to things that waste your time. If you want to lose weight say
No to Frito-Lay and Sara Lee. Simple as that (I didn't say easy, I said simple.)
Don't put what you want at the moment over what you want in the
long run. That extra 20 minutes of sleep in the morning might seem like the best
thing since sliced peanut butter, but you know it will only make you late, and
then playing catch up the rest of the day. That new pair of shoes may seem like
the last pair you'll ever need, but if it makes the rent money tight, it's not
worth it. Think about the long term effects of your actions today.
Don't get duped with "I can have it all" ideas. Having it all is
possible, either by having it at different times in your life, or by having a
whole lot of help (think Kelly Ripa or Katie Couric). Their few spare minutes
are certainly not spent grocery shopping or cleaning toilets. So please, lose
the Super-Woman idea attached to it.
Don't get trapped in microwave mentality. Things take time.
Appreciate the various stages of projects and goals as well as the outcome. Ever
notice a rose in bud form? It's beauty is special - no need to wait until the
rose is opened to enjoy it. A child is not just something to be steered into
adulthood before s/he can be appreciated. Neither are your goals of home
projects, or getting a degree, or even getting your scheduled organized. Learn
from the mistakes, learn to enjoy the lessons, and make each day as special as
the end result.
Don't give up. Never give up. When you mess up, or when the
winds of life come barreling in unannounced - and it will - being prepared as
best you can will give you the strength to be able to move on. If you lose your
job suddenly, having a reserve of money will ease the transition into a new job
and give you the power to wait to find the right one. When it seems like there's
no answer, push on. The answer may be just around the next corner. Don't let
fear, or anger, or frustration, or your money, or your in-laws, stop you from
living your life. Keep going. It's your turn next.
Professional Life Coach Kathy Gates helps people who are burned out,
stressed out, and fed up to get back in touch with the foundations of their
life.
www.reallifecoach.com
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