1. Charting Your Course to Success Article

Bringing Balance to a Chaotic Life by Chris Widener

If I had to make a composite question that gets at the heart of the question that I am asked most frequently, it would be this:

How can I manage my time more effectively and bring balance to my life in regard to work, family, friends, and social obligations?

With this in mind, I want to give us some thoughts to focus us in on the answer to that question.

I am convinced that the most important thing we must do is to be acutely aware of the reasons I should manage my time and bring balance to my life. In fact, most of us really know "how" to do it, don't we? Then why don't we? I think it comes to the issue of having a powerful motivating factor or reason. Below are two of mine that keep me motivated:

A life of accomplishment. When I am old and unable to get out with the young folks anymore, I want to be able to look back on my life and say that I accomplished much and that my life benefited others. That is why I do what I do now. It is what drives me to pursue what I pursue with a passion and vigor. It is why I bring my life into balance in many areas so I can achieve much in many areas.

A legacy. Here is a powerful motivating image that I picture with regularity: Picture a family gathering five years after your death. What will it look like? What will the people be talking about? How will they remember you? What will be the quality of their lives and how will you have been instrumental in that? These are questions that we can for the most part, answer now by how we live our lives (for better or for worse). Our lives make a difference in the lives of others! This is a tremendous reason to bring my life into balance!

Once we answer the "Why" question, and root it firmly in our minds and hearts, we come to the "hows."

First, we sit down and prioritize. Have you ever taken a couple of hours and listed everything that you are involved in or could be involved in and then prioritized it by importance? You may come up with a hundred items but that is okay. You will want to separate them into some categories as well, such as Work, Family, Health, Friends, Hobbies, Spiritual, Financial, Intellectual, Emotional, etc.

Now you have something to look at and see what is important. This will help you in the process of eliminating areas from your life that you are spending time on that you shouldn't be. And that is an important part: Frustration comes when we get involved in something that isn't a priority and we kick ourselves the whole time we do it. If we stick to priorities, we eliminate much of that.

The next step is to learn the most powerful word in the human language: No. Just look in the mirror and practice saying that word with a smile on your face. This may be the most important part - learning to decline opportunity. It all depends on whether or not it fits in with our priorities.

Here is the principle that drives this:

Good is the enemy of the best.

There are lots of good things we can spend our time on. But because they replace those things that would be the best things we could spend our time on, they become our enemy. They become counter-productive to a successful and balanced life.

So ask yourself: Is this good? Or is it the best? Do the best you can to stick to the best!

Schedule your time. The more we fly by the seat of our pants, the more apt we are to lose control of our time. If we schedule out our time, we can become a bit more objective and bring our lives into balance. For example, you may make it your goal to be home by six o'clock every night. In your schedule book, you write in that you have an appointment at six. You schedule to leave the office at five-thirty. Now when a co-worker comes in with an "opportunity" for you to work on, you say, "Sorry, I have an appointment at six that I can't break. Let's get together on it first thing in the morning." Scheduling your time, coupled with saying "no," will do wonders for bringing your life into balance!

Another aspect for us to look at is the area of external pressure that causes us to be out of balance. For example, financial obligations may be what keep us working too much. So we should look at those obligations and see if we can eliminate or reduce them.

The last thing I would challenge you with is to give some thought as to what the secret pleasures of being out of balance may be. For example, sometimes we let ourselves over commit because we don't like conflict. Peace is our secret pleasure.

Sometimes we allow ourselves to become out of balance because we like it when people say, "Boy, she sure is a dynamo. Look how busy she is." Admiration from others is our secret pleasure.

In review:
Find the right reasons
Set priorities
Learn to say "no"
Understand that the good is the enemy of the best
Schedule your time
Manage External pressures
Be aware of internal "secret pleasures"

Chris Widener
 

2. Made for Success Quote and Commentary

"The treacherous, unexplored areas of the world are not in continents or the seas; they are in the hearts and minds of men." -- Allen E. Claxton

Chris' Commentary:
Many of us would be excited to take a journey, an exploration, into unknown areas of the world where the potential for newfound discoveries was great! I know that I would! But have you ever thought about how much potential there is as you explore your own heart and mind? Don't neglect the possibilities that can arise from within you as you take the time to train, explore and cultivate your inner life. You have tremendous potential, in many ways more exciting than any newfound area of the world could ever be!

Action Point: Commit to taking the time to explore your inner life. This will require being quiet and allow yourself to hear your thoughts and dreams. Read good material that will foster your inward growth and then pursue the potential you find in your heart and mind!




3. The Last Word...

This week's Last Word offering is a Q&A related to managing your time -- a question I get a LOT!! Enjoy!

Q. What's your hottest tip for managing one's time effectively? GM, San Rafael, CA

A. The number one tip I would give is to get yourself to the point where you know what the most important things are to you -- your priorities; those things that when they are done will move you on toward your goal. Know those priorities so well that it becomes second nature to you and then when it comes time to make a decision as to what you will do or how you will spend your time, you will make the right choice.

You see time management really isn't time management, per se. It is ultimately self-management as we relate to our priorities.

So I would encourage you to take time on a regular basis and examine all of the options available to you that you can spend your time on. You can do this as you look at your whole life or as you look at a segment of your life.

Once you see what your options are, then make a priority list. What things are the most important? And let me say "most important," not "most enjoyable." As you do this, you see where you must spend your time.

Since this is the first step, it must be the most important.

-- CW




4. Free Download of Chris Widener's MP3 - The Best Test and a Special Chris Widener Offer!

Every once in a while (especially since my ezine subscribers have been growing by leaps and bounds), I like to offer a free download to my subscribers as a "Thank You" for being part of positive change in the marketplace and world. So go ahead download it for yourself and then feel free to pass this free download along to those who will benefit from and enjoy it. And while you're at it, check out my special offer and save an additional 20%! -- CW

Special Chris Widener Offer! 

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5. Customer Feedback

Here are some of the testimonials and comments we received over the past weeks from our Ezine subscribers. We love receiving comments and feedback from our readers - so keep it coming!


Chris, I just wanted to say thank you for writing The Image. I loved it! I'm a fellow Seattle-ite, a Christian, a woman, and ambitious, so I could really relate. Thank you!!!
-- Sandy

The Angel Inside -- What a fantastic book. It helps to know we are always a work in progress. I can see where some of the big chunks have been knocked off. I look forward to the results of the process because I know I am becoming who He wants me to be. It's also nice to remember that God never gives up! I enjoyed the Twelve Pillars book also. Thanks!
-- Dennis C.

Chris... Just sharing a hello and thank you for sending the info below. I am with Arbonne in Houston, visited with your briefly this past year, the evening of a car presentation on your return to the Anatole & enjoyed your presentation in Garland in July. Miss & enjoy...... your energy & life enhancing messages of empowerment & encouragement. Thanks for your presence in each of our lives and may God continue to reveal his presence and love to you & your dear family always. My son's former 7th & 8th grade Montessori School class so enjoyed, were touched & blessed by your 2 books this past year, as each student was gifted with there own copy, as part of there curriculum & group discussion this past season. Donna Johnson continues to lift you up often...... on our weekly conference calls, so you are always in the thoughts & hearts of many of us at Arbonne. Continue your walk of Influence....you are blessing many with your abundant gifts & talents.
-- Anna Tausend


Thank you Ezine readers, for the sincere and kind words of encouragement and appreciation you sent us! -- CW
 

6. More Information

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