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Strategies for Practicing the Art of Balance
by Neil Fiore, PhD
1. Do
the RIGHT WORK.
Decide what is your bottomline work -- what is important, NOT merely
urgent. Avoid the workaholic syndrome of continually putting out fires.
2. Distinguish EGO-ORIENTED WORK from RESULTS-ORIENTED WORK.
Ego-defensive work is usually unnecessary. Often 50% of some tasks can
be eliminated by concentrating on what really has to be done to simply
complete the task than on trying to avoid criticism or to prove that
you deserve praise.
3. THINK SMALL.
Rather than overwhelming yourself with the expectation of doing 60
hours of work -- or even 8 hours -- to finish the job, focus on when
you can find just 30 minutes to get started.
4. PREPROGRAM your brain with solutions.
Each
night and every Sunday evening spend a few minutes seeding your mind
with the top priority task you're start on tomorrow.
When
you are stuck, overwhelmed, or tired take 2 - 5 minutes to brainstorm
how the job might be tackled, divided up, delegated, or reduced. Get in
your mind the specific time when you will start.
5. Go from OVERWHELM TO OVERVIEW.
When you first approach a large task your mind will call for enough
energy to try to finish it all at once. Use this agitated level of
energy to overview the entire task and create a Reverse Calendar back
from the future deadline to the starting point.
Assign
"start-lines" instead of deadlines to do-able segments of the task
leading back to when you can start today.
6. DON'T PROCRASTINATE ON LIVING.
You cannot put your life on hold. It will backfire and reduce your
efficiency and productivity. Remember to eat good, sleep good, exercise
good, and make yourself leave the office for lunch, to walk, to take a
break.
7. Keep the big picture in mind.
Insist
on time for your life, your family, your church, your career, and your
relationship with your Self.
Avoid
the temptation to get lost in trying to do more work. LIVE NOW, the
life you've always wanted -- a few minutes each day, a few hours each
weekend -- in order to keep from burning out, resenting your work, and
losing motivation.
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©
Neil Fiore, Ph.D., 1998-2006. All rights reserved.
Neil Fiore, SELF-LEADERSHIP SEMINARS™, Voice: 510/525-2673
Website: www.neilfiore.com | www.yourstrongestself.com
E-mail: neil@neilfiore.com
Neil Fiore, Ph.D., maintains private counseling and management
consultant practices. Widely acknowledged as an expert in the areas of
health psychology, optimal performance and stress management, Dr. Fiore
has served as a consultant to many corporations and health and
educational institutions.
He is
the author of the books
Awaken
Your Strongest Self
Overcoming
Procrastination
and the Conquering
Procrastination program
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