Too Busy for Your Own Good (55 page)

Don't be a walking résumé
. Get over yourself. Let your current actions and how you treat others speak louder than what you've accomplished.

Don't qualify yourself by talking about your job
. People will like and respect you more when you're
interested in
them, than
interesting to
them.

When navigating your business, keep the rest of your life alive and diverse. Remember your priorities away from work. Don't get confused about whether to attend a business development meeting or your child's Christmas play. Choose the family—make the choice that nourishes your home life and increases those moments that make life full and priceless.

You could get mad if the company makes you choose between them and your family. Instead, say, “I won't be
at the meeting. I'll be at my daughter's holiday play/son's game/wife's recital. My family is the reason I can be my best when I'm working. Their love and support keep me going, and I don't want to miss these moments in their lives.” Knowing what your priorities are in this regard will help you to change your attitude, curb your temper, and reduce stress.

The absolute best way to ensure that your personal life and your work life are separate, distinct entities is by making your home a place that you look forward to getting to when the day is done. By doing so, you will have a constant reminder of why you are going into work each day and a refuge away from the office as well. Your home needs to be relaxing and restoring to your soul. That doesn't mean plopping down in front of the computer or television. It means to break your rhythm and restructure your time, like spending quality time with the family or pursuing hobbies or leisure activities.

Make sure your days off are really
off
!
Do something besides errands, laundry, or catching up on work. Believe it or not, you won't get into the corner office by eating, breathing, and sleeping your job 24/7/365. You need a life. Take it back.

Plan a vacation
. The research and planning of any trip is a big part of the fun. Even if you don't know how you'll pay for it or who will take care of the cat and dog, often the universe will offer you ways. Your
intention
to take a trip will fire you up and make every brown bag lunch and late night project worth the effort. You may find yourself resisting extraneous expenditures,
researching new subjects, even learning a new language when you have a “grand adventure” on the planning boards.

Have a short “staycation.”
Did you have campouts in the backyard as a kid? There was something adventurous about being away from home but having the comfort of knowing that you could run inside when the neighbor's cat tipped over a trash can. Plan your staycation as you would an out-of-town vacation. Get everyone involved, get guidebooks for your area, set a budget, pay the bills, and do house chores before you begin. Plan your days' events and activities, turn off all your electronics, change your outgoing message, and don't be tempted to do anything around the house. You'll be surprised at the fun you'll have eating out at breakfast, playing tennis on a public court, visiting local attractions, or taking a historical tour of your own town. Travel is great, but Old Faithful will be there next year.

Get a house project
. When we met, one of the strongest mutual attractions my husband and I had was our love of home improvement. He was impressed that I had my own set of power tools, and I loved that he could figure out how to fix
anything
and is very organized and tidy when he does so. Our happiest times together are when we are planning, shopping, building, or remodeling. I'm not suggesting everyone start tearing out walls. There are other projects that don't involve power tools, such as making memory books, researching the family tree, or painting a room.

Take up a new hobby
. Nothing is as humbling as tumbling down the bunny hill when you're first learning to ski or snowboard. And nothing as exhilarating! You're never too old to learn to pack your own chute, strap on a scuba tank, or collect baseball
cards. With a new hobby or sport comes a new set of skills, people, and language. Immerse yourself and let the joy take you away.

There's a saying in the equestrian world: no hoof, no horse. The hoof is vitally important to the horse since it bears a huge proportion of the total weight and it indicates the soundness of the animal. For office-dwelling humans, your health bears a large proportion of balancing your life: no health, no soundness.

If you're like most busy people, your diet is full of holes. Skipped meals, fast food, and liquid meals are those I hear about (and have experienced) the most. We all know we should eat better, but who has the time, inclination, and willpower? So we tend to swallow the latest vitamin and mineral pill to make up for our nutritional shortfall. Unfortunately, these pills and potions are expensive and are poor substitutes for a healthful diet, not to mention some can actually be harmful.

When it comes to diet and nutrition, my favorite voice of reason is Dr. Dean Edell and his book
Eat, Drink & Be Merry
. Dr. Edell believes that we should use common sense and a critical eye to make our personal health decisions. He warns us to be extremely mindful to distinguish between science and news. Science is proven through scientific method, which prevents research outcomes from being influenced by either the placebo effect or observer bias. News is trying to sell you something through anecdotal evidence—so-and-so says it worked, without any actual scientific proof.

Allow me to inject some sanity into your plan to eat better.

Give up on fad diets
. These usually promise quick results and deliver, but do you really want to live carb-free (or gluten-free or sodium-free) for the rest of your life? If you must diet, do it with tried-and-true methods such as Weight Watchers, which emphasize healthy weight loss along with information, support, simplicity, and accountability.