Remember the book, "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People," Stephen Covey's best-known book? Shortly after it came out in 1989, my work team took a class about the habits. Individually and collectively, we learned to weave them into the way we worked and lived. Here are the first 6. Be Proactive. Begin with the End in Mind. Put First Things First. Think Win-Win. Seek First to Understand, then to be Understood. Synergize.
The 7th is Sharpen the Saw which about balancing and renewing your resources, energy and health to create a sustainable long-term effective lifestyle. The analogy comes from the woodcutter who continues to saw and saw and saw without taking the time to sharpen his tool, and he becomes increasingly less productive because of his dull blade. What I heard from many of you is that you'd put this one first because building daily routines into your life is the only way to make the rest of life work. The other interesting thing I found was that having regular routines was not exactly about being balanced. Balance is rather elusive and feels like a defeating goal when we can never arrive.
"I don't look for balance in my life as much as simply keeping grounded so that I can continue to work and function at an optimal level," writes Nick.
Here are some of the daily routines that you said are important for grounding:
- Exercise and Eat Right. We're not talking extreme sports here, people! What's most important, regardless of your age, is to exercise every day (even if it's 10 minutes). And it's important to eat right, which for most of us means finding a healthful pattern that generally works (with treats sprinkled in!) and have the discipline to stick to it.
- Connect with God. Anne says it's very simple for her. She advises: "Pray alone, sitting with your Bible open and a notebook ready to hear from the Lord or just cry out to Him with all you need to say. And run/walk alone outside in the open, fresh air and again, pray, pray, pray...then be silent."
- Deal with Incoming Mail. Between every type of paper and electronic media available these days, many of us find it frustrating to keep on top of all the things we need to read and make decisions about. Louise advises: "Handle your mail/paperwork one time only. Shred it, recycle it, pay the bill/record in checkbook, call, or do whatever - right away each day! This makes it easier to notice mistakes made by those billing you, spot ads in the junk mail that you might use, mark dates on your calendar. I tell my kids that there will be something in their mail about once a month that is wrong and it will cost them if they don't follow up."
- Maintain the House. Ugh...it can totally get away from us when life is crowded. Steve, my husband, is really good about setting certain days to do particular chores - like Wednesdays and Saturdays to do laundry and Saturday to cut the grass. "Having regularly routines makes life less stressful because you feel like you have some semblance of order around the house," he says. "And although it's sometimes easier to just go and do it myself, we've worked hard to involve our kids in the chores because it helps all of us."
- Rest. Rest when you need to and don't feel bad about it. Janet, who actively exercises, stays refreshed spiritually and connects with a wide range of people in her work and personal life, also says, "Take naps with your dog when you feel tired." (I want to do that right now!)
- Reach Out. Many of you said it's important to have regular touch points with people you care about throughout your day and have people who are lifelines. "Talk to someone who can relate to similar stresses," recommends Polly.
Next week I'll share what we're collectively learning about how to live out what's most important in life. I'd love to continue to hear from you.
Thank you for tackling this worthwhile modern issue from a variety of perspectives, Joann. In looking at the list, I recognized my parents' priorities from the 60s and 70s :) The basics are timeless!
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