Todd Tidmore, Successful Life Tips

Author: Kevin Michael Kiley
Have you noticed that when you strive for improvement in your life that one area can improve while another can falter? Some people think this is okay, that once we have the results we want in one area of our lives that we will then be able to go back and take care of what has been neglected. Lasting improvement rarely works this way. You are better served being patient and paying balanced and regular attention to all the areas of your life.

This article points out the 7 areas of life to which we should pay regular attention. Having ideals in each of these areas and learning to move toward those ideals in a regular and balanced way can provide a powerful sense of meaning and purpose. This article is meant to help you see this more simply and clearly. These 7 areas are outlined below.

Life is actually very simple. The hard part is allowing it to be that way.

QUIET TIME 101

The most basic, essential ingredient in a happy and successful life is the habit of regular quiet time. Yet how many people have made the continued development of this habit a daily priority? People who put this time above the urgency of more mundane needs inevitably develop more peace and love and joy within. How important is the mastery of this subject to you?

EXERCISE 101

A habit of daily exercise supports physical well-being. Is your routine designed to nurture a body that is balanced, flexible, and strong? Is your routine designed to develop a body with outstanding cardiovascular endurance? Will you be able to enjoy your exercise routine in the later years of your life? Establish the habit of daily exercise because your body truly is your temple.

EATING 101

Eating habits often reflect the family in which we were raised. Did we learn to say grace? Were healthy meals and desserts prepared with lots of love? Or did we learn to gobble cookies in order to ease excessive anxiety? Why we eat, what we eat, and how we eat are intimately related to physical, material, and spiritual well-being.

VOCATION 101

Serve others in a way that is deeply fulfilling. Experiment until discovering work that suits your natural inclinations. From there, continuously develop to be the very best that you can be, and never stop growing in your field of choice. When we marry natural abilities with the discipline of intelligent effort, we do more than earn a living - we learn to practice work as a type of sacred play.

RECREATION 101

Spontaneity is a must! Isn’t it rejuvenating to wander in a new place or to engage in conversation with a new face? Isn’t it wonderful to allow ourselves to learn something new for no apparent reason? A game of catch can take us away from difficult problems and magically make way for surprise solutions. Have you learned how to make time for recreation in a balanced way?

RELATIONSHIPS 101

Relationships with others are a reflection of relationship with Self. Isn’t that an incredibly important subject to constantly explore? Learn to use the language of self-responsibility and make a study of your life. Develop superior communication skills and establish a truly interdependent personality. In relationships, each individual’s unique life journey comes alive.

SLEEP 101

Most people sleep 6-8 hours each day. That’s a lot of time dedicated to something most of us don’t think much about! Deep, regular, and restful sleep can be learned. For some it’s natural, but for others it requires practice. Either way, healthy sleeping habits are extremely beneficial and unhealthy ones can be a symptom of illness. What are your sleeping habits saying about you?

The importance of these life “subjects” must be acknowledged. They are foundational. Do you have an ultimate ideal in mind in each of these areas? Are you working toward those ideals in a balanced, consistent, and determined way? Doing so creates deep meaning and purpose that last a lifetime. What are you waiting for?!

Author: Nickolove Lovemore
Many entrepreneurs are guilty of working extremely long hours and neglecting their health. They fail to get adequate rest and relaxation. They say they are too busy to eat. They don’t take time out to exercise. Their focus is getting the business off the ground at all costs. The cost is usually to themselves as well as their business.

It is understandable that long hours are sometimes required when establishing a new business or embarking on a special project. However, it is important to schedule regular downtime. The body simply cannot perform at its optimum if you are continually working flat out. What will eventually happen is that, as well as the deterioration of your physical and mental health, your productivity levels will also decline. Rich Schefren, President of Strategic Profits and who is dubbed “Coach to the Internet Gurus”, said the following about Internet entrepreneurs, but it applies across the board:

“Most entrepreneurs valiantly squeeze all of the fun out of their day in order to schedule more time at work, as if hours in front of a computer somehow magically translate into additional income. But too much work and too little play has that all too common side effect of ‘work’ time being wasted because we are simply not productive or can’t get started on the big projects.”

If you examine the lifestyle of any highly successful individual what becomes evident is that they play as hard as they work. Poet, May Sarton imparted this advice:

“Each day, and the living of it, has to be a conscious creation in which discipline and order are relieved with some play and pure foolishness.”

Take, for instance, multi-millionaire Jamie McIntyre of the 21st Century Academy. McIntyre believes in taking a holiday every couple of months. He says that occasionally, for one reason or another, he doesn’t feel like taking a holiday but he literally forces himself to take that break. He says he always returns feeling “uplifted and energised”. However, he also believes in incorporating activities that build his energy levels rather than deplete them on a daily basis. He particularly likes walking along the beach. This is not an activity that you may enjoy or find possible in your current surroundings. It doesn’t matter. It’s just important to find an activity that you enjoy and that replenishes your energy rather than deplete it.

When you push your body to its limits it’s not long before the signs of wear and tear start to show - muscular aches and pains, headaches, indigestion, loss of appetite, insomnia, heart palpitations, etc. Yet, it is amazing how some individuals stubbornly refuse to acknowledge that it is their grueling lifestyle that is taking its toll. They refuse to ease up. Instead they may turn to pills and even alcohol to help get them through yet another punishing day. If you are suffering the effects of ill-health do seek medical advice but also take steps to improve your work-life balance. The rewards for doing so are great.

When you take time out to look after your health your productivity levels will remain more consistent and your mental acuity will remain sharp so that you can effectively deal with any challenges that might arise. When you balance your life you have a greater chance of achieving the success not just in your business but in all areas of your life.