Change Your Life, Make An Appointment With Yourself!
by Dr. David L. Wick, D.C.

In this current age, when days seem to be getting busier and shorter all at once, we very often tend to skimp on spending time doing the things that matter most. One of the most important things we can do is take care of ourselves.

In The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Dr. Stephen Covey explores the need to spend time helping oneself. He asserts that we are powerless to cut down the "trees" (projects) of life unless we first "sharpen the saw." This is a most important activity that he recommends scheduling in advance. Truly, if we do not spend time doing what matters most, we will suffer at the hands of that which matters least.

When you dedicate time to your personal dreams and passions, you are more effective in grappling with the rest of the tasks that fill your day. If you ignore your core passions, you will soon find yourself burning out and losing effectiveness in all that you do. Committing time to your core desires will fill you with greater energy, boldness and zest for life.

So how do we go about securing time for ourselves?

Well, it isn't always easy, but it's always important. Try some of these tips to help yourself find time to "sharpen the saw":

• Get adequate sleep at night to give yourself the much-needed energy to work at your peak performance levels. This will help you perform your tasks more quickly and accurately. It will help you have a sharper, quicker mind. If you're having trouble sleeping, you may wish to consider some suggestions for better sleep found by clicking here.
• Consider getting up earlier. Some studies show that successful people get up early. In fact, multiple studies show a direct relationship between how early executives rise and their ascent up the corporate ladder. If you do get up earlier, be sure to use that undisturbed time productively. It may prove to be some of the best moments of your day.
• Use an appointment-keeping device. Whether a paper appointment book or a high-tech device, use something that will help you structure your day to keep you in control. I recommend using the paper planners and technology sold by FranklinCovey. I firmly believe that their devices will help you to be successful in the most important areas of your life. Their planners not only encourage setting appointments but also prioritizing them according to your roles, goals and mission statement. They have all the tools you need to maximize your time and develop a quality life.
• Schedule planning time into each day. This sets the pace for the rest of your day and helps you prioritize what matters most. I like for this to be one of the first activities every day. Using the FranklinCovey system helps me make the most of this time.
• Control your e-mail time. It's very easy to lose large amounts of time on e-mail if you don't structure your time well. You may wish to practice the following:
  • Schedule e-mail appointments that limit you to only what time is needed for the most important processing. (I filter through nearly 100 daily e-mails in less than 1 hour.)
  • Consider scheduling only 1 to 2 e-mail checks daily.
  • Keep your written e-mails brief.
  • If using a mail client that will sort your e-mails by sender, set different priorities and rules. I have an automatic sorter that places my most important e-mail senders into different folders. The time-waster e-mails are also sorted into different folders, especially the trash. If you are able to quickly identify your most important e-mails, you will spend less time determining who sent what. You will also be able to quickly shuffle through, reading and answering only those e-mails that matter most.
  • Be friendly with the "Delete" button. If you quickly determine the e-mail to be a time-waster, get rid of it right away. Who needs it?
• Control your time on the phone. Avoid having your time and energy drained by meaningless phone conversations. Structure your phone times to gain maximum productivity. Consider implementing the following:
  • Similar to e-mail appointments, set phone appointments.
  • Schedule 1 to 2 major blocks of time for phone conversations. I tend to need only about 30 minutes daily for business calls so I plan those times first before placing or receiving even one call.
  • Bunch your calls together and keep them as short as possible.
  • When placing a call, set the tone of the call by outlining your objectives first. You may also wish to state how much time you will spend on the call; "I have ten minutes to discuss. . ."
  • Voicemail is your friend, use it to your advantage. Create a message that outlines the times you will return calls if you so desire. Also, be friendly with the delete feature. Unimportant calls can be quickly sorted out.
• Control TV and computer time. It's very easy to let TV and computers absorb our most precious moments of the day. Even valuable TV programming and terrific Internet sites can be time wasters when viewed in excess. While we all need "downtime", it's important to keep it within limits. Plan those times and stick to your plans. I like to keep the combination of TV and Internet to less than 1 hour daily on most days.
• Delegate effectively. It's easy to be caught in the trap of thinking that you have to "do it all." In truth, you probably know people that could do a better job of certain things than you can. When you give them such tasks you empower both them and yourself. Never consider a task for yourself without first asking "Who could do this as well as me?" and "Who could perform this adequately?"
• Learn to say "No!" Once again, it's easy to get caught in the trap of performing a number of things that another person could do better, or things that simply don't advance you toward what matters most to you. Consider these important questions whenever someone asks you to take on a certain task or activity:
  • Does this advance my goals?
  • Would this be true to my mission statement?
  • What specific benefit would I gain from it?
  • Is there someone I would best delegate it to?

Once you've gained the time to "sharpen the saw", fill it with wonderful things that will advance your effectiveness. Consider some of the following:

• Chiropractic adjustments
• Acupuncture treatments
• Massages
• Healthy exercises
• Journaling
• Spiritual and motivational reading
• Prayer and meditation
• Listening to spiritual and motivational talks

Bear in mind the old adage, "All things in moderation." Balance is the key to healthy living. Schedule time for yourself and change your life!

This article is not intended for the diagnosis or treatment of any illness. Diagnosis and treatment of all health conditions should only be performed by your doctor of chiropractic or other licensed health care professional. Please use this article for informational purposes only. This information does not replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified healthcare provider.