HEALTHY?

 The Power of Healthy Living—Small Changes, Big Impact

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In today’s fast-paced world, it’s easy to forget about taking care of our health. But the truth is, living a healthy life isn’t just about hitting the gym or eating kale every day. It’s about making small, consistent changes that add up over time.

A healthy lifestyle starts with simple choices: drinking more water, eating balanced meals, and getting enough sleep.

These changes don’t need to be drastic, but they can transform how you feel, think, and perform each day.

Exercise isn’t just about looking good—it’s about feeling good, both mentally and physically. Whether it’s a brisk walk or a full workout, moving your body helps release stress, boost energy, and improve mood.

Healthy living also means managing stress and nurturing relationships. It’s about finding balance and prioritizing what truly matters—your well-being. 

So, start small. Take one step at a time. Choose to make healthy living a daily habit, and you’ll start noticing the changes. 

Your future self will thank you.

THE BALANCING ACT

 By: Kathy Paauw

"The average office worker receives more than 200 messages a day via snail mail, email, express mail, cell phone, landline, wireless Web, bicycle messenger, singing telegram, you name it. Taking in information these days is like trying to drink from a fire hose." Dr. Martha Beck

Did you know that one Sunday edition of The New York Times contains more information than all the written documents in the world during the 15th century? Does it seem like life is spinning out of control? The pace of life just keeps picking up! And with it, job satisfaction is on the decline.

In an Associated Press article, Marc Greenbaum, a 50-year-old professor at Suffolk Law School, stated that "I'm personally happier but I observe more people that are more miserable. There's more pressure on them to produce, more problems with maintaining a boundary between work and family, even maintaining a boundary between work and the outside because of things like e-mail, voicemail and the Blackberry. They can't get away."

According to the Families and Work Institute, over 47% of U.S. workers surveyed feel overworked. In addition, 59% of Americans describe their lives as very busy according to an NBC news survey. According to Dr. Richard Swensen, author of Margin: Restoring Emotional, Physical, Financial, and Time Reserves to Overloaded Lives, the average American will spend one year in his/her life searching through desk clutter looking for misplaced objects. We are working harder and faster than ever. Being more organized can help reduce stress, save time, and improve efficiency.

We celebrate National Get Organized Week the first week in October. Most people think of "getting organized" as a physical act - clearing piles of paper, putting things away, etc. What many people overlook is the mental part of getting organized. And I always say that organizing your physical environment without first clarifying your priorities is like rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic!

Here are 8 tips to help you with the mental part of getting and staying organized.
I encourage you to read through the whole list, and then go back and choose two or three ideas to implement.

1. Understand the difference between URGENT and IMPORTANT.

If it's important, it may be a vital priority for you. If it's urgent, it's time-sensitive, but it may or may not be important. Be sure you are clear about the difference when deciding what deserves your time. Check out the time management matrix at www.orgcoach.net, which beautifully illustrates the difference.

2. Find time for yourself.

Schedule time away from your work and your family. Use this opportunity to tune in to what you want and need. Don't feel that you're being selfish; you have a responsibility to yourself to take care of your needs. Studies show that productivity dramatically increases when you are well rested.

3. Check for balance between these four vital areas of your life:

Well-being - caring for your physical, mental, spiritual, and social needs

Family relationships

Work activities

Service activities - volunteer work, being a good neighbor, practicing random acts of kindness

4. Live your life in the present!

Quit saying, "I'll do this when I get around to it." I have yet to find a person who said on their death bed, "I wish I had spent more time at the office."

5. Increase productivity by planning your week and fine-tuning your workday.

Block out time to handle priorities. Important tips to remember as you plan your week:

Have unscheduled time in your calendar for handling unexpected but important tasks.

Plan to work on creative activities during the time of day when you are at your best.

Schedule "protected time" to work on projects that need your undivided attention. If interruptions are eating you alive, close your door and ask that people come back to see you at a designated time.

Temporarily turn off the audio feature on your cell phone, pager and email account. Pick and choose when you respond and when it's appropriate to let calls go into voice mail.

Be realistic about your expectations. Don't set yourself up for failure by planning too much in one day.

Leave work at a reasonable hour so you have time for those other three areas of your life - self-care, family, and service to others.

6. Reduce your stress by being underwhelmed.

Here are a few tips to help you avoid getting overwhelmed:

NO is a complete sentence. Don't bite off more than you can chew. When someone makes a request, buy some time before answering. Say, "Let me think about it," or "I'm in the middle of something right now. I'll call you back and let you know." 

This will give you time to evaluate the situation and decide if it's something you truly want to do.

Delegate as much as you can. Focus your time on activities that you enjoy and are best at.

7. Stay out of e-mail jail. Here are a few tips to help:

Determine frequency of checking for e-mail messages. Some people choose to check it throughout the day and even use such devices as the Blackberry when on the road, while others only check for messages a couple times a day. You are the only one who can determine what will work for you.

Use the F.A.T. (File, Act, Toss) method to keep your email inbox from piling up. If a message needs to be filed for future reference, place it in the appropriate email subject or contact folder. Place a red flag next to those items you need to act on but don't have time to do right at the moment. Immediately toss (delete or forward) anything you don't need to keep.

Remove your name from subscription lists that do not provide value to you.

8. Set up your work environment to keep your focus on what's most important.

Here are some tips:

Arrange your workspace so you have the most commonly-used things close in. Store things used less frequently in less accessible space.

Create a filing system that enables you to find things instantly. The #1 reason that people pile instead of file is a fear of not being able to find it when they need it. Visit www.orgcoach.net/PaperTiger.html for some ideas.

Create a tickler file system to remind you of important follow up at the appropriate time. The #2 reason that people pile is a fear of forgetting to do something that is out-of-sight and out-of-mind. A good tickler system reminds you to follow up on the appropriate date, and provides an alternative to that "I'll just set it here for now" pile. Visit www.orgcoach.net/products/tickle.html#ticklerfile to see what a good tickler file system looks like.

Use the F.A.T. (File, Act, Toss) method to process your mail daily. Review our Trim the F.A.T. tip sheet at www.orgcoach.net/trimthefat.html.

Keep only what you plan to focus on today on your desktop. Remove visual distractions from your workspace so your attention is not pulled away from what you've chosen to work on today! Everything else should be put away until it's time for you to focus on it.

ART of BUILDING a LEGACY

How to Leave a Lasting Impact: Legacy—it's more than just a word; it's what you leave behind when you’re gone. Building a legacy isn't about fame or wealth; it's about making a difference that lasts for generations. Let’s explore how you can start building a legacy that reflects your values and impacts the lives of others.

Understanding Legacy Beyond WealthSteps to Building Legacy

1. Define Your Values: What principles do you want to be remembered for? These should guide your actions and decisions.

1. Mentor and Teach: Share your knowledge and experience with others. The impact you have on people’s lives is a powerful part of your legacy.

1. Give Back: Invest your time and resources in causes that align with your values. Philanthropy is a cornerstone of legacy building.

1. Create Lasting Works: Whether it’s writing, art, or any form of creation, producing work that outlives you contributes to a lasting legacy.

How to Measure the Impact of Your Legacy
Legacy isn’t measured in dollars but in the difference you’ve made. Consider the lives you’ve touched, the changes you’ve inspired, and the memories that will live on.
Your legacy is built by the values you live by and the impact you have on others. Start today, and ensure that what you leave behind is a reflection of your best self.
Image by AVAKA photo from Pixabay

A true legacy is about the values, knowledge, and impact you pass on, not just material wealth. Whether it’s through the lives you’ve touched, the ideas you’ve shared, or the change you’ve inspired, your legacy is built day by day, decision by decision.

by Melanie Liebenberg

Time is Currency

Time Management: Elon Musk’s Time Management

How to Invest Wisely: Time is the one resource we all have in equal measure—24 hours a day, no more, no less. Yet, how you choose to spend your time can make all the difference in your life. Let’s talk about how to invest your time wisely to maximize productivity, financial freedom, and overall satisfaction.
The Cost of Poor Time Management
Poor time management can be costly—not just in terms of missed opportunities, but in overall life satisfaction. Wasting time on low-value activities can lead to stress, burnout, and a lack of progress toward your goals.

1. Prioritize High-Value Activities: Focus on tasks that align with your long-term goals and purpose.

1. Use Time Blocks: Schedule specific blocks of time for important activities to ensure consistent progress.

1. Eliminate Distractions: Identify and reduce distractions that waste time and derail your focus.

1. Review and Reflect: Regularly assess how you’re spending your time and make adjustments as needed.

Techniques for Effective Time Investment

Here are some practical strategies to help you make the most of your time:

How Successful Individuals Leverage Their Time for Maximum Impact

Successful people often share one common trait: they are masters of time management. For example, Elon Musk, despite his numerous ventures, is known for his meticulous scheduling, breaking his day into five-minute intervals to ensure maximum productivity.

Your time is your most valuable asset—how you invest it will determine the quality of your life. By prioritizing high-impact activities and managing your time wisely, you can achieve more, stress less, and enjoy a richer, more fulfilling life.

by Melanie liebenberg

A Mindset Shift

Mindshift for growth and success.

From Surviving to Thriving in Life and Business: Most people live in survival mode—just getting by day to day. But to truly succeed in life and business, you need to shift from merely surviving to actively thriving. This mindset change is the key to unlocking your full potential and achieving your goals.

The Difference Between Surviving and Thriving: Surviving is about meeting your basic needs, but thriving is about living to your fullest potential. When you thrive, you’re not just reacting to life’s challenges; you’re actively pursuing growth, success, and fulfillment.
Strategies for Shifting Your Mindset

1. Embrace Growth: See every challenge as an opportunity to grow. Adopt a learning mindset that values continuous improvement.

1. Set Ambitious Goals: Don’t just aim to meet your needs—aim to exceed them. Set goals that push you beyond your comfort zone.

1. Cultivate Resilience: Thriving requires the ability to bounce back from setbacks. Build mental toughness and perseverance.

1. Focus on Abundance: Instead of worrying about scarcity, focus on the opportunities around you. An abundance mindset attracts success.

Examples of Thriving Individuals
Thriving is a mindset that can transform your life and business. Shift your perspective from just getting by to actively seeking out opportunities for growth and success. When you thrive, every day becomes a step toward greater achievements.

Think of individuals like Richard Branson or Sara Blakely. They didn’t just survive in the business world—they thrived by thinking big, taking risks, and learning from failures.

by Melanie Liebenberg

Unlock the Power of Purpose

Transform Life with a Meaningful Mission : Ever wake up with a feeling that something's missing? You’re not alone. Many people go through life chasing goals that seem important—money, success, recognition—but still feel unfulfilled. The truth? Purpose is the missing piece. Let’s explore why a clear mission can be your most powerful tool for transforming your life.The Significance of Purpose-Driven Living

1. Reflect on Your Passions: What activities make you lose track of time? Your passions are often linked to your purpose.

1. Identify Your Strengths: Your natural talents and abilities can point you toward a fulfilling mission.

1. Consider Your Impact: Think about how you want to contribute to the world. What legacy do you want to leave?

1. Seek Feedback: Sometimes, others can see our purpose more clearly than we can. Ask those who know you well.

by Melanie Liebenberg

Purpose isn't just a lofty concept; it's the driving force behind every successful life. When you know your “why,” you gain clarity on your goals and the motivation to achieve them. Purpose brings alignment between your daily actions and your long-term vision, making every effort count.

Techniques for Discovering Your Personal Mission

Finding your purpose doesn’t have to be a daunting task. Here are a few steps to guide you:

Real-Life Examples of Purpose Transforming Lives: Consider the story of Oprah Winfrey, who transformed her challenging childhood into a mission to empower others through media. Her clear sense of purpose fuelled her rise to global influence, making her a beacon of inspiration for millions.

Finding your purpose isn’t just about making life better; it’s about making life meaningful. With a clear mission, every day becomes a step toward fulfilling your true potential. So, start exploring your purpose today and watch how it transforms your life.

Ditch the Clutter

DITCH CLUTTER TO TUNE IN YOUR INTUITIVE VISION

By: Vickie Milazzo RN, MSN, JD

Without even realizing it, we wake up daily to clutter pouring in-constant television or the Internet at home, talk radio in the car, TV news programs at the airport and loud music in restaurants. Soon our senses become dulled and our vision turns lusterless. How can a person connect with their intuitive vision and goals while being constantly bombarded by thousands of outside messages?

Vision is essential to success. Yes, you can stumble on a great idea without knowing where you're going, but in my experience mentoring thousands of people, it rarely happens that way. Successful people look ahead, imagine the future they want, then make it happen through a combination of passion, commitment and intuitive vision.

To conceive any vision you must first get quiet. Remove the clutter and turn down the volume. When you consciously eliminate pervasive noise, silence arouses your imagination. Make it a goal to eliminate clutter from your mind, your day and your life.

I started with my physical environment, which is the easiest to control. I successfully created an uncluttered house and an uncluttered office. Next I uncluttered my mental environment. While I rarely watch TV or listen to talk radio, and I don't crave an hourly update on current events, I have my own clutter addiction to battle-movies. My addiction got so bad for a while that I found myself going to really bad movies, wondering later why I wasted that time and money. I still love going to good movies, but now I'm more selective.

I appreciate that these activities are some of the most common ways to relax. But you cannot wake up to clutter, be bombarded with it all day, go to bed with that same level of intrusion and still have the mental space to connect with your intuitive vision. Choose renewing ways to relax, such as strolling through a park, soaking in the tub or reading a great book.

As with most ambitious endeavors, eliminating all the clutter in your life can be overwhelming at first. The trick is to start small:

1. Clear your space.
Unclutter your physical environment at home and work. Take 10 minutes every day to file that stack of papers that's been sitting on your credenza for months. Devote 15 minutes a day to cleaning out a closet or a room that's only slightly less attractive than the city dump. Don't tackle the whole attic. Start with one corner, then move on to another until it's done.

2. Unclutter your mind.
Eliminate one outside stimulus, one TV show or one chatty phone call. Then eliminate another. Instead of reading three newspapers or magazines, read one. While driving, replace talk radio with inspirational CDs or music that stimulates ideas and opens a space for success. Meditate as you fall asleep or read something relaxing that brings you peace, not agitation.

Be equally selective about how you spend time with friends and family. You might not think of a relationship as clutter, but it can be. Are casual, unsatisfying relationships keeping you from your vision? Would fewer, more meaningful relationships be more helpful? Assess whether a relationship is one that you value. If not, eliminate it or, at minimum, reduce the exposure. Uncluttering is about making choices in all the areas of your mind, space and time.

3. Put off procrastination.
Procrastination leads to worry and anxiety, which is mind clutter. You're anxious about the upcoming meeting because the report due is still rough at best. You worry about over-drafting your bank account because you've put off balancing your checkbook. Instead, just put off procrastination.

Eliminate one area of procrastination each week. Schedule it in your calendar, as you would any important appointment, and when that time arrives, do what needs to be done. Your mind will feel refreshingly alert and uncluttered.

Yet, procrastination is not always bad. I hear people say, "finish what you start" or "you had that idea, where did you go with it?" Every day I wake up with new ideas, but like you I have only 16 waking hours a day in which to do it all. Misplaced stubbornness, as in, "I started it, I have to finish it," can exhaust you as you plow onward in the wrong direction. Selective-intuitive-procrastination allows the best ideas to rise to the top and keeps you focused.

In the emergency room all nurses learn the value and skill of triage. When several patients come in at once, nurses treat the sickest ones first. That's triage. You can triage ideas. All ideas are not equal, so match your ideas to your intuitive vision to determine which to develop first.

Selective procrastination also eliminates unnecessary busyness. Imagine a low-priority task-perhaps starting a routine project or writing a letter. You procrastinate, and at the end of the day, or the week, that situation resolves itself. The project is canceled or the topic of the letter gets resolved with a two-minute phone call. Selective procrastination, or triage, combined with your intuitive vision can eliminate the clutter of unnecessary tasks.

Ditching clutter enables you to tune in your intuitive vision and connect with future success. In turn, your newly awakened senses arouse your passion. You not only see the future you want, you're ready to implement the goals and strategies to make it happen.

Author Bio
Inc. Top 10 Entrepreneur Vickie L. Milazzo, RN, MSN, JD is the founder and president of Vickie Milazzo Institute. She is credited by The New York Times with creating the legal nurse consulting profession in 1982. She is the recipient of the Nursing Excellence Award for Advancing the Profession and the Stevie Award (business's Oscar) as Mentor of the Year. Vickie has revolutionized the careers of thousands of RNs. She is the author of (www.InsideEveryWoman.com) Inside Every Woman: Using the 10 Strengths You Didn't Know You Had to Get the Career and Life You Want Now, coming March 2006 from John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Order this top 5 Amazon.com bestseller now. Reprinting and republishing of this article is granted only with the above credit included. Permission to reprint or republish does not waive any copyright or other rights.

Copyright © 2006 Vickie Milazzo Institute, a division of Medical-Legal Consulting Institute, Inc., Houston, Texas.
All Rights Reserved.

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