So many times a day, men and especially women ask one another, “How do you do it all?” in awe as they look at an impressive laundry list (or more likely, Facebook feed) of someone else’s accomplishments in seemingly every area of life. It leaves one wanting to fit more in and do better but he or she cannot figure out how. Ever been here?
Well, if so, first off, anyone who answers that they indeed, “do it all” perfectly all by themselves just isn’t telling the truth, so be gracious to yourself and check your envy at the door. Something’s gotta give in anyone’s overly full life so work on your own goals and dreams instead, which may or may not include “doing it all.” In our current society, as well as in history, many of the most satisfied people lived very simple lives (stay at home moms, monks, nuns, preschool aged kids, etc). We know very little of Jesus’ life before age thirty, and most likely that is because it was pretty basic. Basic can be good, especially if you are growing and gearing up for things down the line. So remember, keep it simple if you don’t feel the need for more. But what if you still want more? What if, in order to make ends meet, you still need to squeeze even more out of life?
As a life coach and counselor, I have learned that while there is a high amount of variance between individuals and couples, there are some things common to almost all high achievers. To join their ranks, read up.
- If someone is highly productive, they have a really good support team. Do you? If not, start slowly building better friendships with people whom you admire and be a student of their lives, be a friend to them, and share your dreams so they can encourage you. Use their encouragement as momentum.
- They are usually either living a healthy life or are basically a time bomb of unhealthy habits waiting to go off, in which case it’s really good that they are in my office, so I can help them to get refueled properly. Most high achievers don’t last long with the bad habits obviously, so healthy living is primary.
- They are usually highly organized, although sometimes it’s hard for them to see this, since they are also often type A and always looking for ways to be even more efficient.
- They are good at scheduling in time to relax each day and know what refuels them (e.g. exercise, coffee, tea, vigorous shower, laughing, comedy radio, prayer, etc).
- They are great at using small slivers of time for productivity aka instead of scrolling social media for friends or online brag tags. Instead they do this on prescribed rest time, and in their work day, if they pause, they scroll news stories about their career, make strategic connections, or stay off-line.
- They are 100% invested in what they are doing while they are doing it. They aren’t anxious because they are thinking of twenty other things, because more than likely, they have a highly organized calendar that has allotted time in each area they need.
- They have their priorites in place. If they want to get a ton out of their day, they don’t gorge on high fat foods or cut back on sleep. They get small bits of exercise and recognize that life is short, so they make the small moments count.
- They endure trials like a champ, overall. They may wail or whine for a moment, but they allow their failures to teach them, and consider setbacks as mere challenges to push through barriers.
- They pray. They know that while they have to do their part, God also needs to do His. They ask for His guidance, His strength, His help, and give their worries and fears over so their minds are sharp, their feet are lighter, and their hopes are broad.
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f you want more out of life, it’s yours for the taking, but that will take focus, goal setting, and being a good student of what makes you your very best self. Call me for a coaching session if you need more but want someone to help you get there even more efficiently! 941-301-8420 or visit www.reflectionscc.com or www.enneagramandmarriage.com