Simplify Your Work Life

Simplify Your Work Life

by Elaine St. James

The author puts together a nice collection of strategies to avoid being or feeling frenzied in life, and rebuild a sense of direction or purpose through decisive trimming of ones focus or activities.
Sect.1: Cutting back on the amount of time you work
-- take a sabbatical, --take time to think, --
Sect.2: Learning to seize time
-- get a jump on tomorrow, --summarize and review your night, --, let your subconscious solve your hard problems for you while you sleep and write down the answers in the morning,
-- learn to schedule carefully, -- put an extra day in your vacation, -- learn to grasp information quickly, --get organized, -- make decisions quickly, -- body testing techniquie 'go through the doors'
Sect. 3: Being more productive
-- eliminate distractions, --set apart productivity time, -- bring your full attention to work, -- take your lunch break, take naps if necessary, --when you're overwhelmed stop, stop all day if necessary and you have the courage, you will make up the time later easily once effective. --
-- work with an inner smile (don't let it show, but use it outwardly when necessary when faced with something negative, daunting, suddenly surprising, or risk-bearing.
-- stop procrastinating to to challenge yourself, just get it done, -- employ all your senses.
-- day dream with intention to employ your subconscious in solving a difficult problem (Einstein's technique),
-- give yourself a thump for more energy, alertness --> pinch 2nd rib, sternum, tap thymus while breathing deeply
-- put your subconscious to work while you sleep
--get a life: nature, service, recycle, contribute, theatre or arts, hobby, sleep well, have fun.

Sect. 4: Being more effective with People
-- speak up: coach others how to treat you so you can have your space, efficiency, priorities met, etc.
--Learn boundary setting guidelines: "No thanks", "get back to you later on that", "find a good time to discuss . . . ", should be casually able to discuss your boundaries,
-- find out why you say yes to people . . . does it make sense for your priorities too?
-- ask people not to ask before they ask you.
--work effectively with your boss: your boss cares about 20% of your activities the most, but you may spend 80% of time doing other things. why not find out what the 20% is and focus and improve on it the most?
-- avoid negative speaking about any person, it puts you in a bad light no matter what or with whom.
-- breathe into it: to relax stress, tension, or headache, breathe out while you focus on the tense spot and it will de-stress.
Sect. 5: Being more efficient with your money
-- live beneath your means, save 20%, reinvest earnings into the principal, -- realize that people are not their belongings, clothes, or property.
Sect. 6: Changing the Way you Work
-- find a friendly work place, --cut down on your hours or convince your boss on telecommuting,
Sect. 7: Changing the Way you think about Work
-- avoid long commutes at all costs. a 1 hour commute daily is 3 years of your life lost over 40 years.

I liked this book because it puts you in control of your decisions. It helps you regain self-confidence and tells you where you got sold down the river to be in your current mess of a miserable life. Who needs a miserable life? Who wants other people to control their happiness? Decide to build your own. Take control now so years later your life is under your direction. You will always have to manage complexity and risk, but do it under your terms, maximizing your talents and passions in the way you desire and is rewarding for you. This may require some sacrifice, effort, patience to get there, but decide now that it is possible, and you will immediately start cutting back others disorganization and chaos.