Time Managing - Friends and Family

Our lives can get so busy that we lose focus on personal dreams and goals. We get so busy with trivial matters that we lose sight of what really matters. Many of us find that we give so much of ourselves to others that we have no energy left for what matters to us personally.

Our lives are chaotic on the outside and we feel the consequence internally. We get sick more easily, needing to take days off from work or school. A medical doctor recently said that every year he sees more people coming in for visits with cold and flu symptoms. This is primarily because people are not taking care of themselves.

Individuals are letting other obligations get in the way of their own health and well-being. This is when having too much on one's plate begins to show externally. Did you know that people who don't take care of themselves by making healthy food choices stand the risk of aging faster?

Below, you will find five ways to get balance back into your life with some simple ways to manage your time when it comes to friends and family.

First, you have to get your priorities straight. Try making a daily list of things to do. It should only take you a few minutes to write. You will find that this keeps your life from feeling chaotic.

Next, try to remember that "no" is not always a bad word. There are times where it is in your best interest to say no. When someone else's priority is getting in the way of your objective and peace of mind, just say "no."

Thirdly, keep your focus. Things will try to come up to distract you. Like the phone ringing, for example. It is perfectly alright to let the answering machine pick up every once in a while. You can always call the individual back. I always say if it's important they'll leave a message.

Yet and still, remain flexible. Sometimes, people get a little too caught up in their mission. There are times when the phone rings and there is an emergency on the other line. In this case, it is okay to switch priorities. In retail, we were told to focus on the store set-up and cleanliness during our shift, but when a customer came in we were expected to drop everything-the customer was now our priority, our new focus.

Finally, use discretion not excuses. Remember that you have to decide what is a priority, a do-later or a time waster.