| Ever heard the expression: "If you want to get | | | | started seeing that I unconsciously wasted hours a |
| something done, give it to a busy person?" How is it | | | | day with TV shows I didn't care about, playing on |
| that the busiest people get the most done? What | | | | the Internet, and the like. When I started rationing |
| highly effective people do is allow themselves to be | | | | those activities, I immediately created plenty of time |
| "controlled" by their trusted support systems and | | | | to write the book I'd said I didn't have enough time |
| their datebooks. | | | | to write. |
| Many high-level executives have no idea what they | | | | Part 2: Choose a color to correspond to each domain |
| are doing from one day to the next. They walk in | | | | of your life (i.e, work is red, health is blue, family is |
| the office and ask their assistants what is on the | | | | green, leisure is purple, spirituality is pink, etc.) and |
| agenda for the day. They are essentially told what | | | | then take your calendar and mark in the exact hours |
| they are doing and when. Of course, they have veto | | | | you wish to invest in each area for the next week. |
| power. That is the beauty of a valuable assistant and | | | | I.e., work is 9-5 Monday through Friday, so draw a |
| support staff. The word "executive" means one who | | | | red box around those hours. Then draw a blue box |
| executes, accomplishes, performs. Are you able to | | | | around the block of times you plan to exercise that |
| carry out all the action steps to attain your goals? If | | | | week. Then draw a green box around the hours you |
| not, it may just be that you don't have the proper | | | | spend with your family. And so on. Consolidate your |
| support staff or tools to aid you in what radio talk | | | | waking hours into general domains and color code |
| show host/author/speaker Greg Smith calls "GSD" - - | | | | them and design your week and your life! Give |
| - Getting Stuff Done! | | | | yourself a few weeks to tweak it and see what |
| If you don't have an assistant or a company of 100 | | | | works and what does not. |
| employees you can delegate tasks to, allow your | | | | When you write things down, you are giving your |
| Blackberry, Day Planner, or calendar to be your | | | | subconscious instructions. Don't you always show up |
| personal assistant. One suggestion: If you want a big | | | | for your DDS appointments when you have them |
| life, get a big datebook/calendar. Some people have | | | | written in your datebook? Hair appointment? Job |
| dainty, Barbie Doll sized calendars. Live large! Also, | | | | interview? Well, here is a sure-fire technique for |
| pick a color or fabric or texture that you like. If you | | | | showing up for self. When you write down |
| have a beautiful datebook, you create a beautiful life. | | | | everything that is important to your life in your |
| Try "Living in Domains." It is a simple time | | | | calendar, you make it happen. You are psychologically |
| management system that you can easily implement | | | | geared up for it. Of course emergencies will come up |
| and be the CEO of your life. I was trained in it years | | | | from time to time, but you re-design. |
| ago and have been using ever since because it has | | | | The beauty of Living in Domains is threefold. (1) You |
| allowed me to create enough time I need for what is | | | | can see at a glance what is not functioning or |
| most important to me. | | | | productive ......not enough family time, too much |
| Part 1: Make a list of all the activities you do in a | | | | leisure, etc. (2) It is guilt-free living. You are not |
| typical week: work, health/fitness, relationship time, | | | | worried about exercising when you are at your |
| social life, grocery shopping, church, chores, etc. | | | | volunteer job because you have planned it and can |
| There are 168 hours per week. In a perfect world, | | | | completely engage in the selfless community service. |
| how many hours do you want to spend sleeping? | | | | You're not worried about work when you are with |
| Working? Exercising? Going to class? Meetings? | | | | your mate because you have already accounted for |
| Spending time with family/friends? Watching TV? | | | | enough hours for work and now you can "shift |
| Most of us budget our money but fail to budget our | | | | gears" into the romantic domain. (3) You are in |
| time. And there never seems to be enough of either, | | | | control of your time and make it work for you. You |
| does there? This system will show how much time | | | | put yourself in the driver's seat of your life, rather |
| we all waste and how to make the most of it, and | | | | than bouncing around in the back, driven by "fate." |
| actually have more leisure time. | | | | I've yet to see anyone not find more time to do |
| After you've accounted for all the hours per week | | | | what they want as a result of this technique. |
| you choose to invest in sleep, relationships, health | | | | If there is something you want to do more of (work |
| fitness, parenting, socializing, working, chores, errands, | | | | out), choose a color you love. If there is something |
| commuting, etc., all the remaining hours are yours for | | | | you want to do less of (TV), choose your least |
| fun, relaxation, vegging, or perhaps for a new | | | | favorite color. We tend to be drawn toward what |
| hobby...writing that book or taking that scuba diving | | | | we like and move away from what we don't. A |
| class. The first time I budgeted my time in this | | | | simple self-hypnotic suggestion! |
| fashion, I was shocked that I had over 48 hours of | | | | You deserve to live your life by your own design to |
| wasted time! That is two whole days! Imagine what | | | | the absolute fullest. Now whip out your datebook, |
| one can do with an extra two days a week. I | | | | magic markers, and execute! |