Life Matters
Creating a Dynamic Balance of Work, Family, Time & Money
by
Book in a Nutshell
‘Life Matters’ tackles how to balance all things in life. It includes tips for managing work, family, time & money. The book outlines steps to determine which areas need to be prioritized at certain points in time and how to act on tasks that are ‘piling up’. It will show you how to create a truly satisfying synergy between the work you need and the family you love.
If this summary whets your appetite to know more feel free to click on the link below at the bottom of this page to get the full text.
About the Authors
Besides being a ‘man of Church,’ is also a speaker, businessman, executive coach & trainer. He co-wrote the book First Things First with his wife and Stephen Covey.
Rebecca Merrill, has a family of seven children. She also frequents Church while being an executive coach and has leadership positions in community groups.
Introduction
As the pace of life accelerates, the pressure to succeed at work and create financial security is greater. Today, work/life balance is a new focus. True balance is more akin to staying upright on your surfboard: it is creating the capacity to adjust to the unique circumstances of life.
GOTTA DO # 1: Validate Expectations
- Align your expectations with reality.
GOTTA DO #2 – Optimize Efforts
- When your efforts are aligned with valid expectations and leveraged for maximum results, you will get the greatest return on your investment.
- You have to maximize the results of every minute and dollar you spend.
- Start a list of activities or ideas you want to implement.
GOTTA DO # 3 – Develop Navigational Intelligence
Do you ever wonder how you can tell if an unexpected event is an opportunity or opposition? Then you need ‘navigational intelligence.’ This is the ability to recognize and respond to what’s important.
WORK MATTERS
Research shows many people who have significant wealth and balanced lives do not have the most exciting jobs.
Try the ‘optimizers’ listed below to enhance your performance:
OPTIMISER 1: BE PROACTIVE.
- Accept responsibility for your own work, thoughts, feelings, actions, and life.
- Seize opportunities and make things happen.
OPTIMISER 2: FOCUS ON JOB ONE
- It is essential to know what the most important thing is
- Focus on the most important thing and do it to the best of your ability.
OPTIMISER 3: THINK TEAMS
- Think about being a member of a team
- Teams can maximize strengths and compensate for weaknesses
OPTIMISER 4: CREATE PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENTS
- Create a shared vision
- Write down what you want to achieve, why you want to do it & how you want to achieve it.
OPTIMISER 5: BUILD ON YOUR STRENGTHS
- It’s not necessary to have the ‘perfect fit’ job to love it
- Working with your strengths enables you to maximize your contribution & achieve greater job satisfaction.
OPTIMISER 6: CONTINUALLY IMPROVE
- The only time you can afford to coast is when you are going downhill
- Strive for continuous improvement
- Seek feedback
- Truly listen
- Read
- Listen to podcasts
- Take Classes
- Keep on top of emerging technology
OPTIMISER 7 – JUST WORK!
- Don’t confuse activity with work
- ‘Business’ is not work
FAMILY MATTERS
- Build up your relationship with your family using dialogue, and optimizing the quality time you spend with them.
- Make sure you spend enough time with your spouse, sneak-ins with your children, and have serious chats as many times as needed.
- Talk about real-life heroes and everyday acts of courage, bravery, and compassion!
TIME MATTERS
Time management is of crucial importance. Here are some tips to manage your time correctly:
- PLAN WEEKLY and determine which goals will create the highest leverage for you.
- USE TIME ZONES (interchangeable blocks of time designated for important activities).
- TRACK YOUR TIME and eliminate inefficiency.
MONEY MATTERS
Your success in dealing with money is not just about planners and balance sheets.
- Attitude is crucial
- You will need to know how you are spending your money to decide carefully where you want it to be
- Planning weekly is also a good idea
- Find ways to consciously improve your financial intelligence
- Create a margin so you have some comfort in uncertain times
WISDOM MATTERS
Wisdom enables you to create dynamic equilibrium in your life every day. It also guides your decision-making and helps you stay on track.
Read the Full Text of Life Matters by Clicking here —> Life Matters: Creating a Dynamic Balance of Work, Family, Time & Money by A. Roger Merrill
