What Not to Do Every Day
     by Kathy Gates   

With time flying by faster and faster every day, you already know it’s important to decide what you’re going to do each day. However, it’s equally important to know what not to do. Add some Don’ts to your day, and see how it helps with all those Do’s.

Don’t over schedule your day.

It seems like scheduling every minute would be the logical way to get everything done, but it actually tends to work against you. Some things will take longer than you expected, some things will interfere that you can’t predict. If you’re scheduled to the max, you’ll have no room to absorb them, things will overrun, and frustration will set in. Instead, plan in the free time. Aim for about 75% scheduled, 25% free.

Don’t say Yes to everything. Saying Yes to everything is like cholesterol ­ it clogs your day with stuff you don’t want there. Doing other people’s work, answering annoying phone calls, deleting junk emails. If you want to read a book, say No to TV and the internet. If you want to start a home business, say No to things that waste your time. If you want to lose weight say No to Frito-Lay and Sara Lee. Simple as that (I didn’t say easy, I said simple.)

Don’t put what you want at the moment over what you want in the long run.

That extra 20 minutes of sleep in the morning might seem like the best thing since sliced peanut butter, but you know it will only make you late, and then playing catch up the rest of the day. That new pair of shoes may seem like the last pair you’ll ever need, but if it makes the rent money tight, it’s not worth it. Think about the long term effects of your actions today.

Don’t get duped with “I can have it all” ideas.

Having it all is possible, either by having it at different times in your life, or by having a whole lot of help (think Kelly Ripa or Katie Couric). Their few spare minutes are certainly not spent grocery shopping or cleaning toilets. So please, lose the Super-Woman idea attached to it.

Don’t get trapped in microwave mentality.

Things take time. Appreciate the various stages of projects and goals as well as the outcome. Ever notice a rose in bud form? It’s beauty is special ­ no need to wait until the rose is opened to enjoy it. A child is not just something to be steered into adulthood before s/he can be appreciated. Neither are your goals of home projects, or getting a degree, or even getting your scheduled organized. Learn from the mistakes, learn to enjoy the lessons, and make each day as special as the end result.

Don’t give up.

Never give up. When you mess up, or when the winds of life come barreling in unannounced ­ and it will ­ being prepared as best you can will give you the strength to be able to move on. If you lose your job suddenly, having a reserve of money will ease the transition into a new job and give you the power to wait to find the right one. When it seems like there’s no answer, push on. The answer may be just around the next corner. Don’t let fear, or anger, or frustration, or your money, or your in-laws, stop you from living your life. Keep going. It’s your turn next.