Let’s face it. We’re all busy. Areas of our lives are pulled and twisted, leaving little room for much else. Instead of trying to strike a perfect balance, let’s discover the key of fulfillment.
“Would identifying the amount of time we allocated in our life’s various areas – like work, family, fitness, and the rest – help us figure out our individual happiness and success formula?” Shannon Cassidy, The 5 Degree Principle
Ask yourself:
- Are you totally fulfilled at work?
- Do your children and spouse see more of the back of your phone than your face?
- When was the last time you felt the cold winter air briskly on your face from a pair of skis?
- Are you only talking with friends now by liking their posts on Facebook instead of hearing their voice over a glass of wine?
Running the rat race. Spinning on the hamster wheel. Addicted to coffee to muddle through the day. Snapping at those we love most because we are just tapped out and cannot add one more item to the to-do list. Sound familiar?
As long as you continue the habits you have been carrying out daily, you will continue to reap the same results.
Relationships don’t grow without time investment. Careers don’t bloom without hustle and focus. You aren’t able to run in a 5K without lacing up your running shoes and choosing instead to eat potato chips and watch Celebrity Apprentice.
So how do we go from a mediocre life to one that’s fulfilled? Perfectionists beware: it takes time. Small amounts of change. Don’t become paralyzed with a vision of equal perfection in all areas of your life. It’s not going to happen. Let’s work on adjustments that will make an impact towards you feeling fulfilled in the areas of your life.
Your life is your message to the world. Make sure it’s inspiring.
Imagine your life as a pie. Let’s divide in to eight sections. Be honest with yourself here – there is no right or wrong answer. With zero being not fulfilled and ten meaning fulfilled, we’re going to put a 0 in the center and a 10 at the outer edge of each slice. Consider the time, energy, and focus you give to each area combined with the level of satisfaction when determining your number.
If this were a wheel, would you find yourself on a bumpy ride? Until we stare the areas of our lives in the face, we often don’t even realize on how much of a deficit we are operating. Congratulations! You’ve done the tough part. Writing it out and acknowledging which areas deserve more attention is the hardest piece of the puzzle.
Now, time for action.
Seven ideas for small change when the slice is close to zero:
- schedule a 15 minute Google Hangout or Skype call with a friend instead trying to plan a 2 hour coffee
- surprise your children by playing a video game with them instead of barking orders to clean their room
- turn the devices off thirty minutes prior to bedtime instead of claiming Pinterest as your downtime. You’ll sleep better.
- take $50 from your next paycheck and put in a separate account for your investments / dream vacation / Jimmy Choos.
- enjoy a 10 minute walk around the block instead of beating yourself up for not following through with your New Year’s resolution to exercise an hour every day at the gym.
- schedule the babysitter for date night. Your spouse will thank you.
- spend 10 minutes in each closet and anything not worn in 6 months, put in a bag to donate to charity. You’ll feel great and will be helping out others in your community.
Are you paralyzed into in-action thinking the change is too great? By modifying our behavior in small increments, we make a greater impact in the long run. Stop thinking each area of your life has to be perfectly figured out.
When you look at the areas in your life as ‘five degree events’ and manage them in small chunks, all of a sudden each blip on your radar doesn’t turn in to a catastrophic emergency. Your after-school babysitter quit? It’s not a life changing event. It falls into the category of childcare, and is manageable. {adapted from chapter 8 in The 5 Degree Principle}
We cannot continue operating in the same way day in and day out and expect life to change, or to find fulfillment. No matter how many books we read, how many Ted talks we listen to, how many lists we create…action is what creates change. Once you do a few small steps, you’ll see greater overall difference in your ability to be in control of you.
What’s one section in your Formula for Fulfillment that’s closer to a zero than a ten? Please tell us in the comments.
At Bridge Between we’re passionate about connecting potential to performance. Contact us to help steer you on to a smoother ride.