Recovery Enthusiast/ Recovery for Women

 Can you answer "How well do you manage your time" with a straight face? Like most people, you probably find it challenging to answer that question. It's better to think about your time as an asset, not as a burdensome thing that you have to figure out how to use.   By taking some time to understand how you spend your time, you can begin to make significant steps toward better time management.   That does not mean it's a walk in the park. On the contrary, it's hard work, demanding a lot of dedication. However, once you start to see the benefits of your improved time management, it will increase the motivation to keep at it.   Consider these time management mistakes you might be making:   Procrastination. This pattern is one of the biggest timewasters of all. Procrastination ruins the day. If you're constantly waiting for things to happen, you're always behind schedule. You literally can't get things done on time becau...

 How much of your time do you spend thinking each day during your waking hours? Most likely, at least 99% of the time. But how much of that thinking is productive?   There are two basic types of thinking: productive and unproductive. Productive thinking helps motivate us, reach our goals, and create the life we desire. On the other hand, much of the unproductive thinking we do is actually harmful to our happiness, contentment, and success.   What types of thoughts do you find yourself spending the most time on?   Consider how unproductive these types of thinking are:   ·        Thinking about the past in a way that creates regret. This is a common type of negative thinking that has no positive benefits. Remembering that time you embarrassed yourself in high school or had a huge argument with your partner only serves to lower your mood and put you into an unresourceful state. o    The solution is simple. ...

Life is demanding, and it's very easy to feel that life is out of control. But you have a choice. You can bring balance to your life if you make it a priority. It's easy to spend all day chasing objectives, only to feel that you've accomplished nothing at the end of the day. Rebalancing your life is possible.  A busy life can be meaningful, interesting, and invigorating.   Try these effective strategies to create balance in your life:   1.      Learn to be more patient. Your life might be more balanced than you realize, but it's hard to see it if you're impatient. A lack of patience makes every situation more challenging. A little patience makes many challenging situations manageable.   ·        Impatience is one way you agitate yourself. You also, make yourself less capable in the moment. 2.      Simplify. It's very easy in today's world to buy more things than you need and take on more resp...

  You’ve probably heard that you can only get where you want to be if you know where you’re going. This pithy statement is as true now as the first time it was said. So how do you come to know where you’re going, so you can get where you want to be?   To start with, goals are crucial. When we set goals, what we’re really trying to do is to bring each piece of our lives in line with our overall vision for ourselves. Using a powerful vision-setting process can help you set more effective goals, since you can chart a course that will take you toward and support your vision.   Do you have a vision for each segment of your life? Do you know where you’re headed spiritually, socially, relationally, physically, financially, and more?   Use this process to help you create a vision that works for you:   1.      Write down your vision for a particular aspect of your life. Write a couple of paragraphs describing what you’d like to have ...

  In the midst of life's challenges, I make time to enjoy what is in front of me. Spending time doing fun things adds great balance to my life.   Spending time with friends is a great way to unwind. Although focusing on my responsibilities is important, I avoid neglecting social activities. Being around others with like minds allows for shared expressions and unforced interaction. It may not be possible to physically get together in these trying times, but virtual get-togethers can be just as comforting. Get creative. Have a virtual karaoke, scavenger hunt, maybe a virtual jam session, or book club.   I enjoy playing with my grandson. Whether that be coloring, reading, playing with his cars and trucks, or running around outside.   Being carefree takes my mind off the seriousness of life. He is so full of energy and zest for life, and it energizes me as well.   Taking some time out for self-care is also essential for a balanced life. I plan my "me tim...

Not a morning person? Would you like to get up earlier and feel more productive? Would you like to feel more in control of your day? Developing a morning routine that will boost your productivity can help you stay on top of your commitments for the day. I was never a morning person. For years I worked the second shift and my kids were grown and out of the house so I did have a need or the ambition to get up early let alone be productive in the morning. Then I switched to the first shift so I could go to school at night. So I not only needed to wake up earlier I needed to get a lot of stuff done in a day and had to plan my day wisely. So I started slowly and got into a routine. Then I decided to develop my own online course online.  Not to mention the time with family and self-care, both of which I feel are so important. Over time I became very good at time management and making good use of my time. I now wake up at 4 AM (I know, right?!) so I can fit in my meditation time and work...