Last year I attended a presentation from Parenting Expert and well-known author, Stephen Biddulph on "Raising Boys". As I have an 11 year old son, I was interested to hear what Stephen had to say. In fact, so were the other 800 other parents in the room!
The key point that I picked up on was that boys from the age of 6 -14 really need 'time' with their dads. That is the most influential period in their lives when they bond with him. And the type of time they need is not all thrown into a once a week or month block or some exotic holiday once a year, they need to spend time with their sons on a regular basis. Otherwise how can you build a strong and stable relationship?
For the single mums reading this, don't despair. If you are estranged from your partner and bringing up your son is your responsibility, having a positive male role model in his life ie. uncle, brother, grandfather teacher, tennis coach etc. will work as well.
What's happening in our society in the chase for the almighty dollar and in many instances the big ego, our relationships are breaking down. People are totally dominated by their work and have little energy to invest in themselves and their families.
Planning Personal Time
It's very interesting to note that every client I have coached ? male or female, whether they are the business owner, director, executive or whatever title they hold, all have the same common goal... they want more time for their personal life.
They do not want to start work at 7.30 a.m. and return home at 7.00 p.m. They are committed and enjoy what they do, however they are not prepared to sacrifice their own relationships and wellbeing anymore. THE PRICE IS NOT WORTH IT!
You Can Turn Your Life Around
And do you know what the three key things you need to do to turn your life around? Learn to say 'no', how to manage your time and then take action.
That's right. Everyone tells you how busy and how little time they have, yet most people do nothing to learn the skills that will have a dramatic impact on their work and personal lives.
You have to plan time to get things done. Do you want to spend more time with your family? Do you know how to plan for it? How much time do you spend working? How much time do you invest in yourself to learn how to be more effective? Are you hoping that one day, work will ease off and then you can spend more time with your family? Do you really need a bigger house, nicer car or overseas holiday? Will that improve your relationships? Do you think that you'll (hopefully) stumble on the secrets to getting more time back in your life? If that's the way you live your life, your kids will probably be all grown up and not really need you.
Cats in the Cradle
For those of you old enough to remember, Cat Stevens recorded a song called "Cats in the Cradle". It was about a young boy whose Dad was always busy working. He never seemed to be available when his son wanted to be with him. Over the years this continued until the boy became an adult. By then his Dad had retired and had time on his hands, however his son had now become too busy to see his Dad. He too was working and had kids. The tables had turned. All of a sudden the Dad realised what he had done. He was too busy caught up in his work and missed out on his son growing up.
The Final Word
For those of you who have managed to maintain a good balance in your life, congratulations. No doubt you are happier, healthier and more fulfilled. For the rest of you who are unhappy, unhealthy and unfulfilled, then you need to take action if you are serious about wanting to make changes. Do it, because nothing changes if nothing changes!
About The Author
Lorraine Pirihi, principal of The Office Organiser is Australia's Personal Productivity Coach.
Lorraine specialises in working with businesspeople showing them how to dramatically boost their productivity, reduce the stress and the mess in their lives and have more time for enjoying their life. www.office-organiser.com.au, www.office-organiser.com.au
spotless home service Deerfield ..So you've decided to get organized, but you just don't... Read More
Every day I find junk mail waiting for me, whether... Read More
After a long winter, this is the time of year... Read More
Keeping on task and getting organized starts with a basic... Read More
I recently read an article that had some interesting but... Read More
Collections are the outward manifestation of a deeply-felt principle or... Read More
In your quest to get 'up and running' so to... Read More
What do you gain if you SIMPLIFY?Dictionary* says:to reduce to... Read More
Feeling overwhelmed at the thought of organizing your home? Start... Read More
You start each week with great intentions. You are determined... Read More
It takes effort to get results, and not just any... Read More
I have a huge white board in my home office,... Read More
The Productive Environment Scorecard?Read the statements below and rate your... Read More
Sometimes the task of keeping a clean, tidy house just... Read More
We hear it every day."Buy this product, and simplify your... Read More
Ever wonder how they do it? How a short-order cook... Read More
At this point, you have probably run across some belongings... Read More
Our children are probably the biggest clutter creators we have... Read More
(This is the third in a series of three articles... Read More
What does "quality of life" mean to you? If you... Read More
I have a good friend whom (also being in the... Read More
Buried under mountains of paperwork from your company? Do the... Read More
Q. I have several projects going at once -- but... Read More
Time has flown. It's been six months since you came... Read More
1. Divide big jobs into smaller jobs. Make a list... Read More
spotless home service Buffalo Grove ..Does Your Present Internet Filing System Work?Do You Really Know... Read More
The following procedures will insure an organized and well run... Read More
Digging out from under stacks of paper might seem like... Read More
EVERY HOME NEEDS AN OFFICEYes, it is true that every... Read More
After a long winter, this is the time of year... Read More
The National Association of Professional Organizers has dedicated January to... Read More
The Productive Environment Scorecard?Read the statements below and rate your... Read More
Studies show that 80 percent of what we use comes... Read More
To make room for new things to come into you... Read More
One of my mother-in-law's many oft-quoted and wise declarations was... Read More
Professional organizers and helpful-hint sources often recommend storage solutions such... Read More
Whether you are in your own business or an employee... Read More
Questions come my way all the time regarding my God-given... Read More
Decide When And Where To StartDecide when and where to... Read More
1. All or nothing thinking/taking on too much." I'm going... Read More
A daily journal will save you time, reduce stress and... Read More
What stops you from 'getting things done?'Have you ever started... Read More
I gathered some things you can do this spring while... Read More
It happens without warning. One day you notice your home... Read More
The Mexican VillagerThe American investment banker was at the pier... Read More
I have a good friend whom (also being in the... Read More
Technology has given us the tools to reduce routine tasking,... Read More
What's an item that can help you organize every room... Read More
A lot of us grew up with Mom taking care... Read More
We are in a society where people are applauded for... Read More
Get Organized - Organization |