When it comes down to it, we all want to get the most out of life. After all, if nothing else, we are here now and we should make the most of our time here.
Sometimes we can get all wrapped up and tangled in “being productive” and “getting things done” that it just gets too overwhelming and we risk a burn out.
What does it mean to get the most out of life? Everyone should, and does, have their own personal answer to this question, but we can generalize a few things to common domain.
For me, “getting the most out of life” means maintaining ambition and always reaching for the next goal, while preserving a feeling of content with my life at any given moment.
At first this seems impossible. How can you really want to grow and better yourself if you are completly content with the way things are? Here’s what I have come up with:
- Enjoy the Little Things – The inspiration for this post came from Leo Babauta’s post at ZenHabits, entitled The Simple Life. It lists just a few of the “little things” that really define what life is all about: Really take the time out to walk around outside after a morning rain-storm; Turn off the news, cell phones, and computers, and watch the sunset with your favorite beverage. Just slow down and take in everything. It will not be there forever.
- Make Goals In Many Categories – There are many benefits of goal setting and various ways to organize your goals, but an often overlooked aspect is to vary your goal setting across different categories. You may always be aware of your goals at work or for your next project, but be sure to think about what it is you want to accomplish in other aspects of your life. Do you want to learn to play an instrument? Become a better cook? A better husband? Modularize and write down these goals just the same as you would goals for the office or work. Be aware of all your potential.
- Be Yourself – It is emotionally and physically draining to try to be something you are not. Being honest with yourself and act as though you are comfortable in your own skin and with current mindset will make you truly feel comfortable in your own skin and with your current mindset. Do not be afraid that some people won’t like the real you. Treat others with respect and respect will be returned.
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Face it. The next time you walk into a room with new people, assumptions about you will be made.
Within the first few seconds of meeting a new person, he or she will form an opinion about you based on your appearance, mannerisms, and body language.
These opinions are often difficult to overcome or undo, making these first encounters extremely significant.
Luckily, there are some things you can do to ensure that these assumptions and opinions are positive. Here are 10:
- Be Punctual - Not much is more detrimental to one’s opinion of you than tardiness. A person you are meeting for the very first time will not care to listen to your excuses, despite how “real” or “good” they are. Plan for delays in traffic or other impeding events and remember that arriving early is much better than arriving late.
- Neat and Tidy - You won’t make it far without the ability to present yourself in an organized manner. Take care to make sure you look your best. Make sure your hair is cut and your fingernails are trimmed. Is your attire appropriate for the occasion? Is it a business meeting? A casual setting? Be sure to iron and remove any stains from your clothes. This is perhaps the most important tip. Failing to present yourself in an orderly way can cost you greatly.
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We’ve all heard of the many benefits of controlling your body language. It’s been flaunted as one of the many ways to move up through your company, get that girl or guy you’ve been eyeing from across the room, and just increase your overall mood.
What body language really comes down to though, is communication. Sure there are many other benefits of understanding and controlling your body language, but at their hearts, the benefits come from good communication.
This can be attributed to Albert Mehrabian’s 7%-38%-55% Rule of communication. In this rule, words account for 7%, tone of voice counts for 38%, and body language accounts for 55%. 55%! That means that more than half of communication is done through body language!
Here are my favorite tips to enhance the control of your body language and be a better communicator:
- Eye Contact - To write about all the subtleties and benefits of good eye contact would be enough for its own post entirely. For now, keep in mind the basics: maintain eye contact, but do not stare. This may seem difficult or peculiar at first, but after a few days of consistency, you’ll realize your eyes are one of the best ways to convey emotion, feeling, and to communicate effectively.
- Arms - Arms are clues to how receptive a person currently is to interaction. Let your arms rest at your sides or move them behind you. Try to refrain from crossing your arm as this is usually perceived as a defensive sign. However, arms work both ways. If you are talking with someone who just said the wrong thing, don’t hesitate to cross your arms and let them know.
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Everything is going great. You’re driving down the highway we call life and your projects are moving along swimmingly, your goals are approaching faster and faster as you press down on the accelerator.
Suddenly, the engine stutters, there seems to be a loss of power. You glance down at the dashboard and see that the fuel gauge is pointing to E. You’ve run out of gas.
Sound familiar? If so, then this post is for you.
We’ve all been hit by the sporadic slump. When it feels like your drive for success has faltered. You just don’t want to do anything. We don’t know why or when exactly it happened, but it did happen and now we are stuck in it. Here are 10 ways to avoid falling into a slump and how to recover when you’ve run out of gas.
- Focus – Many slips into a slump are the result of being overwhelmed with just too many things going on at the same time. This feeling can be canceled out with a string of small achievements. Just make a list of the things you need to get done, prioritize the list, and then focus on completing one thing at a time. Crossing off items from a to-do list is a great way to get motivated again. Once again, I highly recommend the Three Lists of Three method as it allows for deeper focus on a specific task without the risk of an overflowing list.
- Exercise – I’ve written about the productivity increasing benefits of exercise before in 5 Lifestyle Changes To Make You Feel Great and Be More Productive and 11 Solid Ways to Enhance Your Memory. Here is another opportunity. Whenever I fall out of my exercise routine, I see myself fall out of other routines in my life as well. Exercise is a great way to uplift your mood. Exercise has a positive effect on four of the main chemicals of the brain the effect mood: Serotonin, Epinephrine, Dopamine, and Endorphin. So get up, go for a walk or run. Lift some weights. Go bowling. You’ll get a mood-boost and feel much better. This is one of the best ways to break out of a slump and you won’t regret it. Read all »
