This message is dedicated to everyone who is run ragged and I meet many! Tell me how many hours you spend at work from Monday to Friday, how many hours you will confess to working at home over the weekend. To those around you your body warmth certainly contributes to heating the home but otherwise are you any more valuable than a cardboard cut-out? Sometimes those hours are considered a badge of - what? Honour you say? Excuse me! Have you seen studies comparing hours-worked with effectiveness? They make a powerful argument for doing something differently.

You tell me about the activities you will pursue when you have time. Would you like me to share my stories of all those I know who have lost their lives to cancer, heart disease and accidents in the midst of all their "busyness?" Their "time" will never come. Those activities will always remain the pipedreams of a soul without a body to pursue their accomplishment. Would you like me to share my stories of those who have lost relationships with completely compatible partners to their work? Some of those are with spouses or life partners, others with their children. When will you pass this way again and how do you know there is a second chance?

Tell me about your dreams. Tell me about the legacy you want to leave - not in terms of dollars, but lives you have touched, tears shed by those who knew and loved you, the difference you made - yes at work, but also in your family, your neighbourhood, your city, your country - and perhaps the world? Tell me about the smiles you have brought to strangers' faces, not because of what you do but who you are at your core.

You know what's coming don't you! When are you going to take control of your life and start recognising and putting in place the stepping stones which will take you where you really want to go?

MY FIRST CHALLENGE: This is the place to start: Where do you stand with respect to life balance? Want to find out? Here are the categories I use, in random order, because they are all important:

-Health of my mind,

-Health of my body,

-Relationships with my immediate family

-Recreation

-Relationships with others (friends)

-Business/career

-Volunteerism

-Spirituality

And here are the steps:

1) Track how much time you spend in each for the next two weeks, 2) Note how you feel about those totals, where are you spending too much, where too little? 3) Decide what you want to change. 4) Enroll an accountability partner, perhaps a friend, a business advisor, or someone else whom you trust, 5) Share your challenge and make a pledge to them about what you are prepared to do and by which date, 6) Agree a date on which you will report back and 7) Get out there and do it and observe how your life gets better and better and bette.........................and better!

MY SECOND CHALLENGE: My second challenge is that you start, and start right now!

Martin Sawdon, June, 2005. This article may be freely used elsewhere as long as the author's name and website are included.