When everything’s coming your way, you’re in the wrong lane.
A few weeks ago, I wrote an article that gave you “36 Tips For An Exceptional Life.” And your response was so positive and so overwhelming that I decided to give you another series of tips … on a different topic this time.
As you can imagine, one of my most popular on-site corporate programs … and one of my most popular association keynotes … continues to be “Take This Job And Love It! A Program For Managing Stress, Preventing Burnout, and Balancing Life.” And it’s no wonder. We’re living in a crazy world, in stressful times, where people are overwhelmed and burned out.
But it doesn’t have to be that way. That’s why I advise my clients to book me and my “Take This Job and Love It” program for their next event.
Of course, that program can run anywhere from an hour keynote to a half or full-day training program. And it’s not possible to pack all that information and all those strategies into a short “Tuesday Tip.” Nonetheless, I think you’ll find the following tip sheet extremely helpful … if you print out a copy, put it on your wall, and review it once in a while.
DR. ZIMMERMAN’S 50 WAYS TO GET UNSTRESSED IN A STRESSED-OUT WORLD
DE-CLUTTER YOUR ENVIRONMENT. PEACE IS NEVER FOUND IN THE MIDST OF CHAOS.
1. Simplify. Simplify. Simplify.
2. Get a place for everything, and put everything in its place.
3. Have backups: an extra car key in your wallet, an extra house key buried in the garden, extra stamps in the car, whatever will lower your stress.
4. Surround yourself with what you love … whether it’s pets, plants, music, hobbies, or keepsakes. Make your home your refuge.
5. Enjoy the simple things.
6. Take one day at a time.
7. Slow down. You’re never going to get it all done anyway.
8. Allow extra time to do things and to get to places.
9. Spread big changes and difficult projects over time. Don’t lump all the hard things together.
TAKE CARE OF YOUR BODY. THERE’S NO PLACE ELSE TO LIVE.
10. Eat right.
11. Go to bed on time. Get enough rest.
12. Get up on time. Start your day with calmness.
13. Drive carefully. Cars aren’t the only things that can be recalled by their maker.
14. Cherish your health. If it is good, preserve it. If it is unstable, improve it. If it is beyond what you can improve, get help.
15. Don’t wait for 6 strong men to take you to church.
GUARD YOUR HEART. DON’T LET THE WORLD STEAL YOUR JOY.
16. Laugh. And then laugh some more — even if you have to fake it til you make it.
17. Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath.
18. Do something for the kid in you every day.
19. Smile. Peace starts with a smile.
20. Accept that some days you’re the pigeon, and some days you’re the statue.
21. Do what is right. Forbidden fruits create jams.
22. Don’t let your worries get the best of you. Remember, Moses started out as a basket case.
23. Let the tears come. Endure, grieve, and move on. Be ALIVE while you are alive.
24. Don’t take guilt trips. Take a trip to the mall, even to the next county or a foreign country … but not to Guilt City.
25. Don’t forget … birthdays are good for you. The more you have, the longer you live.
WATCH YOUR MOUTH. THE POWER OF LIFE AND DEATH ARE FOUND IN THE TONGUE.
26. Talk less. Listen more.
27. Tell your loved ones … that you love them … at every opportunity.
28. Keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat them.
29. Be kind to unkind people. They probably need it the most. And if you can’t be kind, at least have the decency to be vague.
30. Don’t put both feet in your mouth at the same time, because then you won’t have a leg to stand on.
31. Practice KYMS (Keeping Your Mouth Shut). It will prevent an enormous amount of trouble.
32. Forgive. Most people are doing the best they can with what they have.
BUILD YOUR RELATIONSHIPS. THEY DETERMINE THE QUALITY OF YOUR LIFE.
33. Keep only cheerful friends. The grouches pull you down.
34. Build memories. Life is not measured by the number of breaths you take, but by the moments that take your breath away.
35. Learn to get along … just like crayons. Some are sharp. Some are pretty, and some are dull. Some have weird names, and all are different colors. But they all have to live in the same box.
36. Let go of grudges. If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, it was probably worth it.
37. Refrain from judgment. God Himself does not propose to judge a man until he is dead. So why should you?
38. Remind yourself that you are not the general manager of the universe.
NURTURE YOUR SPIRIT. IT’S THE SOURCE OF HOPE.
39. Take time … every day … to be alone … and relish the power of peace and quiet.
40. Listen to a motivational CD while you’re driving … a CD that will improve your quality of life.
41. Write down every great thought that comes to you. Chances are you won’t remember them, and it may take you another 20 years to learn the lesson you just lost.
42. Keep a folder of your favorite sayings on hand.
43. Write down one thing you’re grateful for. And then add one more thing to your list each and every day.
44. Make a list of what you want to do, have, experience, and witness before you die. It’s a sure way to get a lot more of what you want in your life!
45. Strive for excellence. It is not necessary to be perfect. Excellence will do just fine!
46. Walk your talk. It is easier to preach ten sermons than it is to live one.
47. Remember, when you get to your wit’s end, you’ll find God lives there.
48. Pray. Then take some time to listen. Many folks want to serve God, but only as advisors.
49. Don’t put a question mark where God put a period.
50. Remember … the Will of God never takes you to where the Grace of God will not protect you.