It is far too easy to get locked into a daily routine that quickly becomes boring. Sometimes we forget we need to live life with excitement and enthusiasm – which can be difficult to accomplish when you are racing to meet deadlines, or you are bogged down under an endless pile of assignments. However, you need to incorporate little doses of electricity into your life to keep you energized. You will have more success in the long run when you are enjoying your life.
First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt wisely said, “The purpose of life is to live it.” Better advice could never be spoken. You only have one chance at this crazy race, so why not make it as entertaining as you can?
You do not need to go to great lengths to add some pizazz to your life, nor do you need to suddenly attempt death-defying acts. Instead, find things that bring you great enjoyment and schedule them into your day.
Make sure to go and do those things you enjoy, and do not let procrastination get the best of you. It is far too easy to say, “Someday…” Before you know it, years have passed, and “someday” has not yet arrived – or worse, has passed you by.
- Make Dinner Plans: Nothing is more relaxing and enjoyable than good food enjoyed with good friends. Make plans to have dinner with someone special, and then give yourself over entirely to the evening. For an even more entertaining twist, go to one of those dinner shows where everyone participates, such as a mystery dinner theater. The change of pace and intriguing surroundings will ignite the imagination.
- Take up a Hobby: Having an interest outside work or family not only gives your mind a chance to rest, but gives you some much needed alone time. Whether you prefer golfing with your buddies, roller blading around a lake, or daredevil mountain biking down the side of a mountain, take time to indulge yourself in the activities you enjoy. Even if you only have a small amount of free time each week, make it interesting.
- Play Sports: If you have children, this is one thing you can do together. Challenge your kids to a game of basketball, or go to the park for some tag football or soccer. Swim together, run together, but mostly, laugh together. You will be achieving work family balance while having a great time.
- Travel: It is hard to beat the excitement of discovering a new place. Whether you escape for a weekend, get away overnight, or plan a major escape to some exotic destination, get out and explore the world around you.
New surroundings fill us with a renewed sense of happiness and inspiration. A vacation allows us to return with goals that are better prioritized, a mind that is more open to the possibilities in life, and a spirit that is filled with renewed energy. You may even find you have returned with renewed thanks for all of the positive things you have in your life already. Nothing opens up the mind more than seeing the world.
- Do Work You Enjoy: If you can, work in a profession that engages your mind and fills you with a sense of accomplishment. There are an increasing number of people who have given up the high-stress corporate job to work in a field that gives them a greater sense of accomplishment or fulfillment. After all, success comes in many forms, and only a few of them involve money or advancement. Some view success simply as a job well done, a goal accomplished, or a deadline met. Take your successes where you can.
Whatever your field, take a great amount of pride in the work you do – regardless of what else happens, you know you have done your job well. It is amazing how ownership of your responsibilities and taking pride in living up to them can boost the human spirit.
Wherever you go in life, or whatever you decide to do, do it with enthusiasm. Find the fun and enjoyment in everything, from reading to your children to having dinner with your spouse to striving to meet deadlines. Relish the joys, and the difficult times will be easier to bear.
Written by David B. Bohl of Slow Down Fast.