You Can Save Time And Have A Life

Crises happen every day. I recently spoke to a couple who had lost their 27-year-old son three years ago. He was a hard-working guy-a workaholic. He was also married and had one child. He was having some pains in his chest and complained that his arm was bothering him. The doctor said it was just indigestion and sent him home. A few months later, he had a heart attack and died.

Someone else told me about his brother having to undergo heart bypass surgery at 43. He went back to work too early and suffered a stroke. The list goes on-especially in these times. The insurance industry is very stressful.

Don't wait for a tragedy. Start thinking about what's truly important to you. Believe me, it won't be work! Family, health, and being happy come first-so start living now.

Start thinking of ways you can save time throughout your day. If you can, plan to take at least a half day off during the work week. If there's no way you can possibly do this, take another tack: Ask yourself whether you're spending too much time in the office. Do you really need to be out selling? Are you staying in the office to oversee staff?

Work with your employees to write and review procedures for the agency. Make sure you're an active participant in this process. You'll be much more comfortable leaving the office if you know employees are following the newly formulated procedures. Designate an employee you can trust to oversee things while you're away from the office. Of course, make sure your cell phone is on at all times in case this employee needs to contact you.

Finally, start having employees think like you. When a question is given to you by an employee, ask that employee how he or she would handle it. If it's a way you approve, have them proceed. Otherwise, respond to their question. As you keep this question process going, your staff will start thinking like you, and you will find fewer questions given to you.

These are only a few ideas. There are plenty of others. Start thinking about how to save time now so you can enjoy your family and home life today.

'How in the world can I take a break?' you may be asking. 'There's just too much to do. You have no idea what my days are like!'

If you followed the measures just described, you'll have more time to take breaks throughout your day. So get out of the office during lunch. If you don't eat or don't want to go to a restaurant, take a walk, go home, take a drive, work out, even have a massage. Just make sure you aren't working.

Of course, this is very difficult to do-at first. Start out slow. Maybe plan on doing this one day a week for one month. Then do it on two days every week. Before you know it, you'll feel comfortable taking a break. It will become part of your day, and your days will be less stressful.

Are you one of those people who just has to call the office when on vacation? Or, worse, simply must bring work to do on vacation? Why in the world are you even taking one?

We take so little time off, that when we do take it, it ought to be pure. Don't call the office. Don't take work home. Don't leave a number where you can be reached. If you know your employees are following agreed-upon procedures, put an employee in place to oversee the office and train your employees to think like you, so you can take a vacation!

If you just can't do it for a full-length vacation, start off smaller. Try it for one day. Then increase it to two. Remember, don't call the office and don't take work home-and if you must, leave a number that is only to be used in the event of a real emergency.

The fact is, the world will spin along nicely without you-and so will your office. Don't wait until you've worked your way into a hospital bed before realizing this. If you have to be flat on your back before concluding that you're dispensable, it's much more pleasant when you're lying on a beach!