To Your Health

The New Year is historically a time to renew some of those commitments you made to yourself and to review how to move forward from here. Now this may mean that you start from the beginning because the trouble with most New Year’s resolutions is that they are short lived. Usually because so many of them are made on the spur of the moment and there is really no strategic thinking down or follow through.

Planning for your future is no different than a large corporation planning for its. You need to look at your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Be honest about them. You will only be fooling yourself. Then your opportunity to create a viable and focused plan for your future will become easier.

This year Lori and I are developing strategic plans to help us grow individually and as a couple and this will ultimately resulting in Myriad’s growth. In general, take a holistic look at life, respecting all our commitments. So what types of things might you consider in a personal plan? Let’s take a look.

• Focus on the positive: Sometimes the path of least resistance is the low road. Don’t take it! You may wonder why there is apathy in the world? What is it we are teaching our children and grandchildren. Many people create a “gratitude list” to assist them with this focus then list those positive things that you want to concentrate on and develop a plan to do that.
• Time for family and friends: How about strengthening those family ties and reconnecting with your friends. Respect that your children need to develop their own healthy relationships outside of the family.
• Take more time for yourself (yourselves). How often during the day do you take a short time out just for yourself? Schedule it in if necessary. How about some time once a week for a movie, coffee, reconnecting with friends, etc.? Put those holiday plans in your calendar right now and that includes such things as going camping. If you put it on the calendar, it becomes a commitment.
• Slow down: How often have you had to stop and step back to turn out the lights as you are rushing out the door as opposed to walking a bit slower and getting those light switches on the way out? One or two seconds slower and you can accomplish all you have to in the day.
• Smile: This is good therapy for both yourself and those around you.
• More patience: With everyone, those you love and care about, the world in general. So what if you miss that green light and you have to wait all of another 3 minutes for the next one. Use that time to relax a bit. Have you ever noticed that shortly after people go flying by you on the highway, you catch up to them? They saved themselves all of about a minute or so and could have possibly put themselves in danger while passing you. Have you done the same thing?
• Get more rest: Many of us go to bed too late. That leaves us with less sleep than we need and it is just not healthy in the long run.
• Do a good turn for someone every day: Sound like the Scout motto? Well it is and why not? It is contagious. Pay it forward.
• Say thank you: We don’t do this enough. The world is full of critics and people need to know that they are appreciated for all of what they do. Just a simple “thank you” works really well. Take the time and see the results.
• Your health: Are you looking after yourself and up to date on medical exams? Are you putting any off that you have “heard” about and don’t want to do? Well in the words of Lori when she was in for a test and the young radiology technician was apologizing for the discomfort of the test and the temperature of the machine, “The pain I may feel right now for these few moments is miniscule in comparison to the pain that I would suffer if something were to go undetected so let’s just get it done.” Then smile and say thank you. Those technicians didn’t invent those examinations; they just do them for those of us getting older. And don’t forget to exercise. A 30 minute walk every day will do wonders for yourself.

As with all strategic plans, set out your goals and objectives and make them realistic and set a timeline. Of course you need to write them down and keep them handy. Review them every month or as each timeline dictates to monitor how you are doing. It will also make you smile at how much you have really accomplished. Think of how you can celebrate the end of 2010! Mission accomplished!

So what does this have to do with business? Everything! A happy and positive person makes for a more productive individual and workplace so encourage your employees and colleagues!

Try it and see. Have a great January.
Andy Ackerman