I have written before about the importance of personal care as a part of one’s time management program. According to the Time Management Analysis (TMA) assessment provided by Kairos Management Solutions, over 40% of respondents do not have a structured and consistent personal care approach. In the context of the TMA, the key focus areas of personal care are sleep, exercise, and formal breaks.
However, personal care can really be considered integrated or a part of an overall lifestyle. More time is spent there when participants have taken the Retirement Time Analysis (RTA) and unpack a well-planned way of life. Lifestyle is reviewed in 5 areas: overall physical health, staying connected or in community with other people, having an active social life, formal short- and long-term activities, and understanding a detailed residence plan. Investing in these categories creates the strategy for a lifestyle that is time managed.
Physical Health
“The health benefits of regular exercise and physical activity are hard to ignore. Everyone benefits from exercise, regardless of age, sex or physical ability.” (1)
Consider how long you sit or are stationary during the day. Between work and even just relaxing, hours can be spent in just one position. Take the time and get moving. When you manage your time, manage in physical activity time.
Community
In the age of social media and electronic communication, we can get lulled into a false sense of engagement with others. In truth, community awaits right outside your doorstep. In an article from Forbes magazine, they talk about three benefits of being involved in your community.
1. Know what true community should be offering you.
2. Enjoy more community benefits and contribute to group benefits as well.
3. Determine if you’re getting what you need and, if you’re not, consider moving on. (2)
Active Social Life
According to the data provided from the Work-Life Balance assessment the average person feels they are living out of the right balance and spending too much time on their professional life and not enough on their personal life. A time managed approach reserves intervals where focus is given to meeting other people outside a business setting and having relationships independent of work.
Planned Activities
If you are already physically active, engaged in the community, and experiencing an active social life, chances are you already have planned activities. If you do not, then work on those three first, because they will naturally fill in any voids. The importance is to being some structure to any pursuits, interests, or hobbies. The idea is not to fill every minute of every day when you wake up and then go to bed. The purpose is to being variety to your time management.
Residence
For many, the cost of a rent or mortgage can be the single biggest expense in the budget. A home can be the largest asset in the portfolio. The time managed approach to where you live and reside takes into account the impact of the costs. Having a place to live that consumes much of your financial income, limits you ability to do the other items listed above. It can also cause your work-life balance to be pushed heavily to the professional side as you need to generate the income to maintain.
Summary
The lifestyle you want to lead is impacted by a variety of factors. Start by seeing if there are ways or a need to improve your physical health. Engage in your community in areas you feel comfortable and will add to your social life. Formalize planned activities into your calendar. Finally, create a residence plan and set goals to let you live in a place you like without having to be tied to that home because it is a high amount of your budget.
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