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VALUES AND PRINCIPLES FOR YOUR BUSINESS AND YOU!
What’s Your Work/Life Balance?
Using your list of values, for both personal and business life, gives you the base to build a Work/Life Balance. If you haven’t created a list for each, the time is now.
Here’s a list of values for your consideration. Don’t hesitate to look each up and consider their synonym. Your life values probably include family, friends, culture, etc.Dependability
Reliability
Loyalty
Commitment
Open-Mindedness
Consistency
Honesty
Efficiency
Innovation
Creativity
Good Humor
Compassion
Spirit of Adventure
Motivation
Positivity
Optimism
Passion
Respect
Fitness
Courage
Education
Perseverance
Patriotism
Service to Others
Environmentalism
Note where your two lists overlap and really reflect your life and the future of your business.
If you have or are building a Lifestyle Business, 4 of your top 5 values will coincide. If you’re working on a Legacy Business, 3 of your top 5 values will coincide. If they don’t, go back to the previous exercise and find the values that do overlap. That’s key to having a viable Work/Life Balance plan.
Create a Work/Life Balance for yourself , spend time identifying your values , either ones you now hold, or those you want to build your business and life around
Be careful of “shoulds”. A value is about a need, want or responsibility.
Be aware of what you say and write. List your 10 most common ‘shoulds’ and ‘oughts’. Decide if they are a need, want or responsibility. If not, decide what to do about them.
As you identify your ‘shoulds’, see if they link with your values list. Ask yourself – - Is there a good reason for this?
- How is or will it serve me?
- Your life will become more fulfilling when you eliminate any sense of obligation to things that are not of value to you and don’t really serve you.
“Do the things you want to for your highest good – it’s your life.” Carole Gaskell
LIVING IN ALIGMENT WITH YOUR VALUES –
5 areas you can control!
- Mindset
- Where You Put Your Effort
- How You Treat Others
- Establish Short and Long-term Goals
- Take Care of Yourself
Mindset
Is your glass half-full or half-empty?
I knew a woman who ran the HR Department for a major retail chain. When she interviewed candidates for any position her last question determined her decision on hiring.
She kept a glass of water on her desk that was half-full. But she asked each candidate to describe it. Half-full = Hired! Half-Empty = thanks, but no thanks.
Knowing your values provides you the guideposts to live your life with certainty. And gives you the mindset to achieve your dreams.
Where You Put Your Effort –
When your actions align with your values, you’ll feel more settled and secure.
Your choices will also align with your values and your decision making will align as well.
How You Treat Others
Build your self-awareness with your mindset and work to respond to others based on your core values.
Practice being empathetic, clear and direct as you set the example showing respect for their values.
Establish Short-term and Long-term Goals.
Do you have a plan? The way your set goals, both short and long-term, based on your values, you will feel more motivated to achieve them.
We’ll look at Goals and how to prosper through their implementation. I’ll add the link when it is posted.
Take Care of Yourself
As you work your way through our 52 blog course in Business, don’t forget to take care of YOU!
Take time, at least each week, for you. Write, read, take a walk by yourself, have lunch with a personal friend, whatever will give you space to reset.
Then the next time you’re faced with a decision, consider your values. You’ll know exactly what to do.
“A dream is just a dream. A goal is a dream with a plan and a deadline.” Harvey Mackay