I woke up this morning to gremlins in the computer and counted my blessings that I have a great resource in Catherine Vu  and her wonderful tech team.

Sometimes I find computers to be the most curious of inventions. The vast majority of us rely on computers but don’t really have a clue about how they actually work.

Kind of like life. 

Most of the time we go along our merry way and then we hit a glitch. We’re not quite sure how or why it happened. Wouldn’t it be great if life had a little pop-up box like the computer that said:

Do you really want to do this?

On the computer I’m never quite sure but my techies tell me that most of the time the answer is yes.

What would it be like to have a little pop-up in life that helped you be more conscious about your decisions? Sure just like the computer the answer would likely be yes. But every so often stopping and asking that question might just save us from making an unconscious choice.

Just curious…

What would you like your pop-up box to say?

Here’s an interesting headline:

Recession offers potential for more work-life balance.

That’s according to a researcher at the University of Iowa based on what happened during the Depression.

His theory is that as people’s hours are cut at work during the current economic down turn, they will have more time for leisure activities.

Well sure. That makes sense. But actually creating more work-life balance?

I’m not so sure.

It’s one thing to say that when people have more time they will use it for non-work related stuff. If you have six more hours available to you because your shifts have been cut, then of course you will likely spend them with your family or on your own fitness or volunteering in your community.

It’s a completely different thing to say that people will consciously choose more work-life balance.

Life balance comes from making conscious choices about how you spend your time.

It’s about knowing your priorities and then aligning your actions with them. It relies on the same principles whether the economy is turned up, down or inside out.

I’m sure if you could add an extra 2 hours to the day – stretch it to 26 hours – you’d think that there was more potential for work-life balance. But what would likely happen is you would go back to your unbalanced ways once you got used to the extra 2 hours. Unless of course you starting making decisions about how you spend your time based on your priorities.

That’s exactly what will happen as a result of the recession too.

People are considering all kinds of life changes – simplifying things, getting back to basics, enjoying  their leisure time. But they will return to old habits once the economy picks up unless there they make a concerted effort to do something different. During this recession people are reacting to the circumstances, rather than being proactive about creating the kind of life they want.

It doesn’t have to be that way.

You can take this opportunity and begin to create more life balance. You can be proactive. You can begin to do the things that will help you sustain this balance once the economy starts rockin’ and rollin’ again.

Tune in tomorrow for some tips to get you started.

Ask Laurel…

With all of the gloom and doom news in the economic markets these days I find myself worrying more. What’s a good way to manage this uncertainty?

 Worry is an unproductive activity. It uses up your time but doesn’t really change anything. You can decide instead to be proactive.

When the going gets tough, successful people get back to basics.

Now is a great time to take inventory on all levels – financially, emotionally, physically and spiritually.  Are you clear on your priorities?

Do your current choices and behaviours reflect those priorities?

Is a small or large re-adjustment needed?

Course corrections, whether in financial markets or in life, are a time to step back, evaluate, plan and act wisely. Also remember that no matter the current challenge, there is also an opportunity waiting to be seized. It’s easy to get distracted by worry and miss an opening that might serve you well.

Take inventory. 

If you are looking for a quick tool to take inventory, visit my website http://www.stonecirclecoaching.com and look for the Wheel of Life in the Free Stuff section.

Post a comment and ask Laurel your life coaching question.

Yesterday I left you with some questions to ponder about whether your life, like the economy, needs a rescue plan.

When things get tough, successful people take inventory. Taking some time for reflection on questions like those is a good place to start.

Here’s the reason why:

Sure this whole global economic downturn is a complicated thing, but it seems to me that what’s at the heart of this problem is as much a spiritual crisis as a financial one. I’d say we’ve lost our way andI don’t mean to Wall Street.

We’ve lost our way because people buy things they really can’t afford. They are trying to drink champagne on a beer budget. Don’t get me wrong, I like the finer things in life. I think “buy the best you can afford” is a great motto. I don’t want to demonize wealth. I’m a big believer in abundance and all that goes with it.

But I’ll bet many people are up to their eyeballs and beyond in debt because they just had to have the biggest and the best and the newest “whatever” on the block. They bought houses and cars and toys that were really beyond their current means. They went on vacations they hadn’t yet paid for. They got the idea that they were entitled to the same kind of lifestyle that their parents had worked years for.

So why do people do that?

That’s the spiritual crisis. I think lots of people are trying to fill up giant holes in their souls with stuff. They’re trying to buy their way out of guilt. They’ve can’t seem to say no to themselves or their kids.. They’ve forgotten that money and stuff doesn’t buy happiness. If you aren’t content in your life, there’s nothing you’re going to buy at Walmart or Saks Fifth Avenue that will make you feel better. 

When you get right down to it, there’s been a lapse in morality – a steady decline in integrity. It’s sort of like stealing cookies from the cookie jar. You know it’s not right, but you really want that double fudge chocolate chip treat. And you also know, deep down, that eventually you’re going to get caught.

So here’s my challenge to you:

Take advantage of this economic crisis to take inventory on not only your finances, but also your moral compass.

Are your current choices a good reflection of your values?

Are you being a good role model?

Do you live beyond your current means?

Do you have the strength of character to require more of yourself?

What exactly do you stand for?

The great thing about a crisis is that it creates an opportunity to stop, reflect and correct your course as needed. Then you’ll be able to look back at the fall of 2008 and say, “Wow even though it wasn’t too pleasant that was the best thing that could have happened to me.”

What’s at the heart of your current crisis?

Everywhere you turn the current global economic crisis is front and center – jammed up credit markets, roller coaster stock markets, declining house prices and unemployment concerns.

Everyone has an opinion on the recent Wall Street rescue plan. And most people are asking,

“How did things get into such a mess?”

I’m no economic expert but it seems that part of the problem stems from a decline in morality, a pile of poor choices and not paying attention to flashing red signs.

It’s not surprising that when you take your eye off the ball, the game goes sideways.

Your life is not a whole lot different than the economy.

Are you heading for a personal recession?

Do you feel like things are out of control?

Have you been ignoring the signs that something needs to change?

Are your choices guided by a moral code?

Is it time to take stock and make some adjustments?

Does your life need a rescue plan?

Stop by tomorrow and I’ll share my thoughts on the real nature of the economic crisis.

Ask Laurel… 

September will soon be here with back to school and lots of sports, clubs and activities. How do I avoid over-committing myself and my family?

There are so many wonderful activities to choose, it’s easy to jam your schedule to overflowing.  You probably want to give your children a rich smorgasbord of experiences. But just like a food buffet, if you don’t pick and choose, you just might end up making yourself sick. Over-extended schedules, even made with the best intentions, often result in fast food in the car, rushed conversations and frazzled nerves.

What’s your tolerance level? 

Each family has its own tolerance level for commitments. Some families are able to take on lots of things and still feel energized. Other families need fewer commitments in order to function smoothly. Think back to last year.

Did you feel overwhelmed?

Did it seem like you were always rushing from one activity to the next without time to breathe?

If the answer is yes, then being  pickier about the things you commit to is probably a good idea.

Consciously create an experience 

Consider the experience you want to create for your family when making choices. Participating in one activity, having more fun and feeling less stress far outweighs multiple commitments. And remember to leave some white space in your schedule to allow for all of those unexpected things that will most definitely pop up.

What life coaching question would you like to ask Laurel?

Ask Laurel…

I know what I should be doing but I just can’t seem to get my act together. How can I get unstuck?

For many people knowing what to do or even how to do it is not what keeps them from achieving their goals. It’s getting started doing something different. People like to collect up all kinds of books and information on a topic – like healthy eating or fitness or finding balance. But somehow they never seem to translate that great information into action.

Do something

If you want to get unstuck, just start by doing something – anything at all. Inertia - a lack of movement – is a big obstacle to creating change. Often we think that we need to have all our ducks in a row before we begin.  Or sometimes the magnitude of a change we’re considering seems overwhelming and so we put it off. Taking the first step, no matter how small, is the way to get some forward momentum. Once you’re moving in the right direction, then you can begin to add in other behaviours and choices.

Start small

Choose something that is easy to do so the commitment doesn’t feel so big. You could take the stairs, or substitute a low fat option or take five minutes of me-time. Commit just for today and then re-commit tomorrow.

Never underestimate the power of one small step. That’s how all great changes started.

What life coaching question would you like to ask Laurel?

Ever feel like you’ve got your head stuck somewhere?

Had a moment when you say, “What was I thinking?”  That happened to a kitty named Wild Oats who had his head stuck in a peanut butter jar for 19 days before he was finally caught and rescued from his glass prison.

You have to imagine that Wild Oats must have had what seemed like a good reason to shove his head into a jar.  Maybe peanut butter was an appealing treat.  Maybe he’s just one wild and crazy cat always up for a challenge.  Whatever the reason, I bet as soon as his head was in the jar he had one big oh-oh moment.

So here’s the thing…

before you go sticking your head into something that might not be such a great idea, STOP and weigh the pros and cons.  One of the reasons why life feels out of balance is because you make unconscious choices.  You jump into something without really asking whether you have the time, energy or desire for it.  And then once you’ve said yes, you feel stuck in the commitment.

And if you go ahead and end up getting stuck, often the best thing you can do is get some help rather than running around trying to avoid it.

Life is meant to have a few risks. If you feel like sowing some wild oats, go ahead.  Just be sure you have a plan for getting your head out of the jar.