One of my coaching clients is a runner. He originally rang me because his work and his life was out of control. He runs 20 kms a day and has done so for many years. I asked him how did he manage to religiously run every morning before work yet couldn't seem to leave office by 5.30 p.m. each night. He answered "It's easy to jump out of bed in morning and run, there's nothing or no-one able to stop me at that hour (5.30 a.m.). Yet when I'm at work there are too many demands on my time and they seem to always arise late in day."

Learn to pay yourself first. Just like George Classon wrote in his book "The Richest Man In Babylon", take 10% of whatever you earn and pay yourself first. Use it to invest, otherwise there will never be anything left once you pay everything else. And I'm sure many of you can relate to that.

How to Pay Yourself First You need to make yourself first priority. Ensure you allow time each and every day to action your own personal agenda.

Here's a couple of ideas to get you started:

Block out time each day in your diary for your exercise. Eg. Walk at 6.00 a.m. or lunchtime. Plan that first. Block out time each day to follow up on your personal issues. Eg. Book dental appointment, respond to phone calls, contact bank. Do that early in day otherwise you'll run out of time and leave it Make sure that you stick to it. Learn to say 'no' if other people want to make other plans for you during those 'me' times. You must take care of yourself first. You have power to say 'yes' or 'no' to other people's demands on your time. Treat yourself as your no. 1 priority.

The Final Word When you decide (yes, that right), it's when you decide to make yourself highest priority in your life, you'll find how much easier it is to live your life. When you decide you're worth it, it will be easy for you to say 'no' to other people's demands/requests. Of course, you'll need to learn how to organise yourself so that you are effective as possible.

Lorraine Pirihi, principal of The Office Organiser is Australia's Personal Productivity Specialist. She is also a Business and Life Coach.

Take action today! Contact Lorraine to discuss how she can help you on (613) 9532 5497 or email lorraine@office-organiser.com.au

Gary's Story In one of our coaching sessions, Gary told me he wanted to expand his social circle yet didn't have time because he worked from 7.30 a.m. to 7.00 p.m. most days. He said he'd been doing this for years and that it was 'the norm' in his profession.

As I continued to question him about why it was standard procedure to work these ridiculous hours, he realised that those colleagues who succumbed to this belief were all very unhappy individuals. Most of them were divorced just like he was and had no-one to go home to. They used work as a way to avoid loneliness.

Gary was divorced because he didn't pay attention to his relationships. He would arrive home at 7.30 p.m. most nights and his wife wouldn't bother communicating with him. She was busy looking after their two young boys and meeting their needs. At that time of night his wife was putting kids to bed.

Gary would read them a story if they hadn't already fallen asleep.

He was missing out on everything that was important to him.

Unfortunately Gary didn't wake up to himself in time and got caught up with being 'Mr. Important' at work. He paid a heavy price with divorce which followed.

Bringing Up Kids In his book "Raising Boys", Stephen Biddulph categorically states: If you routinely work a fifty five or sixty hour week, including travel times, you just won't cut it as a dad.

He says: Your sons will have problems in life and it will be down to you.

The Final Word If you seriously want to make changes to your life, then take action now. If it's too hard to do by yourself, get a coach. If you've been a workaholic it can take awhile to break your old habits and to instill new behaviours. After all you've got everything to gain by working less and everything to lose by continuing way you are.

Lorraine Pirihi, principal of The Office Organiser is Australia's Personal Productivity Specialist. She is also a Business and Life Coach.

Take action today! Contact Lorraine to discuss how she can help you on (613) 9532 5497 or email lorraine@office-organiser.com.au