Struggle to Victory

This is the first post in a 5-part series focusing on vacations. The first four posts focus on family vacations, and the fifth focuses on summer vacation in general.

The importance of vacations to our physical and mental health lies with every person’s need to break the stress cycle by taking time to relax and gain perspective. Additionally, The Importance of Vacations, for Stress Relief, Productivity and Health lies in their ability to promote creativity, prevent burnout, help keep us healthy, promote overall well-being and improve job performance. Specifically for families, vacations promote bonding, provide unique teaching opportunities, and teach the value of adventure and new experiences. Just as important, if not more, vacations allow for enjoying children while they are young, an ever-fleeting time of life.

While the importance of vacations seems clear, Expedia considers the United States along with five other countries to be “vacation deprived.” Expedia also says that the top reasons for skipping vacations are money (38%), failure to plan (20%) and work being the priority (10%). Today’s post focuses on reducing the second top reason, failure to plan.

The following four tips for planning for a family vacations are ones my family uses when we vacation, which is usually two week-long trips a year as well as shorter trips (weekend or an overnight) periodically.

1. Buy a travel book specific to your destination. Not only does this provide all the information on your destination that you need, it also saves time searching for the information on the internet. Additionally, a good travel book will highlight “must see” attractions and locations as well as “hidden” treasures. Tips in a good travel book include best time to go, money-saving tips and lists of what to bring. A travel book has proved to be an invaluable resource for my family, even beyond all of our electronics (iPod, tablet, iPhone and laptop).
2. Involve the whole family in planning. While this proves easier as kids get older, even younger kids can be included in deciding what to do and what to bring. We often begin the planning with having a yard sale to “raise money” for the trip. This gets the kids excited and involved. We also allow them to research the destination and make lists of what they want to see and do. They also help pack their own suitcases and carry-ons and also help clean the house before we leave. Preparing for vacation is truly a family event, and making it so really takes a lot of stress and pressure off mom and dad.
3. Make lists. Even at a very young age, kids can follow lists and usually enjoy doing so. We make lists on what needs done before leaving, what to bring, what to do when we get there as well as what to do as we travel. The lists are written down and accessible to everyone. My family really enjoys marking items off the lists. Doing so is like a count-down of sorts to when we leave.
4. Pack minimally. We take or buy laundry detergent and do our laundry when we’re on vacation. This way, we can pack lightly and save the hassle of dealing with lots of luggage. Packing the essentials and favorites is the key.

These tips come after almost 20 years of trial and error and with the last two years of family vacations being the most restful and enjoyable. Intentionally being systematic about planning and preparing for vacations as brought me and my family to a place of not only looking forward to getting away but also to truly enjoying the time away and coming back closer as a family.

This rest of this series will also focus on how to enjoy traveling and family time while on vacation. The series will also look at how to not come back from vacation more stressed and needing another vacation and will end with how to enjoy time off with the kids in the summer.

DISCUSSION: Why is taking family vacations regularly so important? What tips do you have for planning a family vacation?

Many leaders and business professionals continually express frustration over wasted time spent handling the seemingly unending flow of email to and from their inbox. As Michael Hyatt indicated in his podcast How to Shave 10 Hours Off Your Work Week, some people have hundreds and even thousands of email in their inbox that they haven’t even read yet. (Michael provides a lot of terrific suggestions for handling email in this podcast as well as in many of his blog posts at Michael Hyatt: Intentional Leadership.) While the sheer volume alone overwhelms many people, additional frustration comes with the inability of so many people to effectively use email to communicate.

The following lessons can not only help reduce the number of email sent and received but also help make email communication in general more effective.

Learning from Twitter

In a word: brevity. The draw of Twitter for many lies with the brief messages. Twitter only allows 140 characters per message, forcing individuals to be as succinct as possible. One of the biggest problems business professionals say they have with email is the length and detail of many email messages. These same professionals say that shorter messages sent to one or two people provides a more effective way to communicate via email rather than a longer message that covers requests and “to do” items for 20 people. A good rule to follow is if an email message goes beyond one screen (meaning, recipients must scroll down to read the entire message), do one of two things. One, pick up the phone and call the recipients. Two, break the message into separate emails addressed to each individual with the specific action for that person to take.

Using To, Cc and Bcc Properly

Misuse of To, Cc and Bcc contributes to a great deal of email overload, and knowing when to use To, Cc, and Bcc properly goes a long way in reducing the frustration with regard to email. Individuals on the To address line should be those needing to take action based on the information in the email. Those in the Cc address line should be able to assume that the email comes as informational only and to allow the individual to “be kept in the loop” with no further action expected on their part. Finally, the Bcc address line, which really should be rarely used, is used when email addresses need to remain hidden for some reason. This might happen when sending an email to a large number of people with the intention of keeping email addresses private or to avoid that loooo….ng list of email address at the beginning of many email messages.

Use the Tools Available

One reason email gets out of hand has to do with the failure of many individuals to fully utilize the tools at their fingertips. Email programs themselves offer solutions for many problems experienced with email. One terrific example involves the calendar feature accompanying most email programs. Too often, email becomes the mode for setting up meetings, which unfortunately leads to confusion and muddies up email correspondence in general. Most email programs allow for viewing of coworkers calendar, which allows for ease with coordinating meetings. Most programs also allow for sending a meeting request, which takes place via email but looks slightly different than a normal email message, thus making it easier and quicker to process. Most email programs provide excellent tools for managing emails as well as appointments. Learning to use some of the basic features can greatly increase efficiency.

Know when NOT to Use Email

Probably one of the best ways to decrease email overload and frustration lies with knowing when NOT TO USE email. Here are some basic rules.

1. When messages go beyond a single screen shot. If the recipient has to scroll down to read the entire message, consider picking up the phone and calling or walking to the recipient’s office.
2. When emotions are involved. Avoid sending an email when angry or frustrated. Remember that email exists as a permanent record once it’s sent. You may cool down and apologize for an emotionally-charged email, but recipients can hold on to those messages, and there’s no way you can get rid of them. Most people are also not able properly and accurately express emotion in writing. Add to that the fact that “reading between the lines” and making assumptions can easily muddy up the intended message. Simply avoid emotionally-charged emails.
3. When discussing personal information. Never forget that EMAIL IS A PERMANET RECORD. Avoid writing personal information, especially in a business setting. Once your message is sent, you lose control of who reads your words.

Simply put, pick up the phone or walk to the person’s office whenever email gets lengthy, when emotions are involved or when personal information needs discussed. Doing so not only decreases misunderstandings but also eliminates much of the worry over the wrong eyes reading sensitive information.

Even with the onslaught of social networking sites like Twitter, email still exists as a major mode of communication, especially in the business world. Unfortunately, it also exists as a huge source of frustration and overload too. Employ the above tactics for reducing email overload and frustration, and watch your efficiency and good moods increase.

DISCUSSION: What suggestions do you have for reducing email-related frustration and overload? What issues do you have with workplace communication, email related or not, that adds to your frustration and overload?

Research proves the importance of getting sufficient sleep and emphasizes the role sleep plays in a person’s ability to be productive and healthy. While experts say that everyone needs 7-8 hours of sleep every night, many individuals argue that they can be at their best with less. Regardless, the fact remains that a good night’s sleep, however you define that, is essential.

When I first wrote my notes for this post months ago, I was exhausted. I had gone to sleep later than usual, and I had woken up at least a half dozen times during the six hours that I tried to sleep. Waking up at least a couple of times a night was normal for me at that time, but the hourly wake up pattern was not the usual. The result was a day where I felt groggy and struggled to focus. Unfortunately, this problem was more common than not over the past several years.

Up until a couple of months ago, a good night’s sleep eluded me. Fortunately, I can now say that I have victory in that area of my life. While I still wake up once a night to go to the bathroom, most nights I now sleep a full 7 hours and wake feeling refreshed. My husband has the gift of being able to sleep anywhere, anytime and to get a solid night’s sleep virtually every night, a goal I now have for myself.

Below are 5 tips for getting a good night’s sleep, some based on my personal struggle with sleep and some based on what experts recommend.

1. Consider supplements. Some people swear by prescription sleep aids, but I never liked the results and side effects. For me, taking melatonin every night before bed helps me fall asleep quickly, and I also sometimes drink tea with valerian and/or chamomile. There are a variety of supplements that can help with sleep that experts say (and my experience proves) can be very helpful.
2. Evaluate your environment. While my husband can sleep with the lights on or off and with noise or quiet, I need almost total darkness and complete silence. The temperature of the room matters too. I don’t like to be too cold, but my mother loves to have the window open when it’s freezing outside. Finding what works takes experimentation.
3. Experiment with tools. Tools for sleeping include eye masks, ear plugs, white noise (a fan, for example), a body pillow, and an electric blanket. Again, play with these different tools to see what helps you sleep better. While the electric blanket is the only one I use at home (we live in Michigan, and the nights can get quite cold, especially when my husband is traveling for work), I do use ear plugs sometimes when traveling (like when camping). I have also used an eye mask in the past when I wanted to take a nap and could not control the room’s lighting.
4. Change your bedtime routine. Caffeine and alcohol or wine too close to bedtime can affect how a person sleeps, and so can viewing any type of media screen (television, smart phone, computer, etc.). For me, having herbal tea (my favorite for bedtime is Calm by Tazo) an hour or two before bed starts my relaxation process. Think about what you do after 8:00PM that may be contributing to your sleep problems. Adjusting your bedtime routine as well as going to bed and rising each morning at about the same time can go a long way in assuring a solid night’s sleep.
5. Think about how you rest. Some people struggle sleeping at night because they replay their day over and over again in their minds. They struggle with how to relax. Counteracting this can be done in a variety of ways, including writing down thoughts before going to bed and purposefully finding ways to relax during the day to prevent a buildup of stress that can keep you awake at night. Some people find that a power nap every afternoon helps them relax in a way that not only gets them through the day but allows them to feel less stressed at the end of the day. Others use full-body muscle relaxation techniques, and still others (this would be me) employ stretching and exercise to reduce stress.

Bottom line: Find what works for you. The combination of techniques is unique to every individual.

The benefits of a good night’s sleep include increased productivity and energy and improved relationships, and results in a more positive outlook on life. In fact, a good night’s sleep is an essential building block for EVERY area of life from the physical and mental to the spiritual. Don’t neglect this crucial proponent of good health. Simply put, a person must be well-rested in order to truly “make the most of every opportunity” (Ephesians 5:15-16).

DISCUSSION: If you consistently sleep well, how do you make that happen? If you don’t, what will you try to hopefully change that?