How to Get More Done When You Have More Kids

http://nc4inc.ttkbell.hop.clickbank.net

Both of kids (Mimmo and Tony) are now adults with their own young families... hope they read this blog post... thinking back how I was running my life when they where younger. I am ashamed that I did not know any better back then, so I could spend more time with them. It would make my life a lot more smoother if I knew how to handle my time when they where young... read more below.. you will know what I mean...

First of all, I like to thank Craig Ballantyne for sharing this story and information...:-)

Enjoy all you do...

nick c.
--
By Chris Lopez

It's hard for most folks to believe, but I'm only 31 years old and I have 5 kids. Being a husband and a dad of 5, downtime has become synonymous with family time.

Last week for example, I went to a birthday party with 4 kids in tow while my wife was with our second oldest daughter at a soccer game. At every party, I get asked by every other adult, "How do you do it? How do you manage a family of 7, run your businesses, stay in shape and look like you're having fun doing it?"

It's true, finding time for true balance in work and in life is a challenge for any entrepreneur or busy Early to Rise reader. Do I have it all figured out? No, of course not, but I am able to manage certain aspects of my life to make sure that my business steadily grows each year and that I maintain and grow the relationship that I have with my wife and kids.

If you're struggling to find that balance, then maybe you can get something out of these tips that I can offer you as an Entrepreneurial-Business-Owning-Coach-Husband-and-Father-of-Five-Who-Home-Schools-His-Kids-And-Stays-In-Great-Shape-All-While-Still-Having-Time-To-Have-A-Once-Per-Week-Date-Night-With-His-Wife (how's that for a "title"?).

1) Manage Daily Transitions with Routines

There are 2 major transitions in my daily life. The first is the transition from sleeping to working and writing, and the second is the transition from work-mode to family-mode.

My morning ritual after my alarm goes off at 4:57am is to head downstairs to turn off the alarm, fill a tea kettle, drink 2 glasses of fresh water and go through a brief bodyweight exercise routine to increase blood flow. After the exercises, I brew my favorite jasmine green tea, turn on my computer and spend the next two hours writing and completing one or two of my "Most Important Tasks" (MITs).

When it's time for my day to wrap up, I summarize my day in my notebook, write down the 3 MITs that need to be accomplished the next day and then listen to a meditation program for 30 minutes.

These rituals that I perform on a daily basis sub-consciously tell my mind what "mode" to be in and has been an incredible way for me to focus on what's important.

2) Work in Bursts and then Rewarding Yourself

I find that I get so much more done when I'm focused on one task rather than multi-tasking. If I see a task on my list through to its completion, it's less likely to linger in my mind as something that "I have to get back to".

For motivation, it's often that I'll give myself a small reward if I see something through to completion.

3) Stop When It's Time to Stop

If you're an entrepreneur, then there isn't a time of day when you're not thinking about your business. The downfall to that is that you may sometimes miss out on the finer moments of life because you may be physically "there", but you're just not present.

I'm as guilty of this as anyone else who runs their own business but is also devoted to their family.

Countless times I see people at the dinner table who refuse to put down their Blackberry or insist on answering the phone. Unless you're looking for a one-way trip to the doghouse, then you need to put the phone down and listen to and engage with your spouse while they talk about their day.

In order for me to make sure that my family has my undivided attention, not only have I established the transition routine above in Strategy #1, but I will also limit any type of access to me from the outside world.

Email notifications are turned off, the phone is not answered and more often than not, we unplug the modem and the Internet is off completely. If I do end up coming up with a brilliant idea while I'm in family-mode (which happens a lot), I pull out my pocket notebook and jot the idea down and then let it go knowing that I've got it in my pocket when I need to get to it.

4) You MUST Exercise

Maybe I'm a little biased because I work in the fitness industry, but if there was one strategy that has allowed me to really have enough energy for and to be purposefully engaged in both my business and my personal life, it's exercise.

It's a myth that it requires two hours of time per day to exercise and stay lean and healthy. In fact, these days my workouts last no longer than 30 minutes using a combination of kettlebell and bodyweight exercises in my living room or backyard.

Looking the part is a critical element of my fitness business, but I'm starting to realize that it's a critical element of me being a good father as well.

Exercise allows me to only have enough energy not only to keep up with my kids at the end of the day, but it sets an example to my kids to make their health a priority in their lives.

My habits in the gym - of hard work, perseverance and determination - are carried over into my business and family life and are habits that I hope to pass on to my four daughters and son through example.

All in all, my double-life as a business owner and entrepreneur and as a father/husband isn't all that different than yours. We both need to find the right strategies to ensure that we are successful and find balance in every aspect of our lives.

The important thing to remember is that self-discipline is the key to forming good habits and strategies to ensure success in business and in life.

Adopting one or all of the strategies above, slowly, in a step-by-step manner has worked wonders for me and has made enjoy myself in my business dealings and has allowed me to forge a strong relationship with my loved ones.

In my life, I feel that I CAN have it all. Thanks to the strategies above,

I'm making my dream a reality.

[Ed. Note: Chris Lopez is a happily married father of 5 in Toronto where he runs his fitness training business and international website business. Chris is the author of a new at-home fat burning workout that will help you build muscle and burn fat at the same time without fancy equipment.]

http://nc4inc.ttkbell.hop.clickbank.net

Live Your Life Today as...

A note to my friend A.J...

Halo A.J,
Do you live your life now as how you really want to live in this precious moment?

As it is well known, we all have specific ways we use every day on how we like to live our lives, but as it turn out, most times the main problem is that most of us do not make the definite decision to start living our lives in the way we really want right now... correct?

Hey AJ, do you agree? Are you with me?

How many times you found your self dreaming about how you would like to live, but then your just dismiss it and don’t take any necessary steps to achieve the lifestyle you desired.

Living a life-style you want, allows you to create the results you really, really want.

Live it as you were already successful… Go ahead and hang around with with people who can support you. Go ahead and start thinking all about your successful lifestyle.  Go ahead and do on a daily basis everything that make you fell great…

Just think about it... it makes perfect sense for you to start doing those things right now. this moment… and ultimately you will be living the desired lifestyle you always wanted to live.

Lazing around all day will not get you closer to your dream lifestyle... so go ahead, create it.

Create results according to the lifestyle of your dream. When you want to fully enjoy life, work with passion, love what you do, love your self, your family and friends as you never loved them before… go ahead, do it now and never stop.

Waiting for ever does not bring you closer to your dreams... design your life as you really want and start living your perfect lifestyle right now.

Here is a short exercise for you:

1_ Meditate about your perfect and ideal day…

Start from when you wake up, how do you like to feel?
Who do you like to connect, vibrate with?
Who do you want to be involved with today that is as passionate as you are?
What type of hobby do you have in mind to work on day?
What is that wholly stimulates your mind, body and spirit today?
Project exactly how you feel in the evening when you go to sleep, How do you feel?

Go ahead, practice your daily lifestyle and create it every single day.

Live the life of your dream, do it right now… Today…!

All the best from,

nick c. your trusted friend.

P.S. Take full advantage of the present moment – Create your financial life security that your always dreamed, start right here:b1wg.com

Veggie Mania in Toronto

Here is some great info send to me by my friend Nimisha,

(http://evolvingappetites.com)

Please check all thse imporatnt informations and if you are 

in and around Toronto, enojoy even more :-)

=====  

Folks, I don't normally do this - but since I won't have time to
update the newsletter before this weekend, I felt compelled to get
this out.

This weekend is veggie mania in Toronto - wanted to make sure if
you're in or around Toronto, you don't miss out on these awesome
veggie events:

A must see: You'll love this fabulous documentary premiering at the
Toronto Independent Film Festival (not to be confused with the Toronto
International Film Festival - TIFF - running concurrently).

Titled "Vegucated" (http://www.getvegucated.com/
), the film follows three meat- and cheese-loving New Yorkers who
agree to adopt a vegan diet for six weeks. There’s Brian, the
bacon-loving bachelor who eats out all the time, Ellen, the single mom
who prefers comedy to cooking, and Tesla, the college student who
avoids vegetables and bans beans. They have no idea that so much more
than steak is at stake and that the fate of the world may fall on
their plates. Lured with true tales of weight lost and health
regained, they begin to uncover hidden sides of animal agriculture and
soon start to wonder whether solutions offered in films like Food,
Inc. go far enough. Before long, they find themselves risking
everything to expose an industry they supported just weeks before.

Advanced reviews bill this as "hilarious", "informative",
"educational"...here's a sample:

"I love this film. Not only does it cover the hows and whys of
healthy, humane eating, but it captures the OMGs and WTFs of the
transformation process. A must-see!" - Rory Freedman, author of Skinny
Bitch

If you're in the Toronto area, make a point of seeing it - one night
only - this Saturday, Sept. 10 at 9:30 pm, Underground Cinema
(Queen/Spadina)

Ticket info here (seats are first come, first served - $8/pp):

http://www.film-fest.ca/tickets.htm

And don't forget, lots of fun to be had for 3 days at:

The 27th Annual Food Fair this weekend starting Friday at 4pm - all
speakers, cooking demos, exhibits FREE - the largest Vegetarian Food
Festival in North America - and of course, lots of free food samples -
don't miss it! Harbourfront Centre (235 Queens Quay W).

Details at:

http://veg.ca/content/view/52/83/

Also, here's a fabulous event summary from my fellow veg promoter
extraordinaire, Olga, titled "Vegetarian Food Festival - 3 Reasons for
Non-Vegetarians to check it out"

http://www.choose-healthy-food.com/toronto-vegetarian-food-festival-for-non-vege
tarian.html

Have a very veggie weekend :-)

Nimisha

Victory

You are the Man who used to boast
that you'd achieve the uttermost,
some day.

You merely wished to show,
to demonstrate how much you know
and prove the distance you can go..

Another year we've just passed through.
What new ideas came to you?
How many big things did you do?

Time left twelve fresh months in your care
how many of them did you share
with opportunity and dare
again where you so often missed?

We do not find you on the list of makers good.
explain the fact!
Ah No, 'Twas not the chance you lacked!
As usual - you failed to act!

by Herbert Kauffman,
Shared to you by:
nick c. liveyourlife2day.com