by Molly Hunt

It's 2005 and most of us are still working on our 2004 goals. We all try to become more balanced in life. We try to de-clutter, become more organized, and exceed others (or our own) expectations.

Here are 10 tips to “Living in Zen”. With these tips you should find yourself more relaxed, more rejuvenated and more balanced in your life!

1)                   Enjoy the solitude.

There is little to no solitude in our lives these days. We all have kids or spouses or stressful jobs that keep us up at night. Try taking time for yourself. This may mean you have to get up earlier. Or, while in your car, turn off your cell phone and turn off the radio. Make it “you” time. The pay off is enormous!

2)                   Breathe deep and often.

Believe it or not, people don’t breathe as often as they should. We get into a stressful moment and literally forget to breathe. The more you allow yourself to breathe the more calm you become. This becomes a very handy tool when you are presenting to a group or trying to persuade your spouse that your way is the “right” way.

3)                   Stretch.

Try to stretch your mind, learn new things. Read a new book or start challenging yourself with crossword puzzles. Do something your mind is not used to doing. And make time to stretch your muscles. Physically stretching is just as important to someone who never goes to the gym as it is to a marathon runner. Your blood will start to flow and you will feel energized!

4)                   Minimize judgment.

It is so easy to look at someone and unconsciously judge them. Be aware of your unconscious behavior.  This includes judging yourself. When you play old tapes or put yourself down, you are creating a negative energy that is unnecessary for productivity.

5)                   Manage your time.

To be productive, make lists. This will help you to become more organized and will encourage procrastinators to have less anxiety. Put items in order of importance. If you know you spend too much time responding to email, set aside one hour during the day to responding then move to your next task. There is such a feeling of accomplishment when you can check off each item.

6)                   Make time for you.

As with “enjoy the solitude” you have to make sure to take care of yourself so that you can be more effective with the other parts of your life. Everyone will benefit if you are in a good place.  You may want to take a bath, light candles and lock the bathroom door. Or, you may want to make an early tee time on a Friday afternoon to play nine holes (by yourself). Take yourself away from all of the stresses you are normally surrounded by in day-to-day life.

7)                   Ask for help when necessary.

In the midst of all of our multitasking we seem to not be able to ask others for help. Why? We don’t need to have the weight of the world on our shoulders. Be a good "delegator". Taking care of everything is not your responsibility alone.

8)                   De-clutter.

Clean out your car, your desk, your closet. Get rid of the things you don’t use/wear regularly. Give it to Goodwill or to a charity of your choice. You will feel like you have a cleaner environment and you will have helped those less fortunate. A win win!

9)                   Prioritize.

When you prioritize you are getting one step ahead of the game. You never have to think about what you are forgetting that needs to be done. You have it right in front of you. Make an A, B, C list.  A’s are things that must be done today. B’s are things that need to be done this week. And, C’s are things that need to be done this month. Your lists are going to change daily. But, you won’t feel overwhelmed. You can even make an A,B,C list with these 10 steps!

10)               Simplify.

Simply stated. We need to simplify our lives. Once you decide what is important to you, stick with it. Put this list into practice and enjoy “living in Zen”.