Everyone goes through times in their lives when it's hard to maintain a focus on the things that normally really matter. There are all kinds of reasons for this, maybe you're just tired from focusing on too many things or you've had to deal with a crisis. Whatever the reason the time comes when you have to take some time to refocus your life. Sometimes that means taking a step back from all of it, even the things you want to focus on. A vacation is a great way to clear your mind and start thinking of the things that mean the most to you.
It relaxes your body and mind, making it possible for you to return to what really matters. But sometimes a vacation is not practical. You have to find other ways to regain your focus. One of the things you can do is to get enough rest. Many people work much too hard and don't sleep enough. That recommended 8 hours of sleep a night is a really good idea.
Being well rested can help you quite a bit. It can help you have the energy to get done the things you need to get done. You may not feel that there's enough time in the day for you to get enough sleep, but you will generally work more effectively if you are well rested than when you're exhausted.
You also need to reevaluate your priorities. Many people take too much on in order to keep up with what they feel are their obligations. Take a look at what you require of yourself regularly.
Do you really, truly need to get all of that done? What of it can be cut so that you have time to do the things that really matter? Another thing to do is to focus on how you use your time. Both at work and at home, how much time do you spend just on checking email? Is it really important enough to check hourly or however often you check it? Or can you get away with checking it once in the morning and once in the evening. You can similarly reprioritize other aspects of your life.
If you want more time away from work, figure out what it would take to accomplish that. It may be incredibly difficult, but if that's what you really want from your life you need to find a way. It will take time to make your life the way you want it to be, and it won't always work out exactly the way you want it to. But if you focus more on your priorities you can find more time for the things you want from your life.
Stephanie Foster blogs at http://www.nonstopchatter.com/ about things that catch her attention. You can read more about her take on life at her blog.
