Be a Quality Presence at Home and Work

It is fantastic to balance home and work by providing quality attention to both areas. Many women spend time trying to balance responsibilities to home and work. Often, the time spent in one area far outweighs the time spent in the other. It is very rarely an even split of hours. Since life makes is necessary for us to take care of home and work, we should concentrate on the quality of our time and efforts.

At home, if we want to give our families quality we must give them attention, compassion and treat home as if it is important. When at home, give home all of your attention, all of your efforts. It is important that you do your best to show those at your home that they are important and worthy of the best you have to give. You would never go to work in rollers and dirty pajamas for example. So, why not give your family the treat of you looking good, well-groomed and carefully put together. At work, you take time to put together good reports, you keep your desk stocked with the appropriate supplies. At home, keep your cupboards stocked. Make sure there are adequate supplies of toothpaste, toilet paper and soap for example.

 

 

 

At work, be kind, considerate and compassionate. You would never be mean to your sick and suffering child. When a co-worker is suffering be a quality co-worker, show empathy and compassion. At home you do your best to make good meals for your family, you make sure to clean the house and give out the aspirin and bandages when needed. At work, get your reports and assignments done on time, keep track of the conditions of the tools you use. When you are at work, get a good attitude and give those around you good quality.

Often people will forgive a lack of quantity in an item if the quality is superior. When it comes to home and work, you may be unable to increase the quantity of time you spend in either area. After all, the hours you are required to work are usually set and cannot be changed if you do not want to be fired. The quantity of time you spend a home is dictated by the time  you must spend at work, on chores and handling matters for family members. There are only 24 hours in each day and nothing you do will increase that number.

Quality is a different matter. No matter how good you are at a thing, no matter how amazing what you do is considered by others, there is always room for improvement. Quality can always be improved because we can obtain more skills, improve our techniques and get better. Quality is something we should ever work to improve. Take steps to improve the quality of your actions at home and at work.

It is fantastic to provide quality in your dealings with those around you at home and at work. So, the question for you this fantastic day is, what are you doing to provide a quality presence at home and at work?

Out of Work – Get Optimistic and Improve Family Relationships

It is wonderful to have an attitude of optimism while out of work and use that optimism to improve family relationships. It is important for us to work on a regular basis in order to earn income. In most cases, our family members understand that we must step away from family obligations in order to earn money. Sometimes, we must spend long hours at work and sacrifice time with family in order to keep our jobs. Occasionally, this sacrifice leads to bad feelings or even resentment in families. Most people have heard children complain about parents who are at work all the time and have no time to for them. This is a sad and unfortunate reality.

 

 

photo credit: h.koppdelaney via photopin cc

 

 

If the time you have spent at work has caused a rift or problem in your family relationships, things can get better.This is the time to adopt a spirit of optimism and set about improving things. While you are out of work you have time to do nice things for family members. While you are out of work you can attend events you used to miss. While you are out of work you can take steps and make serious efforts toward improving things. No matter how bad things are, you can start taking steps toward improving relationships with family members. Use the time, make the effort and work diligently toward the relationship you want with your family members.

 

There are all kinds of ways to make things better with family members:

• apologize for the bad state of things
• accept your responsibility for the problems without excuse
• ask the people you have wronged, what you can do to make them feel important and valued
• make special meals or treats for hurt family members
• write letters or little notes expressing kind feelings for the family members you have hurt

When you are out of work involuntarily, it can be scary. But, the time away from work can be seen as an opportunity for improvement and new beginnings. Use the time out of work to make improvements. Work with the injured family members to come up with a plan that will enable improvements in the relationships to continue even after you start working again.

 

In conclusion, it is wonderful to adopt an attitude of optimism and use it to improve family relationships while out of work. So, the question for you this wonderful day is how can you use optimism to improve relationships in your family?

After the Tragedy Comes the Next

It is terrific to know that no matter how bad things are now, there is a next on the way. Right now, all over the news, radio, and social media people are discussing the tragedy that occurred at the Boston Marathon. Those discussions are good and important because when a tragedy occurs, those of us left behind want to understand what happened, why it happened and how we can keep the tragedy from repeating itself. We mourn the victims and pray for the survivors and the families of those involved. Everyone around the nation and around the world wants to know what happened and why. Parents are searching for as many answers as possible so they can explain things to their children. First we want to know what happened, then we want to know why. Then comes the next.

A basic fact of life is that no matter how bad the tragedy, no matter how many tears we shed, there is always a next. The next is where hope abides.  The next is what we figure out when we tell our kids that a bad thing has happened but we will go on, there will still be Elmo and SpongeBob. The next is what happens when we tell our employees to take the rest of the day off to be with their families and come back to work tomorrow morning. The next is when we have dinner ready when our husbands come home and convince them, that things will be ok at home while they are away. When tragedies happen, we all come together, families, friends and even strangers huddle together for protection, comfort and understanding. We cling to hope and pray for understanding. Then comes the next.

 

 

photo credit: QueenNeveen via photopin cc

As we sit and try to figure out what happened in Boston, as we seek to understand the who, what, when, where, why and the how, it is important for us to hold on to the knowledge that the next is coming.We cannot change the bad thing that happened. In truth, we may not be able to prevent similar tragedies from taking place in the future. What we can do is be assured that next is coming. The next is important because in the next we have power, we have control, we have hope and we have possibilities. In the next, we can reach out and do kind things for the families of those who died in the tragedy. In the next, we can look for ways to be of service to the survivors. In the next we can look for ways to comfort those around us who were not directly affected or involved but are hurting. The tragedy has happened, now comes, the next.

The next thing, the next step, the next action to take varies from person to person. There is no definitive thing to do next. Undoubtedly, we will all be doing something next. Some will ignore the events and pretend they never happened. Some will look for ways to be of service to the survivors. Some will try to figure out the whys and the hows. One thing we will all do is whatever is next. Because like it or not, deny it or not, want it or not, the next is coming. In conclusion, it is terrific to know that we do not stay in tragedy forever, the next arrives. Just like the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, the next is coming. So, the question for you this terrific day is, now that we have experienced this tragedy, what is your next?

Get Emotionally Set Each Morning

It is magnificent to take time first thing in the morning to get your emotional house in order. Most often, when people talk about health, they speak of physical health. They talk about losing weight, getting into shape and eating the right foods. People rarely refer to their emotional health when they talk about getting healthy. That is a shame because emotional health is important in its own right and it often has an impact on  physical health. Emotional health is commonly defined as the degree to which one feels emotionally secure and at ease in everyday life. An emotionally healthy person has a good amount of self-esteem, reacts without panic and is able to appropriately react to life’s happenings. Good emotional health is just as important as good physical health. Additionally, a person can have good emotional health even when physical health is poor.

 

photo credit: RyanHaran via photopin cc

 

I am an advocate for getting dressed before one gets out of bed in the morning. By this I mean that before one gets out of bed in the morning, she should spend time, thinking, planning and getting herself ready to face the world and the challenges to come that day. The morning is a good time to take stock of one’s emotional health. Before you get out of bed, take time and do some personal inventory:

• are there ongoing issues which cause you stress and aggravation
• is there a person who is making you feel ill at ease and upset in some way
• do you feel apprehensive and do not know why
• are you dreading the start of the day

If you have concerns like these or similar ones, take time and pay attention to your emotional health. Do not ignore these fears and concerns. Your emotional health is important and should be given the same serious attention you give your physical health. There are professionals who help with emotional health. If you notice your emotional health is not what is should be, seek out professional help. If your friends and family members tell you on a regular basis that you have problems in the area of emotional health, don’t treat it as a joke, check in with a professional.  People think nothing of seeking out professional help if they think they may have diabetes, high blood pressure or a sprained ankle. It will be a wonderful day when we treat our emotional health with the same seriousness and regular concern.

I have a routine that works for me and helps me start off the morning well and keeps me emotionally healthier during the day:

• pray
• read the bible
• speak positive affirmations to myself
• • I am a child of God
  • I am Janeane Michelle James Davis and I love me
  • Today will be magnificent
  • I control my life
  • My outcome is determined by the choices I make and the reactions I display

 

Photo Credit: Janeane Davis, Get Emotionally Set in the Morning

 

This is the routine that starts me off on good footing and helps me leave the bed with a smile. I encourage you to get your own happy, healthy morning routine. In conclusion, it is magnificent to get your emotional health in order first thing in the morning. So, the question for  you this magnificent day is how do you get your emotional health in order each morning?

Read a Book While Waiting in Line

It is sensational to find a fun thing to do while standing in line. For me the fun thing to do while standing in line is read a book. Everyone stands in line for something at one time or another. We go to the market, bank, car wash, clothing store all kinds of places. I have seen people do all kinds of things while standing in line:

• paint fingernails
• argue with kids
• comb hair
• pay bills
• talk on the cell phone

All of those things have their place in life. I understand why people would do them while standing in line. After all, if you are in a stationary place for an extended period of time. Most people can’t just stand and do nothing, the boredom would drive them insane, so, they look for something to do. For me, that something is reading a book.In the old days of my youth, I always carried a paperback with me. I read hardback books of course, but they are heavy to carry. Just like there is always room for jello, in my mind, there is always room for a book. Today, I don’t carry physical books anymore. I carry my Kindle e-reader. I like having 3,000 books in my purse with the ability to instantly get more.

 

 

 

 

So, when I am in line at the market, I pull out my e-reader and pick up where I left off. I read all kinds of things waiting in line:

• the Bible
• novels with no redeeming value
• books on HTML code
• professional development books
• self-help books
• foreign language learning series
• classic literature
• mysteries

In other words, if you walk up to me while I am line at the market waiting to pay for my groceries, there is no telling what you will find me reading. But, one thing for sure, you will find me reading.  It is sensational to read a good book while standing in line. So, the question for you this sensational day is, what book are you going to read the next time you are standing in line?