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2020 taught me, like many others, that what’s most important in life is the people in it. In years past, I’ve made a half-hearted effort to create a healthier work-life balance, but as an entrepreneur and strategic advisor, it’s not easy to say no to opportunities.
Working from home during the peak of COVID-19 reminded me just how important my family is to me. They provided me with a lot of motivation when I needed it most, plus a lot of laughs and smiles during one of the most stressful periods of my lifetime. For that reason, my New Year’s resolution for 2021 is to do better at prioritizing the ones I love.
If you want to share this goal with me, allow me to share the five steps I plan to take in order to make this happen. It won’t be easy, but as 2020 showed me, it’s definitely worth it.
1.   Learning to Say No
This year, I’m learning the art of saying ‘no’. I’m not vowing to say ‘no’ more or to turn down opportunities; I’m reframing what I see as an opportunity. Instead of saying yes to a work opportunity, I’m saying yes to an opportunity that will draw me closer to loved ones. I’m saying yes to bedtime stories, late-night talks, and dinners.
Now, this doesn’t mean I have to decline every professional opportunity I get. It just means that I need to redefine my limits in order to prioritize my family more. No more late nights at the office, no more missing piano recitals and sporting events. I’m saying no to the temporal things and yes to what matters most.
2.   Putting in the Effort to Make Time
To prioritize something, one must put in a conscious effort. In my case, I need to actively look for ways to prioritize loved ones instead of hoping that opportunities fall into my lap. To make this happen, I’ve put it upon myself to set goals to make time for loved ones.
For starters, my wife and I have made a goal to plan a biweekly date night for just the two of us. We believe that it’s important that we’re always in sync, and having some alone time to connect allows us to do just that. It’s so easy to get pulled apart by conflicting schedules and responsibilities, so this simple goal of ours helps us remain close together.
Next, I have to think about my kids. For each one of them, I make it a goal to share some one-on-one time with as much frequency as I can allow. Whether that’s reading a book with them or playing ball with them outside, giving them my attention makes a huge impact on their childhood.
3.   Calling My Parents
Another thing I learned in 2020 is that you don’t know how much time you have left with the people you love. COVID-19 took far too many lives, and I ache for the families affected by it. It’s reminded me to reach out to my family members near and far more often.
The best example I can think of is my parents. We live far apart now, and we don’t keep in touch as much as we used to. I had neglected the power of technology until COVID hit, and now I realize just how easy it is to set aside my Sunday afternoon for a quick call. It’s really helped strengthen the relationship I have with my parents and given me a lot of peace and comfort during such a tumultuous time.
4.   Improving My Work Efficiency
I know this might sound like a work goal and not a family one, but hear me out. The better I do my job, the more time I’m able to open up in my schedule. If I’m able to finish projects early to blow my sales quota out of the water, I feel more comfortable asking off work early on a Friday to spend the weekend with my family.
Improving my work efficiency has a lot of moving parts, but I narrowed it down to one specific goal; cutting down distractions. I let social media, among other things, steal my attention far too often. Every time I pick up my phone or log onto Facebook I lose momentum and valuable time. By concentrating better, I can do so much better and spend less time focusing on work and more time focusing on loved ones.
5.   Focusing on Mental Health
When it comes to prioritizing loved ones, don’t forget to include yourself. I’m not much help to my family if I’m struggling to keep myself together. That’s why I’ve also made it a goal to focus on my mental health so I can be strong and available for my family whenever I’m needed.
Mental health is different for everyone. For me, I need some alone time every once in a while to rejuvenate. Doing so helps me be fully present during family time. Find out what helps you maintain your mental health and make sure to prioritize it for the greater good of you and your loved ones.
I imagine the world would be a better place if we all set small goals like this that benefit those around us. I’m excited to see how these goals play out in 2021, and I hope you find equal success with the goals that you set for yourself.
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Photo: Shutterstock
