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THIS WEEK'S TOPIC: Stressed and Overcommitted? 6 Keys to Taking Control of Your Time

*Welcome to our 121 new subscribers since February 13th! If the newsletter is inspiring to you this week, please pass it along to friends and family who could use some inspiration.

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IN THE NEWS:

**** RICH MINDS ROUNDTABLE ****
THIS TUESDAY - Feb. 22nd at 9:00 pm Eastern (6:00 pm Pacific)

Join me for an informative and inspiring, 55-minute phone conversation and teleseminar! Participation is FREE (except for your long-distance charges). This month, we'll discuss purpose and passion -- and how to fulfill yours. To register, send an email to roundtable@valorieburton.com and you will receive instructions! The number is (904) 357-8707.

*FEBRUARY ONLINE SPECIAL* -- Scriptures of Success audio program on CD for $14.99! Visit our secure online store at http://www.valorieburton.com/cds.html.

* CHICAGO RADIO THIS WEEK - WMBI-FM
Tune in to WMBI - 90.1 FM three times this week. Monday and Tuesday mornings at 6:12 am, you'll hear clips from my recent interview. On Friday, February 25th between 3:30 - 5:30 pm, I'll be live in studio with host Roy Patterson taking listener calls.

* CHICAGO, IL area - LISTEN TO YOUR LIFE SEMINAR & BROADCAST TAPING -
THIS SATURDAY, February 26th 8:30 a.m. - 12:00 noon, Aurora, Illinois

Just a few seats left! Join the live studio audience for a taping of a seminar and television special with the Total Living Network (www.tln.com) that will air in April 2005 and become available on DVD. To make a reservation, call Laurie Parker at (630) 801-3644 or email tapings@tln.com. Leave your name, phone number and the number of guests attending.

* COLUMBIA, SC - March 12, 2005 - 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
I'll be delivering the keynote message and signing books at the WOW (Women of Wisdom) Expo at Bible Way Church of Atlas Road in Columbia, South Carolina. This event is FREE to the public. To register, contact Anita Cohen at acohenphr@bellsouth.net.

* WHAT'S REALLY HOLDING YOU BACK? AND LISTEN TO YOUR LIFE SEMINARS
We're scheduling seminars at churches, conferences, retreats and events around the country. If you lead a ministry or organization and want to schedule a seminar date, fill out your request at http://www.valorieburton.com/request.html.

For more schedule information, visit http://www.valorieburton.com/vevents.html.
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THIS WEEK'S TOPIC: Stressed and Overcommitted? 6 Keys to Taking Control of Your Time

Dear Friend,

Do you sometimes feel as though you've said "yes" to so many obligations that you just don't have time to complete them all? Even if you do get it all done, you aren't able to do your best because you are stretched for time. It's stressful to be overcommitted and overloaded. Many of us routinely over-commit ourselves. I have a simple rule I think you may find helpful: Promise little, if anything at all!

I'm not suggesting that you "do little, if anything at all," but that you promise little. In your day to day routine, it can be very easy to tell people you'll do little things that may be easy to forget when life gets hectic. At work, it can be tempting to promise that you can deliver a project on a short deadline. I have found that it is much more empowering and less stressful to under-promise and over-deliver. Rather than saying you'll get something done tomorrow, why not say "by the end of the week." Then, when you finish by tomorrow, the other person is delighted with you and you've eliminated the stress of trying to meet an ambitious, self-imposed deadline. You have "over-delivered." If, on the other hand, you promise by tomorrow, and finish at the end of the week, you spend several days with the stress of something "hanging over your head" and you disappoint the other person.

Here are a few more simple ways to decrease your stress by refusing to over-commit:

1. LEARN TO SAY NO. "No" is the word that will empower you to get your schedule under control. Say it with me now, "No!" :) You have the right to decline activities that do not fit into your schedule, or that you simply do not want to do. Just because your sister wants you to baby sit doesn't mean you have to. Just because you are invited to an event does not mean you have to go. Take care of yourself by saying "yes," to the things that really matter to you. Sometimes that means saying "no" to other things.

2. SET BOUNDARIES ON YOUR TIME. Does work invade your personal and family time? Do find yourself easily swayed to cancel commitments? If so, part of the problem may be that you have not set boundaries around your time. Time is precious and in order to keep priorities truly a priority, you must guard the time you set aside for them. If friends and family are a priority, schedule time in your schedule for them and make it non-negotiable.

3. SCHEDULE TIME EVERY WEEK JUST FOR YOU. In my book Rich Minds, Rich Rewards, I used a made-up word, "pamper-ize." It simply means "prioritize your pampering." You need time to do things that bring you joy and nurture your spirit. What pampers you? Schedule time for yourself and you'll have a better attitude about scheduling time for everything and everyone else!

4. DON'T FEEL PRESSURED TO RESPOND TO REQUESTS IMMEDIATELY. When someone makes a request, don't feel pressured to give them an immediate answer. "Let me think about that and get back to you" or "I'll let you know tomorrow (or next week, etc.)" will suffice. Especially for those who have the "disease to please," it is critical that you don't answer "yes" on the spot. You will often end up regretting your commitment later.

5. GET CLEAR ABOUT YOUR PURPOSE AND VISION. When you understand your purpose and have a clear and compelling vision for your life, it becomes much easier to make decisions about what commitments you should make. It also becomes clear what commitments you must say "no" to in order to have time to fulfill your purpose and bring your vision to life. Review your purpose and your vision regularly so that it remains at the forefront of your thoughts on a daily basis!

6. RECOGNIZE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A REAL DEADLINE AND A SELF IMPOSED ONE. You can kill yourself trying to meet every deadline -- from deadlines with small consequences (like getting your rental video back to the store on time) to deadlines with potential major consequences (like a drop-dead date for a million-dollar proposal). Learn to distinguish the ones that will have a true impact from the ones that are flexible. And be willing to be flexible with the deadlines you set for yourself. When it comes to deadlines, ask yourself, "What impact will this have on me a year from now?"

I look forward to hearing how this week's newsletter helps you to decrease your stress and free up your schedule!

My challenge to you this week:
Make a list of all of the ways in which you have over-committed yourself. Then, one by one, take steps to lighten those commitments so that you have the space to get things done with excellence and less stress.

Journaling assignment:
Why do you find it difficult to say "no" in certain situations? What will happen if you begin saying "no" to people who drain your energy or make too many demands on your schedule? When will you be ready to risk their disapproval in order to take more control of your time?

Until next time ...

Warm wishes,
Valorie

P.S. Encourage your friends and family by sharing this newsletter and invite others to subscribe! Just send them to http://www.valorieburton.com where they can enter their email address on the home page.

*February special* -- Scriptures of Success! A 60-minute program on CD for $14.99. Visit our secure online store at http://www.valorieburton.com/cds.html..

Valorie Burton is a bestselling author, life coach and regular media guest on topics of living a more fulfilling, less stressful life. Subscribe to her weekly e-newsletter online at www.valorieburton.com.

Her latest book, Listen to Your Life, identifies seven principles to hear what your life is saying to you and fulfill your purpose in your career, finances, relationships, health and spiritual life. You can watch her inspirational "Power Lunch" broadcasts at
http://www.aa.com/takemethere and take part in her "Life Enrichment Challenge at http://www.blackamericaweb.com/site.aspx/Praise/challenge/.

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Please feel free to forward the Rich Minds, Rich Rewards E-Newsletter to friends and colleagues, but please forward in its entirety.

The Rich Minds, Rich Rewards E-Newsletter is written and distributed by Inspire, Inc. Copyright (c) 2005 Valorie Burton. All rights reserved. http://www.ValorieBurton.com.