Time for success
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 Organize and anchor your time with the “Life Dresser” technique.

Life is hectic! There’s so much to be done… So many responsibilities… How can we better organize our time so we can enjoy life as opposed to always trying to catch up with ourselves?

So much of time is truly our emotional state and mental focus. For example, when you’ve come home from a party the phrase often used is, “Time flew so fast – for it was such a blast!” So here’s an idea to help you anchor your emotional and mental state so that you get the most out of your time – your life!

Pretend you have a dresser called the “Life Dresser”. The Life Dresser has several different drawers. Each drawer represents a different aspect of your life and responsibilities. And in each drawer there are items that we can use to assist us in truly getting the most out of our time.

Begin by naming your Life Dresser drawers and writing a list of things that belong in that drawer of your life. Here are some examples:

The drawer of Identity – In this drawer make a list of the different roles that you play. Like mother, wife, husband, son, etc.

The drawer of service – In this drawer write down your different work related duties.

The drawer of responsibility – In this drawer write down your current responsibilities such as paying bills or making dinner, etc.

The drawer of opportunity – In this drawer write a list of things you wish to accomplish in your free time, for example; something you can do while you’re driving or working out.

For each drawer, come up with items that will help you anchor yourself through each aspect of your life and time. Here are some examples:

Hat – The hat represents the role that we play. The “hat that we wear” so to speak. Creatively name the hat by the role you wish to play during that time. For Example; Marvelous Mommy, Creative Mastermind, Mr. Solution, Business Genius etc.

Glasses – The glasses represent the perspective we want to attain. “The lens through which we choose to view our role.” Choose the color that best anchors you to succeed at your role. For example the color yellow is associated with joy, intellect and energy while red is associated with strength, power, passion and determination.

Scarf - The scarf represents the emotion we want to warmly wrap ourselves with during that time. Emotions such as calm, joy and love.

Pocketed vest - The pocketed vest represents our key goals we want to attain. “Pocketing our goals.”

Belt - And the belt represents the ultimate outcome we want to stay focused on. “Let’s fasten ourselves with our purpose.”

Here’s an example: When you wake up in the morning imagine you are opening up your Identity drawer. First take out your hat and call the hat by the role you choose to play. Then touch your head as you pretend to put in on. For example – I’m putting on my “marvelous mommy” hat this morning… Or I’m wearing “God’s treasured son’s” hat.

Next put on your glasses and decide what color lens you choose to view your morning with. For example marvelous mommy puts on yellow glasses for she wants her day to start off on the bright side – seeing the good in everything that comes her way. And “God’s treasured son” chooses to put on purple colored lenses, as he realizes he indeed comes from royalty and wants to view the world through royal lenses.

Next, massage your neck as you pretend to warmly wrap yourself with your scarf and name the scarf with the emotion you want to feel this morning. For example, marvelous mommy wraps herself with a joyful, silk scarf adorned with magnificent sunny colors as she desires to embrace her day filled with joy. While God’s treasured son wraps himself with a serene purple fur scarf, as he wants to feel creative, wise and dignified.

Then pretend to put on your vest and touch your pretend pockets while stating your goals during this “drawer of time.” For example; Marvelous mommy has four pockets. She touches each pretend pocket while stating her goals, such as: 1. “Name three things I am grateful for.”  2. “Greet the kids with a joyful tone of voice and let them know it’ll be a joyful day.” 3. “Make the kids pancakes with joy.” 4.  “Accept whatever happens this morning with joy and gratitude to having such precious gifts as my children truly are.”

God’s treasured son puts on his four pocketed vest as well. As he touches his pretend pockets he states his morning goals: 1. “Look in the mirror and state three positive things about myself.” 2. “Give someone a special good morning greeting.” 3. “Workout for twenty minutes.” 4. “Eat a healthy breakfast while listening to the Chazak hotline.”

Last but not least comes the belt. Take out your belt and fasten yourself with the long term outcome you’re after. For example, as marvelous mommy fastens her belt she proclaims; “I am fastening myself with my ultimate desire – to enjoy my precious children and raise them with love and joy so they can grow up to be happy and healthy.” And as God’s treasured son fastens his belt he proclaims; “I am investing in my emotional and physical health because I am God’s treasured son and I am worthy of living life to its fullest!”

So whether you’re getting ready to go to work, exercise or spend time with your family, etc. simply pull out one of your life drawers and anchor yourself through putting on some or all of the items in your drawer, thereby ensuring that you get a sense of accomplishment and enjoyment in your life and time!

Leah Field is a life skills coach trained by Refuah Institute,Machon Aluf Binah and RMT Center for Strategic Intervention(Tony Robbins & Cloe Madanes). Leah can be reached at  [email protected]