This is a guest post written by James Adams

We’ve all had one of those defining moments when we realize that life is simply too short to be working as many hours as we do. How you respond will determine whether the moment is a passing mist soon forgotten as you return to the grind, or a game-changing experience that leads to a new outlook, a new approach, and new reality.

Reducing your work time isn’t about having more hours to waste on TV or sleep. It’s about carving out once-in-forever moments to be a human being, not a human doing! It’s about emphasizing quality over quantity, or maybe getting both when it comes to the most important things like relationships and unforgettable experiences.

It’s about taking the road less travelled, finding your own path on the journey, making discoveries that are unique, inspiring, and deeply satisfying.

Image Credit: notsogoodphotography

These 5 techniques will allow you to begin trading work time for life time.

1. Develop a Set of Core Values & Commit to Living by Them

Long ago, Socrates said, The unexamined life is not worth living. Today we are sorely tempted to get on the treadmill and pump out the productivity, with little thought to whether or not what we produce creates real value for others or fulfils our intended destiny. We get lost in the fact that it makes money, puts food on the table, or gives us the accoutrements of success. We fail to ask what it is doing to our soul“ expanding it or causing it to shrivel up. This principle is foundational, and will gradually lead to working less while making a much greater difference where it truly matters.

2. Reject the Tyranny of the Urgent

A client needs a quote by 5 p.m., and it is 3:45. Your daughterâ’s game/recital/concert/presentation begins at 4:15. This is a crushing dilemma if you have not clarified what is truly important. First, what does it mean that your client needs the quote? Will they suffer emotional or physical harm if they don’t receive it? LOL, right?

In the business world needs is code for wants, would like to have, it would be nice if. In almost every case, having the information at 8 a.m. tomorrow will serve them just as well. To say that your daughter needs your support in her endeavors, or that she requires your presence and enthusiasm for her pursuits in order to develop the confidence and healthy self-concept needed to reach her potential in life, provides an entirely different understanding.

Clarify your principles and then choose the important over the urgent every time. Yes, you will lose some business. You’ll also add business from clients that appreciate your values, gaining confidence that you will prove to be the right kind of working partner in the long run. More importantly, you will succeed in things far more important than a dollars and cents bottom line.

3. React Less, Act More

Stressed, overly busy people get caught up in simply reacting to the pressures, deadlines, limits, and expectations they face. They are controlled by their circumstances in very unhealthy ways. There is very little time in a schedule driven by demands for thinking, creating, dreaming, pursuing, and choosing the best actions. They work more, with less satisfaction in what they achieve. It’s fine to have a business plan, but it’s more important to have a life plan that your business plan is but one component of.

Determine your life goals and incorporate your work goals into them. Then, with consistent effort in a focused direction, you will begin to realize incredible results for your life and your work.

4. Reject Multi-tasking

Image Credit: Joe469

While this concept became to the motto of motivated people a decade ago the results are now clear: Multi-tasking leads to multi-failing. Attempting to do too much leads to producing too little. Much better results are achieved through dedicated, focused effort to one project at a time. Attempt less, produce far better results.

5. Develop a Passive Income

The dressmaker creates dresses one at a time. Every copy requires their full attention and effort, and they get paid one time for one dress. Many professions are like that, to say nothing of the near worthless grind of hourly work! But it’s very different with a book, an ebook, a newsletter, a subscription based blog or website. You create the product once (or once a week, month, etc.), and get paid fresh for the same product from every new customer. John Grisham writes each novel just once and gets paid a million times for the effort.

Take time to consider your values, your passions, your skills, and how they can be monetized in this way. Explore the possibilities and get going, and as it is going you can tweak it to get it right. Start creating something important to you and the chances are that with time it will become important to others, and there will be both a monetary payoff and a great rise in personal satisfaction.

Reducing your work time while maintaining an income, or growing your income beyond your dreams, takes a conscious effort to reject the hectic pace we so often adopt without thinking. It requires a huge dose of courage to turn down easy, low-paying options to pursue something that is more difficult but that offers much greater income and satisfaction potential. Unless you are independently wealthy, reducing your work time must be accompanied by increasing your profitability.

The principles outlined here are challenging, off the beaten path, and wonderful opportunities for high return on investment. Give your dreams a shot. You can always go back to the grind…but somehow we’re confident you won’t have to!

About The Author

James Adams is a blogger who works with an online supplier of toner cartridges and other media supplies. Much of his time is spent writing reviews of products like the MLT-D1082S and writing posts on their blog about art, design and gadgets.