Business Building Corner

Everyone has the same amount of time each day. Yet, the variance in what gets done and the amount of stress involved is huge. Some people enjoy virtually every day while others are barely surviving from hour to hour. The difference in feeling and attitude often stems from the lack of free time or even, having too much of it. Most adults have the standard responsibilities: make a living, support the family, take care of the children, maintain good physical and mental health. Anything above and beyond the essentials is extracurricular, otherwise known as "free time."

According to a survey of 2,000 people by an insurance company, six hours and 59 minutes is the amount of free time that most people desire in a day. The reality is that most who are employed full time have not had that much free time since 1955. Instead, 80 percent of those surveyed said their leisure time was not really "free," because they felt compelled to work on emails and mobile phones, shrinking the actual down time to an average of two hours and 45 minutes a day. The technology that helps us save time and strengthen connections with others also leads to an inability to let go and stop working when away from the actual workplace.

Trying to be the best parent possible often means cutting into personal free time, resulting in a myriad of physical conditions, including coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, strokes and muscular pain. Working mothers, especially single working mothers, are often under the most time pressure. They suffer from the "intensification of parenting," because they must capitalize on every minute of every day to get their work done, then spend time with the children or make sure they are at their after school events.

Creating Free Time
No matter what our status, there are a few things that can be done to simplify our lives and in doing so, create some much needed free time. We can:

1. Stop answering every single phone call. Let it go to voicemail or the answering machine. If the children are safe and sound, consider turning off the phone for a few hours!
2. Stay on course with a list of priorities. Don’t start doing things that are not on the list.

3. Wake up earlier in the morning. Resist pressing the snooze.
4. Ask for help. Delegate. If there are teenagers, asking them to help may actually instill in them a heightened sense of responsibility.
5. Buy less "stuff." Shopping is addictive and time-consuming. Stick with the essentials and don’t get distracted.
6. Shut down the computer for a few hours!
7. Try to make a list of errands to do and set aside one day to do all of them, rather than spreading them out throughout the week.
8. Use social media in moderation and not become its slave. That is, we can be selective and not compulsive.
9. Focus on getting tasks done, rather than redoing them in order to reach that unattainable state called "perfection."
10. Take care of yourself first. Without our mental and physical stability, we won’t be able to help anyone else.

Network Marketing & Free Time
Unlike most businesses that have set working hours, the intrepid network marketer sets his/her own time. With a replicated web site, a networker essentially is open for business 24/7. In addition, if Independent Business Owners want to go on vacation for two weeks, we can—and the business keeps running, because of upline and downline support. As time becomes more of a premium in our busy lives, imagine offering free time as something completely within reach to all the potential recruits out there! Free time may be almost as valuable as great products and the financial opportunity.