insuranceclub's Blog

By Martin Eldon   [ 11/09/2007 ]

5 Secrets to a Fabulous Work Life Balance

Are you out of balance in your life? Would you like to get more balance? Does life seem to be all work and no pleasure? Would you like to get more of what you want? Do you resent the time you give to others and wish you had more time to yourself? Would you like to do some things for you?

This article offers some easy steps to a more fulfilling life.

1. Know what you really want

Since work life balance is about enriching your life, a great start point is to know what you really want. Common sense yes, but not always common practice!!!

When I ask people what they really want, they often tell me they don’t know. Imagine that by clarifying your goals you could get anything you want. If however, you don’t know what you want, you’ll get what you get by default.

Another answer people give to the question “What do you want?” is “Well, what I don’t want is …”. The client may say for example that they want to stop doing certain things. Again, imagine that you can get anything you put your focus on, what happens if I say “Don’t think about of a dog chasing a cat right now!!” If you focus on what you don’t want – then that is what you are likely to get. So what have you been focussing on recently?

In other words begin to think about what you really want. You might think about this in various areas of your life e.g. your work/job, your family, your social life, your pleasure time etc. Write down what you want in each area and prioritise what you would like to spend “spare time”.

Remember you can’t save time by not spending it - but spending it wisely is the key to work life balance.


2. Create a time log

There are 168 hours in any week. Consider how you spend those hours.

Add up the number of hours you spend sleeping, at work, looking after the family, doing “chores” etc and deduct these “must do” hours from the 168 hours in the week. How many hours are left?

If you have a minus figure or are surprised just how many spare hours you have, maybe you have miscalculated or overestimated. If this is the case, keep a log of how much time you spend in each area (day by day, hour by hour). Keep the log over the period of a week (pick an average week) and you will gain a more accurate estimate to work from.


3. Start to “win back” time.

Maybe by being more assertive you can get help from your partner, children etc. Maybe there are things that don’t need doing so often (or at all). Begin to prioritise the importance of what you do.


The litmus test is to imagine that there was an emergency in your family and you had to find another 7 hours per week (an hour a day right?) to deal with it. If it were an important emergency you would find the time wouldn’t you? How would you do it? What would have to go? Maybe there are things that don’t need doing so often. Begin to prioritise ferociously.


4. Give yourself a present

That’s right, you deserve it. Begin by giving yourself a gift of 7 hours per week immediately.

If you dig a hole in the garden and walk away from it what happens? Eventually the hole gets filled up again … usually with rubbish. Fill the 7 hours with things you have always wanted to do (step 1 above), things you have heard yourself saying, “I’ll do it one day when I have the time …”

As you begin to get time for yourself and for what you want to do, you’ll find that you begin to enjoy other areas of your life more. You will stop resenting the things you do for others and you’ll become more effective in the time you do spend on them, thereby creating even more time for yourself, which brings me to my final point.


5. Review Monthly

Consider, on a monthly basis, how you are doing. Maybe you can reclaim even more time; maybe you’d like to re-assess what you want or your priorities.

Notice how you are feeling and remember – “charity begins at home”. You can only really look after others if you take good care of yourself!!

By dylan sun   [ 18/10/2007 ]

China's global presence is felt distinctly in international trade. China business is gaining popularity in import-export business. Tourism industry of China is also developing on a major scale. Both, inbound and outbound Chinese tourism are gaining steadfast recognition. Now with a booming economy many Chinese are financially secure. They now want to tour the world and see many places like never before. The middle class public has become top business class citizens in a few years time, thanks to global sourcing. Chinese citizens are flocking down in large numbers to foreign countries like Australia, U.S and U.K. Around three lakh Chinese tourists visited Australia in 2006. According to sources, the numbers are going to increase three folds within a span of five years. The actual number of tourists from China Business to Australia has increased by 20 percent. This is the direct result of the flourishing Chinese market in the international trade. Apart from international trade and commerce, even the infrastructure of China is being improved to its newfound economic status. The roadways, railways, trams, buses and the air travels are being given a new face-lift. Many flyers and under –ground roads ands bridges are being constructed for easy and relaxed travel in China. Way back in the middle of the nineteenth century China was considered as an economically backward country with a large population, but all this has changed within a few decades. Now China business is rich with a growing economy and international trade. The Chinese upper-middle class has loads of money and like their neighbors, Korea, Japan and Taiwan; they too want to take a tour to exotic locations and foreign places. China travel business has considerably developed. Major countries like Australia have been added to the list of countries permitted by the Chinese government for Chinese visitors and travel groups. Foreign countries are more than ready to welcome these wealthy Chinese tourists. As the numbers are significantly increasing every year, foreign authorities are relaxing rules for these Asian visitors. There is a considerable distance from China to Australia, it’s a long and tiring plane journey and the tickets are costly. A trip costs about $1,000, which is on par with an average monthly pay of many Chinese. Still many are bearing this expense for having a good time, necessarily shopping and sightseeing.

Inbound tourism is also booming business for China. The city of Shenzen is popular for its shopping arcades and plazas. The Chinese cultural villages in Shenzhen are major tourists spots. The Safari Park, Xiaomeisha beach hotels, Minsk World, Botanical lake garden are other attractions for foreign visitors. Apart from these, Shenzhen also has restaurants,which offer numerous varieties of authentic Chinese cuisines. According to reports, China Business will acquire the status of ‘the most visited country’, by 2020. Tourism has greatly increased over the last few decades. Emerging rich affluent business class and the relaxation in travel restrictions and rules by Chinese government has brought about this welcome change for a booming China travel business.

According to Better Homes and Gardens Magazine, there are numerous things " you can do to make guests feel welcome in their sleeping quarters, even if you have just a sliver of space to offer. Appoint a guest room as you would your own room, with attention to design and detail. And think of what needs they may have. You want to avoid a guest having to ask you for something."

And we agree. That's why we came up with a few tips on how to create a guest room that's worthy enough to make friends and family prefer to stay with you instead of at a hotel.

First, a comfortable bed is key. Everyone prefers different room temperatures when sleeping and there's nothing worse than trying to sleep when you feel like you're either going to freeze or bake. Stock the closet with extra blankets and keep a small fan and portable heater in the room as well. Guests can then be in control of their own room temperature and you can still enjoy whatever temperature you're used to.

Second, give them a desk. Even a small computer desk like the Versa Table from Versa Products, Inc. is a great way to give guests a little space to write, check email on their laptops, or sort out receipts and other things they've collected on their journey. Having a computer modem or Wi-Fi is an added benefit as well. Stock the desk with blank paper, writing utensils, and miniature desk accessories likes staplers, staple pullers, and envelopes to help them stay organized.

Third, give your guests their independence. Provide an alarm clock for the room, a small television with a remote, and enough empty closet space or drawers that they aren't piling everything into a corner. Extra space will also help them sort their clean and dirty clothes as their trip progresses which makes packing to go home much easier when the stay is over.

If your guests will have their own bathroom, stock it with enough toilet paper and tissues so that they don't have to ask you to replace them. Give them extra towels, and stock their medicine cabinet with the miniature versions of what most people need: toothpaste, mouthwash, shampoo, soap, aspirin, hand cream, nail files, tweezers, etc. If you have fragrant candles in the bathroom, be sure to leave matches. Leave a hairdryer in the bathroom drawer and a few bottles of bottled water that they can take back to their room at night with them. Be sure to leave a hamper in the bathroom so guests won't have to wonder where they should leave soiled towels.

Extra little touches like fresh flowers, or a bowl of fruit is also a nice touch, and a few magazines based on their interests in the bedroom and bathroom also make a guest feel at home. Being a good host or hostess when house guests arrive can mean the difference between your guests enjoying their vacation or not. Think about all the things that make home feel like home to you, and then offer that to your guests.