Vacation Plans

Matrix Key:  Health and Well-Being - Vacation/Time Off

"Vacations are necessities, not luxuries." - Linda Bloom

This probably isn't the first time that you've read about the importance of vacation and time off.  No one can function at a peak performance level without occasional rest and relaxation.  Time away from your business gives you the chance to adjust your perspective, to refocus on the big picture and less on the details that come up every day. The most important thing about vacation, however, is how it impacts your physical health, and your ability to contribute in all areas of your life - relationships, business and community. 

So why is it so hard to take vacation?  Remember our model of the table...each quadrant of the matrix is a table leg.  If we neglect our well-being, our table will fall.  If you're still not convinced, let's look at some of the key components, and outcomes, of time off:

1. Opportunity to Decompress
2. Beautification
3. Absence of Pressure
4. Time Away from the Daily Environment

So how do you make those vacation plans a reality?  You have to schedule them in your calendar and treat them as being as important as any board meeting. When you show up for vacation you'll get more than souvenirs to bring home...you'll get a fresh perspective that will help you to stay in the game of business and life.

Are you ready to win?     

Production & Delivery Procedures

Matrix Key:  Financial Viability - Production and Delivery - Procedures

"A bad system will beat a good person every time." - W. Edwards Deming

We've often talked about how a good business shares many of the characteristics of a winning sports team.  No team can win the game if they don't know the rules.  As we can see from the WholeLife Matrix, your business will not win if you don't have production and delivery procedures in place. Imagine trying to create a product if your team has no idea how to make it?  You must create specific procedures for all aspects of your production system, and you must review and update them regularly.

Here are four things to think about when developing your production procedures:

1. Systems - Break down your production flow into logical steps.
2. Standards -  Define how to make your product the best it can be.
3. Quality - How will you know if the product meets your standards?
4. Customer Service - How do you respond to your customer?

Developing procedures takes time and effort, but it is time well spent.  The trick is to have specific actions that your employees and staff understand.  They also need to grasp the "why" behind the "how."  If your procedures make sense and clearly make a contribution to the end product and to customer satisfaction, your employees will take more ownership in doing the job right.  When they know the rules, they can win the game.

Are You Ready to Win?

Family Relationships

Matrix Key:  Relationships - Family

"A happy family is but an earlier heaven." - George Bernard Shaw

They say we can't choose our families, and yet family relationships are among the most important personal connections we will ever have.  From birth, we are connected to, and in relationship with, our family.  You could even say that without relations, there are no relationships!  So why are some of us blessed with close, loving interactive families, while others haven't spoken in years?

In the WholeLife Matrix, we've taken a deeper dive into what makes family relationships work.  In order to have a high functioning family unit, the members must prioritize the following key concepts:

1. Connection
2. Responsibility and Commitment
3. Management Structure
4. Communication

These concepts seem to come naturally to some families, while others must put more time and attention into them.  No matter what, a healthy family must value that family structure, and be able to understand its importance to a well-balanced, fulfilling life.  Your family should be a source of love and support, not a drain on your well-being.  When you take the time to be aware of how the four key concepts impact your family dynamics, you can better understand and embrace your family's unique relationship to you.

Are you ready to win?   

Post a comment - let me know how you see the key concepts operating in your family!