Priorities for Health: It’s Not What You Think
Here you are thinking you’re about to read an article with a list of priorities you should be doing- like sleeping and eating your vegetables. That’s not happening today! Priorities are important for your health but it’s not what you think. I can’t give you a magic list of things to do that will bring you health. If your priorities are off your health will be too no matter how many veggies you eat. You have to make your own list of what your priorities are. Write them down now on a scratch paper with a pencil or crayon, whatever you have- 5 or 6 things that are your priorities. Do it now! I’ll wait…..
Why? 77% of people experience physical symptoms of stress. Let me say that again in another way. More than ¾ of people feel crappy because of stress. What do you think that does to their health? The annual cost to employers for health costs and missed work is $300 billion. In chiropractic care, we address the 3 -T’s: toxins, traumas and thoughts. The last one, thoughts, is the hardest to help people with and does so much damage to their health.
I do a lot of pretty cool things owning a business and traveling the U.S. to talk about a revolutionary approach to health, but we manage the stress at our house. So many people come up to me and say, “Doc you have this really cool life and so does your staff and the people around you. How do you do it? How do you manage to make it all happen?”
It’s in the Priority List
I have the same amount of time everyone else does I just recognize time management is important and the key to time management is your priority list. Did you finish writing yours yet? A lot of women have a hard time writing 2 or 3. It’s an area many women struggle in and the majority get it wrong. I’ll explain that more in a bit.
That priority list will help you plan your life and help you with time management. The only difference between Sunday and Monday is time management. Some people think that Sunday is a day of rest. Really, they’re just using it to sit on their butts all day and watch T.V. Especially men- is football on? Is football really that important to your life? What does it bring your life?
A priority list can change your life. Like I said making a priority list can be hard. It gets easier though. And when you have your priorities in order, your decisions get easier. My priority list dictates what I do every day. My priority list dictates my life, not the day of the week.
Let’s go over my priority list. Take a look at yours too. Yours doesn’t have to be like mine. It shouldn’t be! We are all unique and have our own priorities. There are a few aspects that I will advise on though.
My Priority List
Number 1- God (or faith)
This is number one for me- it doesn’t have to be for you. My faith defines my morality and my decisions. Years ago, I was approached to invest in a solid opportunity with a sound investment plan. It was a strip club. If money was my priority I would have invested in a strip club. That club makes tons of money. I could have made tons of money, but it was against my faith. Since faith is my number one priority that decision was made easily because the investment didn’t meet my priorities.
What’s at the top of your list?
Number 2- Me! (This should be YOU on your list- don’t put me on your list)
If you are not number one or two on your list, you are making a common mistake. Nothing, other than your faith, should come above you on your list. I’m going to offend a lot of women when I say that it’s not Christian, spiritual or intelligent to put others above you on your list. It’s moronic.
If all you do is give then eventually you will have nothing to give. You will be depleted. Usually women put kids and their husbands above themselves. Eventually you will resent them. Anybody you put above yourself (except for God), you will eventually resent. You can give, give and give but someday you will snap. That is why I am always investing in myself. I’m training and reflecting to make myself a better person.
You have to work on yourself to become the person others can come to. It’s not selfish to work on your self, or to put yourself at the top of the priority list. I have more to give because I’m always working on myself. Then when I come in contact with my wife and children I am the best version of myself. Being at the top of my priority list is best for me AND it’s best for those I love.
Number 3 – My Wife
Did you put your kids above your spouse? If you did that annoying game show buzzer should be going off right now. Your spouse should always be above your kids on your list. Christy, my wife, is always a top priority. Date night is important, and she informs my decisions. She’s the one I chose to spend my life with. Some day my kids will move out and be someone else’s priority so I can’t put them above my wife. You follow me on that?
If I spend all my time with my kids- what kind of father am I? What am I showing them if I don’t make my wife a priority? Let your kids see you loving your spouse because that is what they will expect when they grow up. My children know I love them and they are a priority but not above my wife. It warmed my heart when my oldest daughter said, “Daddy, I love how you treat Mom.”
Ladies, are you putting your kids above your husband? Your priorities are messed up. If your kids are a top priority you are going to get empty nest syndrome and a junky life when they are gone.
Number 4 – My Kids
Kids are important if you don’t want to make them a priority why did you have kids? Your kids should be on your priority list but not above your spouse and definitely not above YOU! I deal with stressed out women every day. All day long. I ask them, “Do your kids stress you out?” and they say “Oh, Doc I love my kids.”
I didn’t ask you if you loved them, of course you love them. Are they stressing you out? Then the tears come. Don’t put your kids above your husband or yourself. It will stress you out.
Number 5- Pathway To Wellness
The means for providing for your family will find a place on your priority list. You might put friends and family. But you don’t live with your mom and dad. You need to have a way to provide for your family. That’s why your spouse and children understand when you spend time at work.
I will never put my work above my wife and children. If I do that, I’m failing. My work is to provide for the priorities above it- that’s the reason its on the list. If I put work above that my family will fall apart. That means I suck as a person, but I will never do that. Great people make a great company and if we don’t take care of our priority list, it’s impossible to be a good person. If you develop yourself, you can develop those around you. That leads to true success in business and life.
Number 6- Golf
I love to golf. I get to go golfing with my friends and family. Mostly the people I love to spend my time with all day. I take my girls golfing too. This can be anything you like to do but remember where it goes on your priority list. When I ask my wife if I can go golfing- she always says, “yes” because she knows she is a priority over golf- this could be fishing or whatever else guys do too. If I didn’t put her as a priority and take care of my priority list, she would hate it if I golfed. She doesn’t hate it because I have my priorities in order.
Priorities for Health: Your Priority List Reduces Stress
Are you tired and stressed out? It’s because you’re not building a life- you’re getting through life. We all have the same amount of time. Now that we have gone through my list go back and look at yours again are there changes you want to make?
Make those changes now. Check with your list daily- don’t just forget about it. What’s on your priority list? Have you ever had a hard time making a decision between work and family? Let your list dictate your life instead of just getting through life. You deserve it!
You need to develop and work from your priority list. My priority list helps me make decisions. I consult with my wife and also my children to help make my decisions based on my priority list. If I have to be away from them to travel for work- I check with them.
I have to take care of what’s at the top of my priority list and make sure it’s in line with my everyday actions: God, me, Christy, my kids, Pathway To Wellness and Golf. By investing in myself I’m the best version of me so my wife is proud of me and my kids are proud of me.
A priority list dictates your time management, helps with decisions and takes away unnecessary stress which can wreck your health. I’m building a life of health and the people around me because of my priority list. You can too! Use your list for building a healthy life instead of just existing a stressed out way of living.
Written by Dr. Patrick Flynn
Learn more in the video!