Timely Tips© Volume 3, Issue 3; March 2006: Take an "Empty Satisfactor" Diet to Change the Shape of Your Life (from Major Satisfactors = Major Success

A simple but powerful tip that I give many people attending my seminars is to consider an "Empty Satisfactor diet." (For reference, in my book, I explain that Empty Satisfactors are a particular kind of time use or activity that provide no real intrinsic value for you personally or professionally. When you get done with an "Empty Satisfactor", you typically say to yourself (with some disgust) "I can't believe I spent that much time doing THAT!" Classic examples for many people are TV channel surfing, reading trash tabloids, and surfing the net for no reason or purpose.)

The concept to an Empty Satisfactor Diet is simple: Identify one of two Empty Satisfactors in your life, and for the next two weeks, or month, or six months for that matter if you are really strong willed, cut the time that you give to those targeted Empty Satisfactors down to nothing or close to nothing. Then, reallocate that time to your Major and/or Minor Satisfactors (the bigger, more redeeming, more fun activities in your life.)

For a food diet, you need to identify a few problem foods (for me, chips and ice cream would qualify); for an Empty Satisfactor diet, you need to identify a few problem activities, and try to cut them out of your life so that you can "get back in shape".

Using this simple focus and discipline may find you MANY additional hours per week. Let me know how your Empty Satisfactor Diet goes. And until next month, stay Timely!