Here are some questions I'd like you to answer. Be honest now!
1- Have you exercised in the last week?
2- Have you learned or created something new today?
3- Do you regularly meditate or ponder something meaningful (i.e values, purpose, relationships)?
4- Have you had a meaningful and uplifting social interaction with someone today? (Anything on-line DOES NOT count)

How'd you do? If you could answer affirmatively to all or most of these questions, pat yourself on the back. If, however, you could not - flick yourself in the nose and commit to do better starting today. "But wait," you say, "I'm a busy mom" or "I'm a full-time student" or "My boss works me to death. I don't have time to do these things." Stop right there! So what you're telling me is as silly as you suggesting that you're so busy you don't have time to fill up your car's gas tank. Sure you can run on fumes for a while, but eventually you'll find yourself plum out of gas, miles away from where you really want to be.

Stephen Covey calls this sharpening the saw, habit 7 in his 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. But Mr. Covey wasn't the first to come up with the idea. Abraham Lincoln was once asked the question, "What would you do if you had 8 hours to cut down a tree?" His answer. "I'd spend the first four sharpening my saw."

Many people often think they're being selfish if they spend the time to metaphorically sharpen their saw. Others think they are being more time effective if they neglect self care (exercise, good nutrition, meaningful social interaction, brushing up on skills) in order to accomplish other things. Ironically, doing so greatly impairs us to fulfill our many responsibilities. In order to be able to help others, you must first be healthy enough yourself to be able to give your best to others. This isn't profound, but it is something that all too many people fail to apply in their lives. Yes, you can continue to run on fumes - but you're not just doing yourself a disservice. It's a disservice to the people you care about most and who are relying on you to be the best you can be.

Do you want to be the most successful parent, spouse, daughter, son, employee, boss, leader you can be? Than start today and make sure you're working to keep your personal tank on full. No more running on fumes!