CHICAGO, June 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ — Don’t live your life in a sleepwalking trance. Instead, be aware of all the joys life offers by paying attention to how you spend your free time.
That’s the message of motivational expert Mike Lauesen, author of the new book “Getting Off the Treadmill: Escaping the Race to Nowhere,” (Indie Books International, 2017).
“As you pay attention, you can begin to focus on what is most important to you in your free time,” says Lauesen. “It could be walks in your neighborhood, working out, watching movies, church or civic duties, playing an instrument, relaxing with family and friends, or a combination of all. Remember, we only have 168 hours in one week and approximately 60 hours of free time.”
Lauesen calls himself a recovering CPA and computer salesman who founded his own chemical coating company at the age of 28. After building the enterprise into a multi-million-dollar international company, he exited as founder/CEO and started a new career as a professional speaker and life coach. He enjoys spending time with his family, cycling, travel, and rooting for the Chicago Cubs.
Consider the math. There are 168 hours in a week. If a person works 40 hours at a specific job or running our households, then adds an average commute time, this comes to approximately 50 to 55 hours per week. Humans sleep around 45 to 55 hours per week. This leaves the average person over 60 hours per week of spare time.
“I believe where you spend your free time tells you much about yourself,” says Lauesen. “I define free time as a choice we make and have the most influence over: the 60 hours. Reflect where your time is spent in an average week. When you have free time, what do you do? Read, watch a movie, attend family activities, pray?”
In his book, Lauesen recommends the following eight steps to start simply to get off life’s treadmill:
1. Review what Lauesen terms the Wheel of Life: family, relationships, spirituality, career, finances, travel, health, and leisure. Feel free to add or modify the categories.
2. Write the approximate time each week you currently spend in each category.
Family ___________________________________
Relationships______________________________
Spirituality _______________________________
Career ___________________________________
Finances __________________________________
Travel ____________________________________
Health: physical, mental, emotional __________
Leisure, relaxation _________________________
3. Write your weekly goal for number of hours in each section or category.
Family ___________________________________
Relationships______________________________
Spirituality _______________________________
Career ___________________________________
Finances __________________________________
Travel ____________________________________
Health: physical, mental, emotional __________
Leisure, relaxation _________________________
4. Fill in the number of hours you have free time.
5. List what you want to do with your free time.
6. Pay attention to what you currently do versus what you want to do in your free time.
7. Create a goal for your own 60 hours of time outside of work, commuting, and sleeping. Start with the first line of your goal: “I will spend ___ hours per week doing the following….”
8. Determine who your coach or coaches will be. Meet with your coach at least monthly to assist you in accomplishing your goals.
Lauesen says that goals may change over time throughout different phases of our life; the purpose is to get started simply.
“We often spend time on the urgent—what we feel needs to be done in the moment,” says Lauesen. “Urgent does not imply it is important. Doing the above exercise allows us to think and focus on what is most significant in our life.”