Last night I turned to the community forum section of my local newspaper and there was an article entitled, "Know when to seek balance in your life."   It mentioned a former IBM Executive who admitted that he hated the last eight years of his job.   However, in his mid-50's he was able to take early retirement and volunteer for service, first in an African country, and then later in Central America.   The article said that his volunteer work cost him about $50,000 of his own money every year.   Unfortunately, he died of cancer a few years after he retired.   Luckily, he was able to make one last trip to visit the lasting friendships that he had made while in Africa, but he didn't make an attempt to visit his work associates.  

I wondered if he was part of our popular culture that works too hard and plays even harder.   Perhaps he wanted to seek a deeper meaning in his life, what best-selling author and speaker Stephen Covey calls 'leaving a legacy.'   Many people who work very hard to advance in their careers and to accumulate only an income find that they have led a life that just isn't balanced.   I believe that an imbalanced life is also a life that lacks a deep meaning.   It isn't any wonder why the majority of heart attack victims are recently retired men who don't know what to do with the rest of their lives.   According to William H. Danforth, the former Chairman of Ralston Purina Corporation, " You have a four-fold life to live: a body, a brain, a heart and a soul . . . these are your living tools.   To use and develop them is not a task . . . It is a golden opportunity."

How can we become successful in our careers while at the same time become balanced in our lives?   First let me say that 'achieving balance' is definitely not a destination; rather, it is a slowly evolving process.   Being balanced means being more aware of the different aspects of life.   This allows us to be more holistic or more of a 'whole individual.'   A characteristic of a holistic life is living 'the good life.'   The Italian name for this concept is la dolce Vida .   I think one of the best examples of somebody who led the 'good life' was Thomas Jefferson.   He was an architect, historian, writer, President, viticulturist, and family man, among many other things.   If balance is a journey and not a destination, then how do you start?

I believe that in order to start, you need to think about how to be more balanced every day not at some point in the future.   If you want to eat healthier, you wouldn't start in six months, you would hopefully start slowly now!   Balance is a process of gradual change, not something that is drastic.   I feel that one of the best analogies to illustrate this point is through the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) Food Chart.   Each of us has seen this chart hundreds of times and we know that to achieve a healthy diet, we must eat protein, vegetables, fruits, and grains every day.   The same is true with having balance in your life.   Except instead of having four food groups, there are four basic areas of life, physical, mental, social and spiritual.   By thinking about these four aspects of life every day, it is what, author and personal coach Cheryl Richardson says, "Gives you permission to make the quality of your life your top priority."

Physical
The first area of balance in life is the physical.   Physical includes both exercise and diet.   One of my best friends told me that he is going to run a marathon every year.   He ran his first last year at the Washington, DC Marine Corps Marathon, and he said that crossing the finish line was one of the best feelings that he ever had in his life!   I asked him to describe his training regimen.   He said you would need to start training slowly for the race in April, because your body needs to be in shape for the big event by October.   While I believe that completing a marathon just once would be an accomplishment, he wants to use the goal of training for the race every year as a way to stay in shape.   I thought that this was an excellent idea especially since you can't just run a marathon tomorrow.   It is a gradual process that builds upon prior small successes.

However, do you think that he would be able to finish the race if he didn't pay attention to his diet?   If we don't focus on the fuel that powers our body, we will eventually have health problems.   When I worked for the United States Postal Service, one of my co-workers worked out every day in the company gymnasium.   He was in great shape, but he ate fast food every day too.   He told me that he started to get chest pains and his cholesterol was 'sky-high' due to all of the saturated fat and excess cholesterol that he was consuming.   According to Dr. Andrew Weil, a leading expert in integrative medicine and optimum health, " reducing the saturated fat in your diet by cutting way back on meat, butter, and whole milk products will help prevent heart attacks. This will alleviate the need to take cholesterol-lowering medication and can extend your life."   One of the best ways to start would be to switch to skim milk or soy milk, use half as much butter and eat red meat one less time per week.   Once you become comfortable with these improvements, you can start to make others.

When I travel, I make sure that I pack my workout clothes, and I always order low-fat, low-cholesterol meals on airplanes.   On one flight to California, a low-fat meal was delivered to me and to the man sitting next to me, who happened to be 25 years my senior.   He was very surprised that I had ordered the same meal.   He explained that his doctor required him to eat meals low in fat and cholesterol since he had had a massive heart attack.   I asked him how his 'new' diet was coming along, and he said, "terrible."   He was used to eating hamburgers, French fries and desserts, and now he had to suddenly stop eating what he characterized as 'the good food.'   I told him that I try to eat better every day, so that I hopefully wouldn't be in a situation where I could get a heart attack.   He thought that I had an excellent plan.  

Also, sitting on an airplane for many hours makes my muscles feel very cramped.   I bring my workout clothing on every business or personal trip to keep myself limber, to keep the excess weight off, and to have a sharp mind.   If I don't workout for a few days, I feel sluggish and not at the top of my game.   Studies have shown that his is true for most of us.   According to researchers at the Institute for Brain Aging, "Healthy elderly volunteers who participated in aerobic exercise did better on cognitive tasks than non-exercisers."   Clearly a key component of balance is frequent exercise and a consistent healthy diet.  

Mental
Another area for balance in life is the mental aspect, which involves education and self-improvement.   How often have you waited in line at the airport or at Home Depot and not had anything to read?   This is not the case anymore.   I make sure that I always have my journal, a book or a magazine with me at all times.   I used to waste many hours sitting in doctor's offices while waiting for my appointment. Now, after I read a good book, I add it to my bookshelf!

One of the greatest Roman statesmen and orators was Marcus Tullius Cicero who said, "A room without books is like a body without a soul."   Around the corner from my home is a Barnes and Noble bookstore complete with a coffee shop and big picture windows that provide plenty of sunlight during rainy days.   Downstairs they have personal listening stations with thousands of music CDs.   Sometimes I only go in for a few minutes to buy a gift, and other times I wander out hours later after listening to great music.   I almost certainly exit the bookstore with a new book.   Perhaps you don't have the time or the discipline to read on a continual basis, but having a book with you will allow you more opportunities to read and improve your intellect.   The Washington Post recently reported that, "Reading scores for high-school seniors declined and that 26 percent scored below basic in 2002."   I think this statistic is a combination of not having a book nearby and watching too much television.   It's only going to get worse as more and more people watch television rather than read a great novel.  

Another way to build knowledge is through employee education benefits.   Many companies pay for continuing education as a benefit of employment, yet most employees don't take advantage of this free benefit.   To help you schedule time for continuing education, there is even a company called Llama Graphics that makes a software program called 'Life Balance.'   The marketing literature states, "Life Balance uses fuzzy logic math techniques to balance all of these competing factors (family responsibilities, workplace, school, kid's sports, and your community)."   This software can even be downloaded to your Palm Pilot.   Hopefully you won't have to be reminded by a software program to be more balanced, it is something that will be integrated in your life.  

Also, a concept I recently learned about at the National Speaker's Association is about forming a 'Master Mind Group.'   A Master Mind Group is a collection of people who get together on a regular basis to talk about how to improve their lives or their businesses.   It grew out of the French Salon's where people would gather at café's, coffee houses or private homes to discuss the latest issues of the day.   If you don't have access to a Salon or a Master Mind Group, take the initiative and start one of your own.   Be creative in how you can improve the mental aspect of your life.   I remember my grandmother always doing crossword puzzles into her 80's.   She retained a sharp wit and intellect by keeping her mind active.  

Social
The next area of a life in balance is paying attention to the social aspect.   This includes getting together with your family and friends on a regular basis and providing service to your community.   There are a number of ways to achieve social balance in life.   For example, I was invited to many social gatherings over the years and noticed that some people always stuck to a theme for their parties.   One friend always had a Kentucky Derby party complete with prizes for those guests who picked the winning horses of each race.   Another group of friends started a Hors d'oeuvre Club.   This group consists of five couples that meet on a revolving basis at one of the homes in the group. They usually stick to a 'theme night,' and the last one that they picked was 'Asian.'  

I decided seven years ago that I wanted to have a party with a unique theme of my own.   I came up with a yearly Wine Tasting.   I started out by inviting a local wine expert to give a lecture on a certain region of the world.   Now, my wife and I pick a country or region of the world and set up 10-12 tasting stations around the house.   I hand out information sheets and let people go at their own pace.   It is a great way to reconnect with those people whom we haven't seen in a while and a way to thank our friends for inviting us to their parties.  

There is a bit of work that goes into our Wine Tasting party, but seeing all of the smiling faces makes it worthwhile.   However, what if your company needed you to work overtime the night of your themed party?   I would hope that you would have the mutual respect to say 'no' since you had put so much time and effort into it.   This commitment to your personal schedule needs to be extended to friends that you see on an individual basis and especially to family members.   How many times have you told your spouse that you'll be right home only to show up much later, blaming your work?   If you don't set your own limits on your personal and professional life, then somebody else will set them for you.  

Sunday evenings have been a tradition in my family whereby everyone who lives in town gathers at my parent's home for dinner.   It has become a special time that I can unwind and reconnect with those closest to me.   While my wife and I may not make it every Sunday, we are definitely there at least 2-3 times a month.   Making time away from the office where you are not accessible will aid in your quest to become more balanced.  

How do you give back to your community?   A former neighbor has been a loyal Knights of Columbus volunteer for over thirty years.   My wife's company has raised over $50,000 for their 'house' charity to Help the Homeless, and allows employees to take time off during working hours to contribute to this great cause.   Many times a year, I speak to groups or associations for free in the hopes of inspiring others.   Also, I am a member of a non-profit organization that helps to promote the responsible use of our environment.   I really like the slogan that I see on some bumper stickers that says, "Think Globally, Act Locally."   What would you like to do locally?   Pick up the telephone and call to volunteer now.   It could change your life.  

Spiritual
When I mention the word spiritual, what do you think of?   If you are like a lot of people, you might think that spiritual has something to do with religion.   It may, but I feel that it has a lot more to do with how you get 'in touch' with yourself.   It is about following and listening to your own path in life.   Brazilian novelist Paulo Coelho learned a lot about ignoring his dream.   By age 32 he was the most successful pop-music lyricist in Brazil, but he was miserable.   He said, "I had money, but I was not happy at all because I knew that I was somehow betraying my dreams."   The spiritual area of life needs to be nurtured in order to have balance.   Paying attention to the spiritual provides a way to have a deeper meaning in life.  

Bill Gates, the founder of Microsoft, always takes a three-day personal retreat at the beginning of every year to plan out his business and personal goals.   He doesn't answer his phone or his E-mails and really gets in-touch with what he wants to do for the coming year and beyond.   Tony Robbins, the best-selling author and motivational speaker, talks about a famous train ride across Russia that lasted for days.   He said that he was able to more fully plan his life and to understand what was important to him at the time.   Also, he was able to write the outline for his best-selling book, "Awaken the Giant Within."   

When was the last time you had the opportunity to take time out just for yourself?   I asked this question to a friend from college and he said that he takes 10 minutes every morning in the shower for himself.   While this may be fine in the short-term, I believe it isn't enough time to really step-away from one's responsibilities and explore a new thought or direction.   Many people leave one job on a Friday afternoon only to start another one the following Monday.   I know a few friends who have always had a significant other.   They will break up with one partner only to start dating the other one a few days later.   They never took the space for themselves.  

I had the opportunity to explore a new direction in my life after a near-fatal car accident about seven years ago.   Another vehicle ran a red light and smashed into my car sending me straight to the emergency room.   I had a mild concussion, whiplash and was overwhelmed with insurance paperwork.   I decided to go to the Florida Key's to recover since it was a cold January.   It was a wonderful experience, because I got to do what I wanted.   I was able to take a break from all of the stress I was under.   I read 15 magazines, three books and filled up half of a blank journal as I wrote about what I wanted to do in my life.   One of my goals was to purchase my first home, which I did eleven months later.  

Writing down your dreams and goals gives them added meaning.   As you refer to them, they seem to take on a life of their own.   It allows you to really refine and focus on what is really important to you, and a journal allows you to get in touch with yourself more fully.   Paolo Coelho said, "To write means to face that you have a dream, and that you have to pay the price of your dream.   Then you're dealing not with things that are imposed on you but with things that you really want, and it's much more difficult to accept defeat."   What would you write in your journal to accomplish your dreams?

Since September 11, 2001, the meaning of work has changed.   According to a poll taken by Jobtrack.com in the spring of 2000, fifty-two percent of college students expected to make their first million dollars by the time they were 40 years old.   However, an article from Workplace Visions in 2002 , related that, "Many people are thinking again of the dreams they had before they got involved in their jobs, whether it was to live in places where the pace of life was slower, or to be involved in work that has greater social utility."   How do you get 'in touch' with yourself and with your spirit?

You don't have to wait until you retire to start living a life full of balance.   If you start slowly incorporating the physical, mental, social and spiritual aspects into your life each and every day, you might wind up in a situation where you don't need to retire.   Why would you wait years to do the things you have always wanted to do?   Why not begin them now?   German playwright and philosopher, Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe said, "Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it.   Boldness has power, genius and magic in it, Begin it now."   Living a life in balance is living a life that has deep meaning.   I challenge you to begin living your life more fully in balance right now!

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Mark Sincevich works with organizations to develop leaders with more focus and creativity. He does this through a unique photography angle in his speaking programs and writing. Mark is the chief perspective officer of his company, Leading with Focus, and the executive director of the Digital Photography Institute. He can be reached at 301-654-3010 or www.LeadingwithFocus.com .