1) Don't take time to be quiet and alone so your mind can process the events of the day, tap into your inner genius, come up with inspired solutions and plan a meaningful life.
2) When you drive or travel, listen to music, watch iPod movies or read to numb your mind instead of welcoming travel time as an opportunity to reflect and think.
3) When you come home from work, grab a drink, turn on the TV and veg out. You have totally earned it.
4) When you're with your family and friends, keep your cell phone on so you can be continually interrupted. If you give them your undivided attention and share quality time with them it may go to their head, or worse, they may grow to love you and want even more of your time. Share a movie or watch TV instead of actually talking with your family. You work hard and need to unwind. You can't be expected to maintain meaningful relationships and work too. An hour or two on MSN will make up for not enjoying time with your friends. They understand; they're busy too.
5) When you take a break at Starbucks or lunch, plug in your iPod, read a magazine or a book. This may be a perfect time to catch up on email, send some text messages or check on Facebook and MySpace. Whatever you do, keep your mind busy. Facing life head-on can be a frightening and enlightening experience; something best avoided by keeping your mind otherwise distracted.
6) Get a Blackberry, Palm Treo, iPhone or bring the laptop. That way you can get your email wherever you are. You can filter through the same spam and answer time-waster emails several times: at home, the office and on the go. Being accessible 24-7 makes you look successful.
7) Avoid the gym, running, enough sleep or a planned nutritious diet. You're busy and don't have time to really look after yourself. A One-A-Day with your coffee should more than cover it. This is the new millennium and the magazines we choose tell us people are living longer even with total neglect. There's always one article that will tell you your lifestyle choices actually help you live longer and healthier.
8) Work more! Longer hours are the way to the top. Your family wants all the good things in life. It's unreasonable for them to expect you home evenings and weekends too. Your boss and clients deserve top priority in your life because they provide the money that makes it all possible. If your family and friends don't get that they're selfish.
9) Buy lots of stuff, drive an impressive car, live in a house you can't afford, eat at restaurants a lot, travel to the 'right' places to impress people who don't particularly care about you, so you can maintain your status in the pecking order. Hell, you'll probably die before you pay half of the debt off anyway.
I wrote this a while back during a quiet reflective time in my life. It inspired me to pursue the laptop travel lifestyle I now enjoy, so I thought I'd share it with you.