Let’s face it, in today’s world it seems people equate taking vacation, taking a break, and disconnecting from work as slacking off. Like it or not, that is the perception out there. What’s missing, though are the cold hard facts that restful time off and a varied, fulfilling, and rich life actually result in more personal and professional effectiveness and productivity, not less.

Where did you get your last best idea? Was it on schedule in your desensitized cubicle chamber? Was it while you were toiling away in your home office? I doubt it. Most likely it was while you were in the shower, taking a walk, working out, on vacation, or enjoying wine and dinner with a friend. It is impossible to innovate and create on demand and under the gun. So, why do big business and many small business owners still equate # of hours with productivity?

In a recent Worthwhile Magazine article called “The Secret to Success: Work Less” Anita Sharpe poses some great questions:

Taking time off is still too often equated with slacking off. How many of you honestly think you can go away for two weeks and

a.) not check email even once

b.) not be called a single time by your office or a client

c.) not be a little concerned if you could completely disappear for two weeks and no one really missed you?

How about you? Can you honestly say yes to these 3 questions? I know I can, and will be saying a big YES to them next week while I am exploring Alberta, Canada. As much as I am passionate about building my business, I know that no one in this world is indispensable, and I deserve to have play time to just BE, enjoy nature, and connect deeply with my partner. She and I can thoroughly attest to the benefits of disconnecting completely and escaping to a great environment which is why we love to do it at least several times a year.

Sharpe references a previous article “Work Less, Achieve More” by Margaret Heffernan. In this earlier article Heffernan talks about Michael Eisner’s fall from grace at Disney.

The most bizarre achievement of which Eisner boasts: that, in 28 years of hard labor in the entertainment industry, he only took one week off ever.

Do you know someone who would find this bizarre achievement laudable? Is that someone you? Was it ingrained in you by your family, mentors, or bosses that anything less than working yourself to death meant being a failure?

If you believe these messages and clichés (”you snooze, you lose” or “idle hands are the devil’s workshop”) that get handed down and lived out before your very eyes you will find yourself working into burnout and dis-ease even if you keep saying what you want is a more fulfilling life or time off to enjoy life.

So, what can you do? My advice is to simply buck the trend. Even if everyone is working 15 hours a day, you don’t need to. It is like the old motherly advice - if everyone jumped off the Brooklyn Bridge, would you jump too? That’s a lot like what we’re faced with in the fast paced, burned out, insane business environment portrayed in these articles. You might think “I can’t” when it comes to taking the time you need. I say that you can’t afford not to take care of yourself. No one is coming to save you and no one (except those who love you) will really care if you drop dead or lose your health on the job.

You are in charge of “You, Inc.” and it’s time you took a leadership role. Next time you’re feeling guilty like you’re slacking off, know that time away from the professional grind will fuel your fire, ultimately make you more successful, and allow you to cultivate a fulfilling personal life as well. Imagine that!

Recently I’ve gotten even more deeply involved in my study of the law of attraction. I found I was working my ass off towards goals I have and getting nowhere. Doing all the right things, but watching the dustballs whirl past instead of results. So, I started delving into a deeper look at why I was getting what I was getting when it was not what I said I was wanting. That led me to a new exploration of the universal law of attraction. What is it? It is the premise that everything you receive in this life, you have attracted and created on some level whether you wanted to or not. Your thoughts, feelings, and intentions create your experience. And it is not all hooey (technical term), because there are little scientific laws such as “like attracts like” (think of a magnet) and “energy and matter are always vibrating and attracted to things of a like vibration” that support the attraction principle.

I recently wrote an article about attraction in my monthly e-zine and I’ve been getting great feedback from my readers. I wanted to share it with you as well. You can read the entire article online in my archives. And, if you like what you’re reading, you can sign up to receive this e-zine each month delivered right to your inbox.

After you’ve read the article… share some of your thoughts and answers to these questions in the comments:

• What do you think of the law of attraction?
• Where in your life have you seen this law at work?

Goodness knows it is hard enough to be a successful lesbian business owner or professional. Add to that being a lesbian Mom and you have more than the usual share of back to school angst. Being a kid is challenging enough, but when you have a “nontraditional” family you not only have to deal with the other kids not getting it, but sometimes teachers and administrators aren’t as supportive as they could be either.

The good news is Family Pride has just released their publication “Building Family Equality in Every Classroom” to help people just like you ensure your child’s success in the classroom.

To get your copy go to www.familypride.org or call (202) 331-5015.

That is the question a dear colleague of mine, Souldancer, asks in his just release book Pay Me What I’m Worth.

I had the distinct pleasure of meeting Souldancer late in 2005 and working with him one on one earlier this year. If you want someone who thinks outside the box, that’s not Souldancer; just thinking outside the box is too small for this man, he gets rid of the box entirely to open you up to new possibilities in a practical, yet spiritually bent way.

I believe there isn’t a soul alive who doesn’t want to be paid what they are worth and then some. We are all intrinsically worth more than you can fathom. Even from a real world sense of money, we all have unique talents that are worth a lot. And, it is up to you to do the work to get paid what you’re worth. No one is going to show up like a knight in shining armour and hand you money (unless you win the publisher’s clearinghouse and Ed McMahon shows up but even then your core problems aren’t the least bit solved). It takes more than just earning degrees, accolades, and letters after your name. We all know numerous well-decorated and supposedly well educated folks that can’t find their way out of a paper bag and don’t deserve some big salary they somehow commanded. It takes the inner work of learning about yourself, what you’ve already earned, how to truly give with ease, how to ask for what you want, and the all important learning to open yourself so you can receive what is offered to you.

Wondering how I know so much about the book when it was released just days ago? Well, my name is actually IN the book. Why? Because I had the pleasure of putting my editing skills to work in the early draft stages. I can vouch that the material is sound, the exercises are robust, and the chance to finally learn the secrets of getting paid what you’re worth are waiting for you.

(I also must throw in my $.02 that I just love the snappy cover design.)

To buy the book, click on the image above or visit http://lulu.com/payme

If you’re dying for an autographed copy, you can purchase one directly from Souldancer at http://souldancer.org/pages/pmauto.html

Do you feel you are already paid what you’re worth? What do you think about getting paid what you’re worth? Post your thoughts in the comments… AND, if you’re interested in not only reading the book but working with a supportive study group, let me know in the comments below or via e-mail. Souldancer is starting up study groups and I may choose to lead one in the future.

That is the question Andrea J. Lee poses in her blog entry Paul Principal Example | “I’m going to Hawaii, D@mn it!”. I’m a HUGE fan of Andrea’s work. She always has extremely practical, insightful, and “tell it like it is” insights. This time is no different. Take this part of her story:

As we waited for boarding to commence at the airport in Calgary the other week, I couldn’t help but look on, in boggle-eyed bafflement while:

• a husband and wife bickered nastily about where the sunblock should go, in the left side pocket of the hubby’s backpack or the right hand side (really!)
• a dad marched a 5 or 6-year old out of the waiting area, dragging her as she screamed at the top of her lungs (you know the kind of dragging where the child’s feet stops touching the ground and they are being carried by one arm, who knows where?)
• a whole section of Maui-bound Calgarians sat crabbily in the waiting area, not a single smile in sight (honest, I looked twice at each face)

In another spot, there was one group of four thirty-something women - obviously friends - who were laughing and smiling and talking excitedly about beaches, and they were the center of attention for the whole room. Almost as if they were the television set. (So that’s how to be happy.)

Besides the fact that these people thought no one was looking (if they only knew Andrea was & is writing about them!), it doesn’t really matter. Who we are at all times — when we’re in front of a room speaking for business, with our friends/family, out doing day to day errands, and especially when we are alone — is the number one key to having a successful and fulfilling life. Whether you own your own seven figure business, work for a company, or stay at home focusing on family or charitable causes — who you are when no one is watching defines who you are. It is the essence of your character and integrity. Your attitude and integrity will be more responsible for your level of happiness and success in this lifetime than any action you take (or don’t take).

Andrea goes on to sum it up with an important point for any professional to keep in mind:

No matter where we go, there we are. And no matter how much work you’re doing on your business, there you are. So make sure you’re working on yourself, as much as you are on your business.

I couldn’t have said it better myself. Sometimes people will scoff when I talk about the importance of taking the time to do some personal growth work or tending to their life. They are too busy running fast forward on the treadmill trying to move up the corporate ladder or make the next sale for such diversions. What they are missing though is the fact that time spent focusing on yourself will yield benefits to you exponentially — in the form of business results, the richness of your relationships, your health, and just making your life the right fit for you. After all, who wants to go through life wearing the wrong size life??

• What have you done lately to focus on personal development?
• Most importantly, who are you (really) when no one is looking?

I’d love to hear what you’ve noticed about yourself or others. Please post some thoughts in the comments…