I have been reading Norman Vincent Peale’s book “The Power of Positive Thinking” and just finished the chapter titled “Relax for Easy Power”.

The chapter explains how learning to relax can allow you to get more out of your hectic, busy, stressful schedule.

It reminds me of another saying “sometimes you have to slow down to speed up”.

At the end of the chapter he shares 10 rules for relaxing in order to get more done and I thought I would share them with you.

1. Don’t get the idea that you are Atlas carrying the world on your shoulders. Don’t take yourself so seriously.

2. Determine to like your work. Then it will become a pleasure, not drudgery. Perhaps you do not need to change your job. Change yourself and your work will seem different.

3. Plan you work – work your plan. Lack of system produces that “I’m swamped” feeling.

4. Don’t try to do everything at once. That is why time is spread out. Heed that wise advise from the Bible, “This one thing I do.”

5. Get a correct mental attitude, remembering that ease or difficulty in your work depends upon how you think about it. Think it’s hard and you make it hard. Think it’s easy and it tends to become easy.

6. Become efficient in your work. “Knowledge is power” (over your job). It is always easier to do a thing right.

7. Practice being relaxed. Easy does it. Don’t press or tug. Take it in your stride.

8. Discipline yourself not to put off to tomorrow what you can do today. Accumulation of undone jobs makes your work harder. Keep your work on schedule.

9. Pray about your work. You will get relaxed efficiency by so doing.

10. Take on the “unseen partner”. It is surprising the load He will take off you. God is as much at home in offices, factories, stories, kitchens, as in churches. He knows more about your job than you do. His help will make your work easy.

Make it a point to try one of these today and see how it works out.

Make it a great day.

Jake