As I think about the upcoming holiday weekend and what weve got planned, it occurred to me that its a pretty good mix. This mixture of work and play is also a metaphor or model for moving effectively forward in life. It works whether youre aiming for a good time or just trying to get things done.

Clean Out Clutter
The need to do this is so obvious with our yard sale preparations. We are clearing out the old stuff, so that we can breathe! The belongings weve got stashed down the hill in the garage represent past lives and earlier preferences, and provide plenty of evidence of long-abandoned projects. In order for us to get clear to embrace our now and future plans, weve got to ditch the dead weight.

Its equally valid when planning for a vacation. You select the very few things youll need to provide comfort and to suit your immediate, short-term needs. You dont pack things you wont have time for or that have to do with the very things you left behind in order to relax and explore new territory.

Just thinking about all the stuff takes up space in our minds, and makes it difficult to have new ides and the freedom to be creative and expansive.

Is your current life an extended vacation, and have you moved on to a new phase? Do you really need the albatross of the past dogging your new plans and intentions? Think about how you could lighten your load before you begin your next adventure.

Build Future Memories
On Sunday, were going to plant more seeds and seedlings in our vegetable gardens and place annuals in the whiskey barrels out by the wood shed. If I can get away with it, I may sneak in a flowering bush or two.

Were doing this with faith in and anticipation for what we are building: a steady stream of salad and stew parts, pie ingredients, and herbs to flavor our home-cooked meals and to scent our living space.

As we plan our Dominican Republic vacation for later in the season, were similarly collecting the good reads, sunny clothes, and warm weather toys (snorkeling, yeah!) to create an experience that matches our vision for relaxation and fun.

Im a strong believer in always having something dangling out in the future as reward for good work and behavior. Thats why I like tasks like gardening and planning vacations; they are shared and all about full-throttle enjoyment.

Learn from the Previous Show
On Monday, were spending our holiday learning from what weve been doing lately, so that we can improve our productivity and satisfaction from work. Weve actively been pursuing a lifestyle where we get to work half-time at our passions and half-time in our shared work in marketing and small business development.

Doing and doing with no time for reflection, pretty much assures that well charge ahead with so-so results and fulfillment from our efforts. Well get things done, but may miss the opportunity to fine-tune to do better work and have more fun.

Photographs and other souvenirs collected from trips are useful tools in a similar process. They serve as reminders and evidence of what worked and what falls into the lets never do that again! category.

By considering the full value of past experience, we can plan for more successful projects and trips in the future. We can clear out what failed to work, build in what we think has a better chance the next time around, and then we can carefully observe what happens the next time.

Clean, Build, Learn and repeat. Works for me.

Think about what it would be like to start a project or plan with this framework in mind. Do you think youd have a better outcome? Does it sound like more work? How do you go about balancing work and play in your life?

2007 Andrea R. Williams

Andrea Williams, personal and small business success coach, is the creator of the Fearless, Fabulous Project, a 12-week, step-by-step discovery and rejuvenation process to help you gain clarity and commitment about what is most important to you. If you're ready to pump your life with more fun & fulfillment, check out Andrea's coaching programs and resources now at http://www.FearlessFabulousLife.com and sign up for Fearless, Fabulous Female, her free ezine on personal reinvention at midlife.

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