Here you are, thinking you’re about to read an article with a list of priorities you should be doing- like sleeping and eating your vegetables. That’s not happening today! Priorities are essential for your health, but it’s different from what you think. We can’t give you a magic list of things to do that will bring you health. If your priorities are off, your health will be, too — no matter how many veggies you eat. You have to make a list of what your priorities are. Write them down now on scratch paper with a pencil or crayon — whatever you have! Just write down 5 or 6 things that are your priorities. Do it now! We’ll wait….
Why? 77% of people experience physical symptoms of stress. Let’s put that another way. More than ¾ of people feel crappy because of stress. What do you think that does to their health? The annual cost to employers for health costs and missed work is $300 billion. In chiropractic care, we address the 3 -T’s: toxins, traumas, and thoughts. The last one, thoughts, is the hardest to help people with and does so much damage to their health.
Doc does a lot of cool things that come with owning The Wellness Way and travels the U.S. to talk about our revolutionary approach to health. But somehow, he manages the stress that goes along with it. So many people approach him and say, “Doc, you have this cool life, and so do your staff and the people around you. How do you do it? How do you manage to make it all happen?” Well, here’s what he does.
It’s in the Priority List
Doc’s Comments: “I have the same amount of time everyone else does I just recognize time management is important, and the key to time management is your priority list. Did you finish writing yours yet? A lot of women have a hard time writing 2 or 3. It’s an area many women struggle in, and the majority get it wrong. I’ll explain that more in a bit.”
“That priority list will help you plan your life and help you with time management. The only difference between
Sunday and Monday is time management. Some people think that Sunday is a day of rest. Really, they’re just using it to sit on their butts all day and watch T.V. Especially men- is football on? Is football really that important to your life? What does it bring to your life?”
“A priority list can change your life. As I said, making a priority list can be hard. It gets easier, though. And when you have your priorities in order, your decisions get easier. My priority list dictates what I do every day. My priority list dictates my life, not the day of the week.”
Let’s go over Doc’s priority list. Take a look at yours, too. Yours doesn’t have to be like Doc’s or anyone else’s. It shouldn’t be! We are all unique and have our own priorities. There are a few aspects Doc will advise on, though.
Doc’s Priority List
Number 1 – God (or faith)
Doc’s Comments: “This is number one for me- it doesn’t have to be for you. My faith defines my morality and my decisions. Years ago, I was approached to invest in a solid opportunity with a sound investment plan. It was a strip club. If money was my priority, I would have invested in a strip club. That club makes tons of money. I could have made tons of money, but it was against my faith. Since faith is my number one priority, that was an easy decision because the investment didn’t meet my priorities. What’s at the top of your list?”
Number 2 – Me! (This should be YOU on your list- Don’t Put Me on Your List)
Doc’s Comments: “If you are not number one or two on your list, you are making a common mistake. Nothing other than your faith should come above you on your list. I’m going to offend many women when I say that it’s not Christian, spiritual, or intelligent to put others above you on your list. It’s moronic.
“If all you do is give, you will eventually have nothing left to give. You will be depleted. Usually, women put kids and their husbands above themselves. Eventually, you will resent them. You will ultimately resent anybody you put above yourself (except God). You can give, give and give but someday, you will snap. That is why I am constantly investing in myself. I’m training and reflecting to make myself a better person.
“You have to work on yourself to become the person others can come to. It’s not selfish to work on yourself or to put yourself at the top of the priority list. I have more to give because I’m always working on myself. Then when I come in contact with my wife and children, I am the best version of myself. Being at the top of my priority list is best for me AND those I love.
Number 3 – My Wife
Doc’s Comments: “Did you put your kids above your spouse? If you did, that annoying game show buzzer should be going off now. Your spouse should always be above your kids on your list. Christy, my wife, is always a top priority. Date night is essential, and she informs my decisions. She’s the one I chose to spend my life with. Someday my kids will move out and be someone else’s priority, so I can’t put them above my wife. Do you follow me on that?”
“If I spend all my time with my kids- what kind of father am I? What am I showing them if I don’t make my wife a priority? Let your kids see you loving your spouse because that is what they will expect when they grow up. My children know I love them, and they are a priority but not above my wife. It warmed my heart when my oldest daughter said, “Daddy, I love how you treat Mom.”
“Ladies, are you putting your kids above your husband? If you are, your priorities are messed up. If your kids are a top priority, you will get empty nest syndrome and have a junky life when they are gone.”
Number 4 – My Kids
Doc’s Comments: “Kids are important. If you didn’t want to make them a priority, why did you have kids? Your kids should be on your priority list but not above your spouse or yourself! I deal with stressed-out women every day. All day long. I ask them, “Do your kids stress you out?” They say, “Oh, Doc, I love my kids.”
“I didn’t ask you if you loved them; of course, you love them. I asked whether they were stressing you out. Then the tears come. Don’t put your kids above your husband or yourself. It will stress you out.”
Number 5 – The Wellness Way
Doc’s Comments: The means for providing for your family will be on your priority list. You might put friends and family. But you don’t live with your mom and dad. You need to have a way to provide for your family. That’s why your spouse and children understand when you spend time at work.”
“I will never put my work above my wife and children. If I do that, I’m failing. My job is to provide for the priorities above it- that’s why it’s on the list. If I put work above that, my family will fall apart. That means I suck as a person. But I will never do that. Great people make a great company. And if we don’t take care of our priority list, it’s impossible to be a good person. If you develop yourself, you can develop those around you. That leads to true success in business and life.”
Number 6 – Golf
Doc’s Comments: “I love to golf. I get to go golfing with my friends and family—mostly the people I love to spend my time with all day. I take my girls golfing, too. This can be anything you like to do but remember where it goes on your priority list. When I ask my wife if I can go golfing- she always says, “yes” because she knows she is a priority over golf- this could be fishing or whatever else guys do too. If I didn’t have her as a priority and take care of my priority list, she would hate it if I golfed. She doesn’t hate it because I have my priorities in order.”
Priorities for Health: Your Priority List Reduces Stress
Doc’s Comments: “Are you tired and stressed out? It’s because you’re not building a life- you’re getting through life. We all have the same amount of time. Now that we have gone through my list, go back and look at yours again are there changes you want to make? If so, make those changes now. Check your list daily- don’t just forget about it. What’s on your priority list? Have you ever had a hard time deciding between work and family? Let your list dictate your life instead of just getting through life. You deserve it!”
“You need to develop and work from your priority list. My priority list helps me make decisions. I consult with my wife and children to help make decisions based on my priority list. If I have to be away from them to travel for work, I check with them. I have to take care of what’s at the top of my priority list and ensure it’s in line with my everyday actions: God, me, Christy, my kids, The Wellness Way, and golf. By investing in myself, I’m the best version of myself, so my wife and kids are proud of me.”
“A priority list dictates your time management, helps with decisions, and takes away unnecessary stress, which can wreck your health. I’m building a life of health and the people around me because of my priority list. You can, too! Use your list to create a healthy life instead of just existing in a stressed-out life.”
Learn more in the video!
