Our experience, at Priority, in training over a million people from all walks of life has lead to a recognition that 'taking control' begins and ends with the beliefs and behaviours that impact your effectiveness and that of the people around you.

Here are five essential beliefs and behaviours that will help you take control.

1. Choice not chance determines your future: Remember you are not in prison. Start by looking at the choices you are making in life. If you want to be happier, be more effective at work, be less stressed and live longer, then choose to live a more balanced life.

2. Stop being a 'busy body': Don't flatter yourself that being super busy or activity driven is a good measure of your success or importance. It's not - rather it may be a smokescreeen to hide behind. If you clearly identify and write down your priorities for each day you will immediately find that your inputs (activities) decrease and your outputs (results) increase. It's a simple productivity equation and it works for everyone, in every job.

3. Missions impossible are always impossible: Stop asking the almost impossible of yourself, your team or your family. Rather give everyone - including yourself - the direction, resources and most importantly the time, to achieve goals.

4. Stop 'stinking thinking': The fastest way to lose friends, the respect of your colleagues and poison family relationships is to be a nag or constant complainer. A negative attitude to life will over time lower your immune system too! Here's a tip that might change your life. Before entering the office in the morning, going into a meeting or returning home at night, take a deep breath and say and think something positive - you'll be amazed at how infectious happiness can be.

5. 86,400 in your bank every day: That's the number of seconds deposited in your time bank each and every day. How you spend it determines the life you lead. Unlike a financial account, you don't get to carry it over to a new day or save it with interest for retirement. You use it or lose it. So don't waste a precious second of it on third rate TV, making commitments you can't keep, gossiping at the water cooler, berating your kids for things you used to do too, endless complaining, talking and not listening. Yes all of the traps that we fall into too easily.

Rather, take charge today and live a life in tune with your beliefs and values. Your behaviors each day will then reflect the person you really are.

  http://www.prioritymanagement.com