One of the books I recently read was Your 168 – Finding Purpose and Satisfaction in a Values-Based Life, written by Harry M. Jansen Kraemer, Jr.  This is a wonderful book.

This book is about making each hour of your week count. Each week we have 168 hours.

It is up to us to carefully choose how we spend our time and how these choices align with our values.

A little background.  I have been following Harry Kraemer’s work since 2014 when I first discovered his first book “From Values to Action – The Principles of Values-Based Leadership”.  In this book the author talks about the four principles of values based leadership, which are Self-Reflection, Balance and Perspective, True Confidence and Genuine Humility.

In Your 168 I really enjoyed how these principles were intertwined with a foundational piece of self-reflection.  The idea of a life grid resonated with me around your life buckets.   Take the time to set goals of how much time you would like to spend in each of these areas and then look at where your time is actually being spent.

• Work and Career
• Family, Friends and Community
• Health
• Fun
• Faith and Spirituality
• Making a difference

A few thoughts shared:

Life Balance  We are so much more than our work.  “In pursuit of life balance, we are all works in progress.”

Self Reflection

“The more self reflective you are, the easier it is to make choices that are aligned with your values.”

Being planful.  I loved this idea of being mindful in our planning.  The more we can be planful the easier it is to manage the unexpected.

Make a difference

“If each of us believes strongly in bringing about positive change we cannot leave it to someone else.”  It is so important that each of us look for ways to make a difference.

As we learn to celebrate our imperfections and create space for self-reflection, each day we can make choices on how we spend our time that aligns with our values.

I hope you have enjoyed my thoughts on Your 168.

We only have 168 hours in each week.

What choices are you making to spend your time to align with your values and your true priorities?

To the love of reading.  Be inspired, stay curious and keep learning.

Be nourished in all you do.

Sharon