When one day ends, I rarely know what the next day will hold, but I am constantly sure of one thing: whatever the next day holds, it will be very, very busy. Add this on top of the full-time job of being both dad and husband, and sometimes it feels like I don’t even have time to breathe (let alone take some me time).

The Verdict: Most, if not all, of us have had days like this. A good number of us have had strings of days like this. Some of us even spend majority of our days running around like chickens with our heads cut off. It’s this last group that I want to talk to. You know who you are. You’re the guy that ends the year with 13 days of unused vacation time. You’re the guy that leaves home when it’s dark and doesn’t get back home until it’s dark again. Here is some very simple advice:

Stop it.

That’s right. Stop it. Now, don’t get me wrong. I know that you need to provide for your family. I know that your work won’t do itself. I know that your boss is constantly breathing down your neck about getting the next big project done. But…

If I’m learning anything through this exercise in understanding the finite nature of life, it’s that we only live once. You only have one shot at spending time with your spouse. You only have one shot at spending time with your kid(s). Make that time count. My advice (and what I’m learning to do) is to take a step back every morning to prioritize my day. If it’s not important, it simply doesn’t get done. My wife and son make the top of that list everyday.

If you’re so overwhelmed by busy-ness, here’s a page that I found that offers some great ideas for de-busy-fying (yes, I totally made that word up just now) your life. Oh, and one more thing: take a day off every once in a while.