You can also do the puzzle-solving activity. The best way is to read books above your comprehension so that you can grasp a new concept every time you read a book. The mental dimension can be improved straightforwardly by involving yourself in reading books. It would help to concentrate on mental health to sharpen your brain more effectively. Wellness is not all about physical and spiritual well-being. You don’t need to spend all your time involved in these activities if you take some time out regularly doing some of these activities, then it can be beneficial for you to lead a more fulfilling and purposeful life.
Many helpful activities help to keep your spirituality in shape like: It’s pretty hard these days because daily activities consume a lot of time to keep spirituality aside.īut keeping yourself spiritually healthy is equally important as keeping yourself physically active. It helps to understand life’s purpose, like who you are and why you do it, etc. Without meaning and purpose, our lives feel empty, and we start to feel alienated. The spiritual dimension is expressed in the need for a greater sense of purpose and meaning. Still, many people sacrifice exercise and sleep for non-essential activities, which cost them heavily. When Richard Branson was asked about his extraordinary productivity, he mentioned that he used to work out daily, which helped him boost his productivity. The significance of exercise can never be underestimated. But, if we remain persistent, then it can be done quickly. He mentions that it would not be that easy to adopt this routine suddenly because your body is not used to it. So, you must include taking care of your body in your priority list by focusing on three main areas:Īs far as exercise is concerned, Covey said that the best exercise program could be something we can easily do in-home, such as aerobic exercise, stretching, and weight lifting. With a good physical body, you have all the strength and vigor required to take on life’s challenges. It is essential because if your body feels tired, it becomes tough to bring productivity, no matter how much effort you are putting in. The physical dimension deals with taking care of our physical bodies. Let’s discuss them one by one: 1 - The Physical Dimension There is a simple answer to it we need to focus on the four essential dimensions of our lives, as described by Covey. So, if sharpening the saw can bring those significant results, how can we implement it in our personal lives? Because if you’re given the task of chopping down a tree, and your ax is not sharpened, then you not only consume more time but also invest more energy. It clearly shows the importance of sharpening the saw instead of going without it. The main reason for that is because his axe was well sharpened, which gives him the power to get the tree chopped quickly. On the other hand, Person 2 ends their career before time. Person 1 starts to chop down the tree without sharpening the axe, whereas Person 2 takes some time to sharpen his axe and then starts to chop down the tree.Īfter the deadline of six hours, Person 1 was still unable to finish the job. Suppose two people are tasked with chopping down a tree in six hours. By doing this, it becomes easy for you to increase your growth, handle complex challenges, and entirely change the life you used to live before.Ībraham Lincoln once said, “Give me six hours to chop down a tree, and I will spend the first four sharpening the ax.” According to him, we should renew our lives’ four core dimensions (physical, spiritual, mental, and social). In this habit, Covey emphasizes cultivating the critical assets that we have in ourselves. This is one of the most necessary investments we have to make ourselves because nobody else will do it for us. The philosophy behind this habit is to take some time out and invest it in ourselves. Habit 7 of highly effective people is sharpening the saw. In this book, Covey discusses different techniques to rejuvenate these four assets through exercise, nutrition, reading, meditation, stress management, etc., so that you can advocate growth and bring real change in your life. ‘Sharpen the Saw’ refers to having a balanced program for self-renewal in the four key areas of your life: physical, social, mental and spiritual. Have you ever heard of the term ‘Sharpen the Saw’? What does it refer to ?It means enhancing and preserving the greatest asset you have - yourself.