Life Matters

In this summary you will learn

• How to make your career complement strong family ties
• How to build and re-invigorate family bonds
• How to develop "navigational intelligence" or street smarts about your priorities and principles

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Why you should read Life Matters

Prioritizing the building blocks of life - family, work, money and time - is paramount to happiness. Some people do it unconsciously by living within their intellectual and monetary expectations. Others need a framework for balance, such as the one that authors A. Roger Merrill and Rebecca R. Merrill provide. To achieve personal balance, the authors suggest becoming a better team player, working more effectively, learning about finances and setting home and work priorities. They establish the goal of building a strong family, centered around parental "family leadership." Do they successfully address the knotty issues they raise? Yes, in a folksy way. This is a useful self-help manual with checklists, self-assessments and personal anecdotes, which are sometimes touching, but sometimes impractical or saccharine. Though the management advice dons motivational language, the sections on family and work are particularly worthwhile. The authors deliver a solid antidote to misplaced modern values, albeit wrapped in some fluffy trappings. getAbstract.com recommends this book to corporate officers and human resource personnel, as well as to individuals seeking balance.

About the Authors

A. Roger Merrill is the co-founder of the Covey Leadership Center where he develops personal effectiveness software and consults and teaches on leadership techniques and principles worldwide. He has more than 35 years of experience as a writer, consultant and executive. He is currently a principal with Agilix Labs, a software development firm. Rebecca R. Merrill, a teacher and time-management expert, contributed to The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, and The Nature of Leadership. The authors also co-wrote the best selling First Things First.