by Randal Matheny

Having duly read the tongue-in-cheek "Rules for Busy People," the Slow-Down Club and Hurryolics Anonymous turned those nine tips around and formed their 10 recommended rules for their members.

1. A job is a job is a job. It will be there tomorrow. Your kids won't, nor your mate.

2. Saturdays, Sundays, holidays, and evenings you'd better high-tail it home.

3. Travel light. When taking your briefcase home, don't ask, "What might I need?" Ask instead, "What can I do without?" On second thought, leave the briefcase at the office.

4. Stand in front of a mirror at least once a week and practice saying your special mantra word, "Noooo. Noooo. Noooo." Repeat it 100 times. For requests, say it with a smile, and add on, "Thank you."

5. Hide your agenda in the bottom drawer of your desk, so that when someone invites you to a meeting, banquet, or committee, you may say, "I'll have to consult my agenda, and I'll get back with you on that." That will give you time to find a good reason to decline.

6. Recreation: any activity that re-creates your spirit, your enthusiasm, your zest for life. Find one, find several. Indulge at least once weekly.

7. Whenever you see a task to be done, visualize somebody else's name on it. "Who would be a great person to delegate this to?"

8. Taking a work trip? Pretend you'll take it two days before it's scheduled, so you won't put everything off until the last minute.

9. Do one job, or two. Do it well. Focus on doing what you do best, and let someone else do the rest.

10. Take frequent time outs. To think, reflect, plan, tally blessings, give thanks, unfurrow the brow, wash away worries, and renew commitments to joy, peace, love, and good will.