Just when you think your life is working like clockwork, you can guarantee that something will come along and put a spanner in the works which will throw everything else off schedule and cause mayhem. But it is these obstacles and u turns which shake up the mix and stop us from falling into a rut and standing still.

For example, how many of us have studied for a degree with the intention of heading down a set career path, only to find that circumstances along the way have changed our course and led us into a different direction? As changes happen, new opportunities and doors open which can lead to new and more appropriate direction.

So what do we do when life has thrown us a wobbly and we are ready to throw in the towel? One thing which always helps is to look at the humorous side of life. By starting the day counting your blessings and painting on a happy smile, the hours are always filled with the essence of lightness, brightness and happiness, thus lowering our anxiety level and leading us into the unknown with ease rather than dread and fear.

"Easier said than done", I hear you say. Well, one way to ensure that changes to your routine are welcomed with open arms is to begin the day doing something good. By starting on a high, you are more likely to sail through challenges rather than fall into a pit of despair. When compiling your 'to-do' list for the week always bear in mind that your tasks are subject to change. This way you relieve the pressure of feeling guilty for not completing everything.

Alongside this list, plan the order of the day so as the fun stuff has its share of the limelight. By having lots of activities on board, it is easy to juggle tasks and fun stuff according to how the week pans out, this means that there is always a good balance of good and bad to keep the week on an even keel.

You can also juggle time with family and friends by having open invitation evenings. This means that everyone can choose a day out of three or four days where it is convenient to get together. This way, if work gets in the way, plans for a great evening out will not have to be cancelled, they can simply be re-scheduled that same week so as everyone can partake in some 'chill out' time. By remaining flexible with the fun stuff, each day does not have to end on a bad note as there is always something good to look forward to.

Managing your time effectively means completing things at your own pace. Stop trying to compete with everyone else and stay within your limits. By ensuring that your physical and psychic space is peaceful, you can cope with the distractions of today's world and not allow them to take over. By filling out the day with fun and not so fun, everything can be enjoyed at a leisurely pace, the trick is not to rush... but to slow down and absorb every moment.

Give no the heave-ho. It sounds crazy but the word "no" can so easily trip off the tongue, causing us to miss out on opportunities which could change our lives for the better. Whenever someone asks you if you would like to attend a party, run an errand or meet up, always look enthusiastic and say "yes". When you agree to something, you set the wheels in motion to complete a task and you also keep the mind accustomed to trying out new things. Saying "yes" also gets you used to planning and assessing how situations have affected your life. In many instances, you will surprise yourself as to how many opportunities you actually miss out on, simply by saying '"no".

When you do something you enjoy, you naturally want to spend a lot of time absorbed in the activity. By doing something fun first thing in the morning, you train the mind to slow down and gain appreciation for every other subsequent task which will come your way throughout the day. Some simple things to start the day on a positive note could be to take a shower, write a few paragraphs of a novel you promised to start writing many moons ago, or even just stopping for a few moments to have a natter with the neighbour. These are all ways to take the world down a notch or two and set the pace for the rest of the morning, afternoon and evening.

Working a fifteen hour day does not mean that you are productive, in actual fact it probably means the reverse. The real way to be productive is to have completed the same workload in half the time and to have spent the other half of the time enjoying the good things in life. Try not to convince yourself that "anything worth doing is worth doing well".

The truth is that most things expected of us are worth doing adequately so don't spend hour after hour trying to perfect tasks which will just as easily be accepted as they are. Rigorously editing and scrutinizing documents for that misplaced comma will only lead to high blood pressure and unnecessary stress. Too many people are wasting enormous amounts of time fretting over insignificant projects and reducing the amount of time they have to hone in on their creative skills. You cannot buy back the time that you lose so make it an aim to keep your leisure time in line with your work time.

Keep fun at the top of your agenda so as you keep the candle of optimism and joy alive. This means keeping life simple when away from the office. Spend time in the company of people who invigorate you, do the activities which make you 'buzz' with excitement and avoid people and places that you hate the most. Bring into your life the things that you make you happy and not the things that make other people happy.

We seem to forget that fun times are supposed to happen spontaneously. The little things, like playing with the children or tucking them in at night should be allocated into our routine as much as possible. Too much work and not enough play will leave you feeling overwhelmed and burned out.

By ensuring that you create a 'to do' list for the fun times, you have the constant satisfaction of knowing that you are making progress in all areas of your life.

Why not reward yourself for your own personal achievements. You do not have to spend a fortune. Just give yourself the odd treat for your personal successes. Maybe splashing out on that new top you promised yourself or treating yourself to an additional night out with your friends could be just the tonic you need. This also puts the fun into hard work and makes achieving goals more challenging as the end result will justify the means.