I’m not that big on writing a long checklist of New Year’s resolutions to hold myself to noble endeavors in the coming year. Like many people, I am good out of the gate and then seem to lose touch with these changes after a few months. So in my ongoing attempt to simplify things, I decided to set one overall goal for 2010—create a sense of balance and stay focused on maintaining it.

One goal that touches all aspects of my life—work, social life, health, family—seems a lot easier than several different resolutions. The other thing I like about this goal is that it’s about improving the environment around me, not just myself.

Here are a few ideas that grew out of this notion of balance:

Read just as much fiction as non-fiction

Every day I scour the headlines of newspapers, magazines and websites looking for nuggets of information that relate to what I do-- and that’s good. But in the last month, I have rediscovered what a good piece of fiction can provide that daily doses of media can’t. It can bring history alive in a new way, connect with your own experiences and create a new sense of insight, or just make you grin at the flawed beauty in this world.

Reconnect by disconnecting

Social media—it will still be the buzz in 2010, and if you’re not updating your Facebook status about your day on the slopes, you may feel like your falling behind the trend. However, I don’t think any social media app will ever be able to replace a face-to-face interaction, especially when you’re limited to 140 characters. I plan on putting monthly happy hours on my calendar, getting to know the grade school kids we work with through the Denver Public Schools Partner Program and making occasional trips over to clients’ offices instead of always depending upon email.

Stretch my mind and body

After a long day of work, I find that some of the best decompression comes on the yoga mat. There’s nothing like it for a full body (and mind) stretch that helps work out the kinks and knots that accumulate after a day at the office. And the best thing about yoga is it’s all about creating your own practice, something that provides what you need to stay refreshed and relaxed. I recommend Samadhi Center for Yoga (www.samadhiyoga.net).

Be realistic and optimistic about what can be accomplished

My day usually starts with a checklist of tasks I need to complete in the next eight hours. I am ambitious as to what I want to get done, and this is good, but I also need to be realistic for both my own expectations and those of the people I work with. There’s a lot of pressure to be productive and accomplish great things nowadays, and I have found that planning for what needs to happen as well as what could happen helps to prepare you for the challenges that each day brings.