Priorities
When we stop and think about our priorities in our life… it’s a good chance to be intentional. One thing that the pandemic taught me was that I’m not invincible. For a long time, I felt like going to the doctor’s was optional. You know… if I feel sick, maybe I’ll get some medicine… or maybe I’ll just try and ignore it… but in the pandemic there was a moment when I thought life as I knew it was over. It all changed. So when I may not have prioritized going to the doctor before, it’s become much more important.
When I think about my actual priorities, it’s really, really valuable because it can shape how I spend my days. For example: imagine you had to pick a list of things to do every day for the next 22 days. What is important enough to fit into one day over and over again? I’ve done this and it’s actually quite magical what happens. It’s a bit of a test of your own discipline but then the things you’ve deamed important start to become automatic. And when you do them over and over again, you make good progress. What would make your list? On mine I like to have reading, tidying, laundry, making plans for the weekend, exercise… a few other things. Some things I do automatically even if they’re not on my list. Other things creep into my day even if they weren’t on my list, whether they’re important or not.
Ultimately how we choose to spend our time has a big impact on our life. How often do you make those choices consciously, in your full awareness? I love the framework that Stephen Covey outlined in his book “7 Habits of Highly Effective People” — the idea of considering how important or urgent any tug on your time is. He suggested the goal is to spend time on things that are important and NOT urgent. I like that a lot. When things are urgent, it tends to be stressful. When you’re doing things in advance, not in a rush, and fully present, it tends to be much more joyful and of a higher quality. How often do you plan your meals so that what you choose to eat is done in that manner? How often do you plan for recreation time with those you love? Those things seem quite worthwhile.
If we took a look at the time we spent in our whole entire lives. Where would most of our time be? And where would we like for most of our time to be spent? Is there a difference between the two? If so, let’s let that help us make a difference in our lives.
Here’s to being intentional about time – so we can create fabulous memories.