Friday, August 26, 2011

The Biggest Favor You Can Do For Yourself

Over the last few weeks (and I knew it would be this way - it always is this time of year) it has been hectic. I can't tell you how many times I've looked at my calendar and been completely shocked and overwhelmed.

However, I was reminded of the importance of making time for things that matter during a lunch date. A lunch date that I'd completely not recorded on the calendar but committed to weeks before.

Your calendar is a direct reflection of your priorities. Whether you like it or not.

What we allow ourselves to spend our precious earthly minutes on, gives a message to all of what is important to us.

My favorite example of this is my house - take a look at this dining room table.




I am not proud of that. At all.

However, it is an indication that I - wife, mom, marketer, public servant and entrepreneur have prioritized "Clean dining room table" lower on my list. It will get done. One day. Eventually.

But I did order my daughter's birthday gift in time.

I did remember to teach my son how to tie his shoes in time for 1st grade.

I did get a Facebook page up for a new business venture.

I also presented to the Chairman of my day job on Monday morning.

I had lunch with a new friend.

I took time to explore one of my "fears" on Tuesday.

I'm posting to my blog today.

Are you smelling what I'm cooking?

Time is not renewable resource. It is here today and gone tomorrow. We must be conscious of the choices we make with our time. And how we communicate that.

The very next time you find yourself saying you "don't have time to" fill-in-the-blank, please stop and think about the truth of that statement. Is it that you don't have time or haven't made time?

Now I am not saying go around telling folks - they are not a priority but I am advocating being honest with yourself and those you do life with. Perhaps instead you can say... "I'd love to ________ but it's not going to work out with the other commitments I have that week."

Who can get mad at that? Better yet, you put yourself in the driver seat of your time and commitments and there is no better feeling than that.

How do you "make time" for what's important to you?

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