I recently accepted a church responsibility that is requiring more of my focus, time, and energy. As I have been strategizing on how to best approach this new responsibility I have noticed that my thoughts has been much more scattered. My mind has been jumping from work, church, children, life coaching, health, marriage, reading, blogging, entertainment, etc. It shifts from one topic to the next to a third in a matter of seconds.
This past week I read a couple of chapters from a book on business strategy. I came across a timely quote “If everything is a priority, nothing is”. Although used in the context of the business environment it seemed very applicable to my current life situation. If I try to do everything, I will be very challenged to succeed in anything.
It is human nature to want to do everything despite the limitations of time, money, and focus. Allowing this tendency to drive expectations and actions is a recipe for disappointment and mediocrity. Why? We only have so much to give. Splitting our limited capacity amongst many activities leads to half-hearted, inadequate efforts which lead to substandard results. Such outcomes leave one feeling frustrated and wanting more from life. It disrupts internal peace, fulfillment and happiness which are central to our existence.
What does one, who has so many demands put on their shoulders, do? The answer; truly prioritize. A priority is defined as something that is more important than other things and that needs to be done or dealt with first. In other words, put first things first. To prioritize effectively one must decide what is most important. Putting in the time and focus to make this decision will allow an individual to scrape away excess activities that are simply less important.
Unfortunately, this clarity escapes many of us; leading to decisions being made in the moment. Moment-made decisions default to the more urgent tasks or simply the first thing that comes to mind. As a result, we find ourselves frustrated by the lack of time in the day and the feeling of spinning our wheels without any real progress.
Another common priority pitfall is elevating the need for entertainment. I personally have found myself lured into the easily accessible web of Netflix and Hulu. Such entertainment has its place amidst the daily stresses of life but often times we spend more time than we originally intended. It is hard to turn off a favorite show when that countdown to the next episode is ticking. Allowing entertainment to become a daily need often hijacks the previously identified, more important priorities. For example, we may decide that our health is more important than entertainment yet find ourselves spending more time watching shows than preparing a healthy dinner or exercising. We may decide our family is more important than social media yet our focus and time say otherwise. Actions, not words, are how priorities are established.
I am having to decide what my real priorities are to ensure that my life continues towards the direction I want instead of the direction life takes me. I decide to act and not be acted upon. Why? Because I have found this is the most effective path towards fulfillment, peace, and happiness.
Comments are closed.