PRIORITIES: What's Yours?

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PRIORITIES...some have them, some don't, all should! However, if the truth is to be known on this matter, we ALL have priorities whether we realize it or not. Even if you don't think you have them, take a moment and think about choices you made today that would indicate otherwise. Or, just take a look at your bills and ask yourself why you pay them in the order that you do. Or, if money is tight, how do you decide which bill to pay and which one to wait on until later? PRIORITIES!

The word "priority" is defined (as a noun) in the following way as found on www.dictionary.com ... 1. the state or quality of being earlier in time, occurrence, etc. 2. the right to precede others in order, rank, privilege, etc.; precedence.  3. the right to take precedence in obtaining certain supplies, services, facilities, etc., especially during a shortage. 4. something given special attention.

When you look at the adjective definition you will find the following... "highest or higher in importance, rank, privilege, etc.".

As a matter of fact, you made reading this blog a priority over doing something else, right? Sure you did!

Here's something to think about: PRIORITIES and PROCRASTINATION have a very close - but not healthy - relationship with each other. Many of our PRIORITIES fall to the wayside due to PROCRASTINATION. Again, to continue this thought, even procrastination is a way of prioritizing what actually IS important to us in our lives.

Here's a couple of things to get you started for this week as we prepare to go through this series...

     1. Get a new sheet of paper and write this across the top: "WHAT I WANT MY PRIORITIES TO BE IN MY LIFE"

     2. Just like last week, brainstorm - NO WRONG ANSWERS - and honestly write down what you really want to have in your life as far as priorities.

     3. Now, go back and get that list that shows your schedule (what you actually DID during the day - not what you PLANNED to do) and try to carry that out for at least a week if you haven't done so already

     4. If you carry this out for a week it should give you a pretty good idea of what your priorities actually have been over this time period. EVEN IF you haven't done it but for a day or two it will still give you an idea of what your PRIORITY was for those couple of days.

    5. Now, on the back of the sheet you started in #1 (or on a new sheet), based on what you have discovered from looking over your "daily activities/schedule sheet"...write this heading: "WHAT MY PRIORITIES CURRENTLY ARE IN MY LIFE" and write down what you have found to be true.

Don't beat yourself up over this, o.k.? You may discover that, out of necessity, one of your main priorities right now is your young child(ren). That's not a bad thing at all and, by doing this exercise, you will actually discover if that actually IS a priority or if it's what SHOULD be (but it's not) a priority in your life right now.

Please take the time to do this - it will mean so much more to you and FOR you if you will!

PRIORITIES..we all have them whether we think we do or not and they are not always what we want them to be. Join me again tomorrow as we delve into this topic a bit more. But, until then...

"Be sure to make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"

Mike

TIME: Where Did THAT Come From?

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As you are discovering, it's no magic trick to start finding time that you thought didn't exist. We're NOT pulling something "magically" out of a hat even though it may seem to "magically" appear.

Hopefully, by following through with the lists I have asked you to put together this week you have been able to see that, although you are not gaining any EXTRA time, you are finding that there is time available to you that can be "re-purposed" and used for something better than it's current use.

Magic? No. Smart and productive? Yes and yes!

So, now let's go back to that first list I had you put together at the start of the week that had you list what you would do IF only you had the time. Get it out - go on - and now take a look at it along with the schedule of your daily activities. (I'll wait.)

Now then, when you look over your daily activities, did you find that you had some time that you could "re-purpose"? (Go back and read yesterday's article on this). How MUCH time did you find that you could actually re-purpose for something that would be more productive for you?

Add up how much time you found that could be re-purposed...go ahead, add it up. Did you find one extra hour? Two? Three? Maybe even more? Again, some of you may say that you are busy from the time you get up until the time you go to bed. I'm not doubting that some of you are very busy but - let's be honest - very rarely does anyone actually have NO time during their day.

But, if you are one of those that believe that to be true about your day then consider the idea of getting up an hour earlier or staying up an hour later. Hey, it's just a thought for those that feel that there is absolutely NO time in their daily schedule to be "re-purposed".

Now, go back to that first list of the things you would do if you had the time. BINGO. You have found the time (that was there all along), now what can/will you do with it? Listen, I realize that you aren't going to be able to take an extra vacation by finding one or two hours available during your day. I mean, it's not like you can accumulate them and use them like vacation days at work, right?

But, WHAT IF you used that "extra" time to research and get involved in some sort of home-based business that would bring in the extra income you'd need to take that vacation? (Be very careful - DO THE RESEARCH - before deciding on such an opportunity). Maybe there is even something you can do "in person" as opposed to being on line that could bring you some extra income.

Perhaps you put on your list the desire to get a college degree. Again, do the research and see what is available for you - even on-line.

HERE'S THE POINT: Now that you realize - and actually SEE it for yourself - that you have the time available, it is now up to you to DO something with that time. It is now time for YOU to decide what PURPOSE you will now dedicate this time for during your day. It does no good at all to "find" this time and not re-purpose it for something useful and valuable.

GET SERIOUS about this and DO SOMETHING that will make a difference in your life. Hey, if nothing else, you have realized that time DOES exist in your day. Now it's up to you as to what you plan to do with it.

Well? Stop talking about it and start DOING it and LIVING it. I know this is going to sound corny but...THE TIME IS NOW.

Be sure to join me tomorrow as I look at another purpose for which we all can use this "re-purposed" time in our day. But, until then, be sure to...

"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"

Mike

TIME BANDITS

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So far this week I have asked you to write up two different lists... one was a list of the things under the heading of, "If I had the time, I would..." and then, yesterday, I asked that you make a list of your daily schedule. Here's an important note on this last one - don't write down what you PLAN to do but, rather, what you actually DID do.

Why have I asked you to do these things? To help you realize that you DO have the time to do more than you think you do. It's already there! I've already emphasized the fact that we ALL have the exact same amount of time available to each of us even though some get more out of their day than others.

We're not talking about "making" more time but, instead, "re-purposing" the time we already have. Think about that phrase, "re-purposing" and combine that with the topic we discussed in last week's articles and you will see that we are talking about deciding to use certain blocks of time for a particular "purpose" other than that for which it is already being used.

It is deciding to CHANGE the purpose for that particular block of time. Remember, the time is there but you may not be using it in a productive way. "If I only had more time..." That just isn't going to happen but it IS possible to FREE UP some of the time you already have.

Let me say this so that no one misunderstands: There is absolutely NOTHING WRONG with taking some time for yourself and relaxing in whatever way you choose. Sure, it may be watching a soap opera or something else on television. It may be just kicking back on the couch and doing absolutely NOTHING. However, the problem comes when that one television show turns into two or three and that thirty minute "nap" turns into a two hour "sleep fest".

What time is available for you to "re-purpose"? Look at the sheet that I asked you to start putting together that shows your daily activity one hour at a time. I can't answer that question for you and only YOU can answer it honestly IF you are actually wanting to accomplish more during your day.

You may decide that even that one television show is not really worth that chunk being taken out of your day. You may decide that instead of sitting mindlessly in front of the television that you will read something of value instead. You may decide that the time spent on a social networking site could be better spent researching and developing a home-based business. **NOTE: Be careful any time you are on the computer. It is very easy to allow yourself to become distracted checking e-mail accounts and still thinking you are going to check that social network site out for "just a couple of minutes" and then end up getting nothing done that you actually set out to do.

Want to read your Bible more or pray more? Take a look at that daily activity (schedule) sheet that you have filled out and be amazed at how much time is actually available to do just that. By the way, LISTENING to the Bible on audio is a great way to accomplish this AS you do something else at the same time.

CHALLENGE: Take an honest look at what you actually do during an average day and see how much "extra" time you find available for you to use in a different way...how much time you can "re- purpose". You will likely be amazed as long as you are being completely honest with what you wrote down as you went through the day. (Chatting with a friend on-line is NOT an "on-line business meeting").

Oh, and the title, "Time Bandits"? You've already begun to discover and unveil them in your schedule. Time Bandits are all of those "things" in your day that take up your time and give you nothing in return. They TAKE - even STEAL - from you and your desire to accomplish and/or do more.

We'll touch on this some more tomorrow but begin to think about this...now that you are finding time to be "re-purposed", what things from that first list ("things I would do if...") can now be done?

Find the TIME BANDITS in your day and "put them in jail" and throw away the key! Hey, it is YOUR day, right?

Think about it and join me again tomorrow as we continue this discussion. But, until then, be sure to...

"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"

Mike

Are You Happy Here?

Are You HAPPY Here?

We have been discussing the and exploring the idea of WHERE YOU ARE in your life. Right now. Today.

With the thought of "You are Here!" we began to ask the question, "Where IS here?" and you have been encouraged to do a little honest digging to figure out WHERE "here" really is.

As hard as that may have been for some of you, the REALLY difficult part comes with the realization that "you are where you have been going". I both love AND hate that statement! I love it because it "cuts to the chase" and really gets right down to it. I also HATE it for the exact same reason!

When we strip away all of the excuses (yeah, I know, you might try to call them "reasons") and stop playing the "blame game" as to why we are where we are - there 's no one else to look at but ourselves. Ouch!

You are where you are because of the steps that you have taken along the way.

Another way to think about these "steps" is to use a different word instead. Let's try this - you are where you are because of the CHOICES that you have made along the way.

Now we're getting somewhere!

One of the things I did in today's podcast to help us understand this a little easier by using a "real world" example was to have you go back through your day - up to this point - and list all of the choices that you have made thus far.

This is the EXACT same thing we can do - and NEED to do - in order to really see why we are where we are. So, for an example, I will go back through my day up to this point and talk about some of the CHOICES that were presented to me along the way.

1. Setting the alarm - Now, first of all, THIS decision (choice) was made before I even went to bed last night. So, THAT was a choice made.

2. Alarm - yes or no? I also had several choices to make even though I had SET the alarm. I could get up EARLIER than the set time, I could get up when the alarm went off OR I could hit the "snooze" button once, twice or however many times. I actually chose to get up BEFORE the alarm went off and enjoyed a peaceful 30 minutes or so sitting out on the front porch in the cool of the morning.

3. Order of Getting Ready - Should I eat breakfast first or shower and dress first?

4. What for Breakfast - What should I eat for breakfast (MANY choices can be made here. As a matter of fact, you may have seen a commercial on television that talks about how making the right choice for breakfast may lead to making wise choices along the way).

5. What to wear - Now, I probably don't spend as much time on this as a lot of people but it is still a choice that presents itself daily.

6. What time to leave - Again, the same choices exist as getting up in the morning or ANYTHING to do with time. I could leave early, leave at the time I had planned, or - due to a lack of proper planning - leave late and be rushed.

7. At the office - I have several choices available to me each day (as do you) once I arrive at my office. What should I do first? Check e-mail? Check for phone messages? Write this blog? Reorganize my "to do" list?

That is where I am currently - going through my decisions on #7...obviously, right now I have chosen to write this blog.

Again, the same thing is true of our lives in general!

Whether you are happy with your "here" or not - it is important to see how you got where you are AND to correct, change and/or "tweak" possible unwise choices that you made along the way.

You see, on ANY of the decisions that we make during the day we can always go back - after examining these choices - and see what needs to be changed! For example, if we find ourselves constantly running late in the morning and being rushed then we need to CHANGE what we are doing in relation to #1 on the list above. Why? Because what we are doing is not working and, likely, we don't like the end result!

Even if you are HAPPY with your "here" you still need to go back and constantly check that you are staying on course and not picking up any bad habits that could derail your progress.

I came up with the following saying a couple of years ago and, as a matter of fact, if you are on Facebook you can find it as a "flair" by searching "choices". I'm not sure if there is a way to narrow that down even more - let me know if you have problems finding it. Here is what it says:

"All choices require a decision. All decisions are a choice."

Pure and simple. Straight to the point.

That's what we all need, friend. Let's stop making excuses, let's stop whining and complaining. Let's start taking ownership for what we have or have not done and where we ARE. Thing is, whether you want to take ownership or not - it's all yours.

So, if you're happy with your "here" - AWESOME! Keep up the great work, stay focused as move closer to your goals and dreams.

And, if you're not - what are YOU (yes, YOU) going to do about it?

We'll have that discussion in tomorrow's podcast and blog entry so, until then...

"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"

Mike