Best Foot Forward

Are you doing a lot of good things but missing out on the best?

This is a topic of discussion a coaching client brought up this week.

Tell me, are you hanging onto hobbies that used to bring you joy but now only produce guilt, anxiety and stress? You have all of the paraphernalia and now it has become clutter. I.e.: Scrap-booking supplies, a bread machine, gardening, photography, painting, stamping…

What about volunteer work that is good but is pulling your family down? How about activities? You do them because it's the "right" thing to do? Are you worn out?

Do you clutter up your lives with busyness doing good things? It keeps you busy, but is it the best thing for you? For your family? At the end of the day can you look over your schedule and say, “Well done, I made a difference today.” Or you look at it and think, "I was busy. I’m just not sure what I got accomplished or who I connected with."

How do we make sense of the madness?

Prioritize.

List the top areas that you keep telling yourself are priorities, analyze them, and schedule. Here is an example.

1. Family. Is alone time with your child penciled in? How about date night with hubby?

Example: Weekly coffee date with my son has its sacred spot.

2. De-cluttering. When will you get this on your calendar?

Example: My hair appointment has a prominent spot; does my garage storage area get the same privilege?

3. Health. What time of day do you exercise? How much water do you drink per day?

Example: I fill a jug that holds 8+ glasses of water and keep drinking until it’s gone. I also have an accountability partner for this one. We send snap chats of encouragement.

You get the idea.

I recently started consistently using the 15 minute daily schedule in my At A Glance Planner. I must practice what I preach. I am learning how to prioritize my activities, jobs, and projects because they have earned a slot in my schedule. Writing has been granted a spot. Finally.

Make the decision to do the best things by making the best commitments with the 24 hours you have been given.

Date night, it's going on the schedule.

Put your best foot forward,

Amy