MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR TIME - PART II - SETTING PRIORITIES

 MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR TIME - PART II - SETTING PRIORITIES

Yesterday I started looking at priorities.  (Yes, this was mostly for me so I didn’t waste all day playing solitaire or posting/reading on Twitter!!!)

1. Figure Out What's Most Important To You. ...

2. Create An Action Plan. ...

3. Designate Specific Time Slots For Tasks. ...

4. Determine How You Want To Live Your Life. ...

5. Talk To A Mentor. ...

6. Map Out Your Daily Tasks. ...

7. Eliminate Distractions. ...

8. Take Time To Reflect.

9. Be honest with yourself

10. Create a list

11. Take Action in small steps

12. Remember That It's Normal For Your Priorities To Change

13. Check-In With Yourself Regularly

(From: https://www.bustle.com/articles/185488-how-to-get-your-priorities-straight-once-for-all-according-to-experts) 

TODAY, ONLY POINT #1 - SO, WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT TO ME?  (OR TO YOU?)

To be honest with me, I am easily distracted.  If I am on a web page, and there is an ad for something interesting, I may follow that ad.  (As friends say, I can go “down a rabbit hole”).

When I was working and time management was a priority, such side excursions weren’t quite the distraction that they are today.  I’m writing this for Tuesday.  On Tuesdays, the only scheduled event is orchestra rehearsal at 7:00.  I have the whole day to fill.  I might have appointments (like last week working as an election judge), I might set Tuesday aside for laundry, or I might even end up sitting in my favorite chair for hours!!!!!  (ouch!!!)

As I write this morning, the words from yesterday (rethink your priorities), and today (figure out what is important to me) jump into my brain.

***

Is playing solitaire for half an hour a priority for me?  Yes and no.  Do I need to take a break every now and then to let my brain refresh?  Sure.  But that break might be to listen to some music (maybe even close my eyes) or talk a short walk around the block (also with music or an audiobook).  I also can reward myself for completing something with a quick game of solitaire. (I finished a page, I finished writing my first draft of a blog - okay take a 10 minutes solitaire - or walk break).

So what is important for me when I use my analytical skills might be divided into long term, middle term, and short term.  As I think today (at age 74), long term goals might be:

• Live a long and healthy productive life.  (At one time, I wanted to live to 99 - as my mother lived to 98 and my father to 97 - and (competitor that I can be) I wanted to “win” - pretty stupid!!)

• See my grandchildren graduate from college and get married (that implies that healing and reconciliation must occur)

• Work in my community to promote LOVE WINS

Looking at my TOP LONG RANGE PRIORITY (aka “goal”) to live a long and productive life implies more:

• Staying healthy 

• Nutrition

• Sleep

• Exercise

• Socialization

• Finances

• Spirituality

• See my grandchildren graduate

• Loving them (and really all people) unconditionally

• Keeping a relationship open and flowing

• Being a “perfect” mentor to them

• Working in my community to promote LOVE WINS

• Always love, smile, greet, laugh, (do unto others as you would have them do to you)

• Turn the other cheek if necessary

• Giving time and money to promote this goal

That trickles down to MIDTERM PRIORITIES

• Staying healthy

• Keep and expand my exercise regiment

• Be careful of my knees

• Work on balance

• Avoid falling

• Nutrition

• Cut out the negative carbs (what? No cookies?  Can’t I have a few cookies in my cupboard?  Yes, Karen you can have some, but you can’t eat a whole package of cookies in a day!!!)

• Vegetables - it seems as if you like green beans and salads.  Don’t ignore this!!!

• Limit my peanut butter

• (And - as a senior - keep my fiber intake high!!!)

• Sleep

• (Aside - the last few mornings I’ve woken up saying “Wow, what a great night of sleep - some nice dreams.  Part of that is to keep my stress low, keep exercising so I am tired and pray for a good night of sleep as I go to bed)

• So many articles say “get good sleep”.

• Socialization

• I need people

• Watch my FOMO - “Fear of Missing Out”.  I don’t have to do everything.

• Be a good friend

• Be a friend that smiles, laughs, and is enjoyable

• Have a good sense of humor (if you read my Sunday Funday blog, I try to find funny jokes.  

• And, (for me) watch my words and thoughts

• Finances

• Okay (Karen - don’t fret about finances.  If you really believe that God will provide, then trust HIM.  “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” (Luke 6:38)

• I’ve heard “You can’t outgive God” with people giving 90% of their income to good and valid causes, groups, activities!!!

• And, Karen, don’t be such a cheapskate!!!  [That ham at $1.59 a pound was really almost all fat - and not worth the price!!!]

• Spirituality

• As I grow older and closer to death, I find myself thinking of God more.

• There is an expression/joke that seniors are thinking about the “hereafter”. I walk into a room and say to myself “Hmmm, what am I hereafter!!!”.

• While I am a Christian, I also realize the concept that God made all of us - Christian, Jew, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, etc, etc.  I can’t let myself lapse into thinking I am better.

WOW - there we are - day two of thinking about priorities.  And, I really didn’t get very far!!! I haven’t taken the jump to talk about short-term goals.  Oh well, I will be writing tomorrow!!!  (And, hey - I finished my latest blog, I can play a quick game of solitaire!!! <grin>)

LOVE WINS!!!

Karen

March 8, 2022