My Beloved’s new position comes with lots of responsibilities, meetings and travel. That means an increase in work for me on the home front. Though we scheduled our time in advance there were several unexpected events in January and every one resulted in a change in our scheduling. There were days where we were snowed in and without power so we tossed calendars aside and went into survival mode. On those days we lamented that no matter how hard we tried to lead a scheduled life we were living an unscheduled one. Continue reading
Category Archives: Time Management
What excess in your life will you prune in 2009?
pruning
Everyone’s answer will be different; no one is exactly the same. Our habits generate or drain our power and energy. Removing a dead leaf from a plant or a dead branch from a tree or suckers that grow shoots from the base of a plant and rob the parent plant of strength gives it life and vitality. Likewise, pruning excesses from our lives creates space allowing us to progress and prosper. Source.
My pruning list
(1) Time spent on phone providing emotional support to customers and clients
I’m putting all of them on email contact only and I will check and answer email once daily only. I will respond only to work related stuff and no longer spend time on providing “emotional support”.
(2) Time spent of “freebie” research work for clubs organizations
I will accept contract work only this year. I will not accept any projects where my contribution is expected to last more than 4 weeks , and I will limit the number to two projects – tops.
(3) Time spent social networking
I have dumped reddit. I will rarely bother with either Digg or mixx in 2009 because they bring me no traffic. I will spend less time posting to “opinion” threads at BC and more time answering technical support questions on another forum instead.
(4) My closet
I will be doing a major pruning of my closets, cupboards, bureaus, shoes, handbags, and junk jewelry and donating all of it to charity shops.
(5) Time spent with energy suckers
There are few difficult people in my life that seem to suck the joy and energy right out of me. No matter what the subject is they whine and moan. No matter how joyful the event is they manage to toss a wet blanket over it. I’m putting them on the chopping block in 2009 – whack!
(6) The number of blogs I read.
I posted this topic to the Blog Catalog General Discussion Forum and received some very thoughtful replies.
I’ve selected some that resonated:
Self segregation … girlzstylin
Doing everything myself and helping other people to my own detriment … Sebastyne
the inability to speak to large group of people … armywife65
WORRY … CreativeJunkie
stop being so closed to people – open up to those I’m close to … faithsju243
anger … Sylviagrief … katscandlesnegative thought overworking when it’s not really needed, negative people, self indulgence … acousticgutarist
watching t.v, computer time – especially social networks:
Facebook, BC, Yahoo messenger, E-mail, Blogging, micromanaging my children and home … CrystalRaven
working too many long hours at a time, looking at the past, my blogging world… well, most of the networking … arcticulates
other people’s expectations… real or imagined. … I feel like everybody expects me to be just like them or better, when all I can be is me… whatever that is … boytrotters
it is the habit of self-abnegation and putting myself last … sweetviolet
to use less of the earth’s resources this year. I plan to give back as much as I can–even if it is simply picking up some garbage on the street in front of my house, planting a tree somewhere, or volunteering a few hours a week at the local food bank … mtyler77
anything or one that brings negative energy into my life and of those close to me … myriadlife
time on social networking sites … chrissymarie321
I simplified in 2008 and 2009 brings the year of maintainance … lotusB
cartoon consumption … deadrooster
time spent on the internet … busylizzy
If you would like to read them all please click.
Discussion question:
What excess in your life will you be pruning in 2009?
Best laid plans that come undone
This weekend my partner and I decided that we needed some time to get our firewood all cut and stacked before the fireban that prohibits the use of power tools in the bush goes into effect. As we heat our home with an airtight woodstove this is a very important job that cannot be done at any other time of the year. And, as we work every Saturday morning at the Farmers’ market from the May long weekend until Thanksgiving long weekend, we decided that taking one Saturday off and allowing another vendor to use our spot was the way to go.
After a brief 5 AM wake-up, wash-up and breakfast, we headed out and returned several times with truckloads of wood before the heat of the day arrived, and the early shift only fireban went into effect at noon. You can imagine our surprise when we found uninvited relatives sitting on our step ready to enjoy the whole weekend with us.
Suffice to say that we were hot, sweaty and not impressed by the drop-ins. Pleasantries were exchanged and coffee and baked goods were offered and consumed, and maps were provided so the company could go about entertaining themselves by seeing the sites, and we could use the rest of the day the way we had planned to use it.
After an hour of small talk when there was no indication that they were getting ready to leave and book a room in a bed and breakfast I provided a fist full of brochures for bed and breakfast accommodations. Then I excused myself so I could do the next job on my list, which was writing a promotional post for a new music blog that a friend has launched. That’s when I discovered that I had no internet connection. I then spent 2 hours getting phone support to restore the connection and working from my husband’s computer as I did so. His computer lacks my bookmarks so I was limited in what I could do. Finally, the ISP connection was made to my own computer the ADSL link was working. My partner was ready to sand the floors and I was ready to blog, or so I thought.
We heard a vehicle in the driveway and sure enough they were back. The story was that the bed and breakfasts were too expensive so they hadn’t booked into one. The idea was that we were supposed to become a hotel. The problem was that all our furniture is stacked up and most rooms are not usable because my husband’s project was to strip the maple hardwood and re-surface it. We explained that we were very sorry they had not called first but we could not accommodate them. We provided camping gear and suggested they call the campground to book a spot. That didn’t appeal so they lingered on and yammered on until it was near to supper time. Finally, I said: “Our whole day has slipped away on us and we have work to do. I’m afraid you will have to leave.” They left and we waved good bye thinking they had left the community. This was not the case and within 3 hours they were back again and setting up camp in our yard.
I’m going to break off this story now because I feel an ugly rant coming on. To make a long story short my I have a come and go ADSL line happening and I’m not a happy camper. The plans we had for the weekend were ruined by two miserable old farts, who did not call before dropping in. Oh right, and when they left they said to us: “Just drop in anytime you’re down our way.”
It takes either a float plane and/or one ferry plus hours of driving to get to where they live. We will not be dropping in on them and they know that. I’m so peeved off today that I have no inclination towards blogging at all even though my ADSL line now seems to be working fine again. AAAARRRGGGHH!
Defining success
Ralph Waldo Emerson’s comments on success were: “To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better, whether by healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived; this is to have succeeded.”
I’ve been visiting sites included on Priscilla Palmer’s Personal Development List and locating some great resources. K. Stone of Life Learning Today has some solid advice for setting and achieving your goals:
“There is a way to reach your goals faster and easier than your current method. In fact it’s so powerful and surefire that many people avoid it. Why? Because it forces you to do the work that will make your dreams come true. So what’s the secret?” -> Read more .
In short I believe that I’m a “success” when I’m setting realistic goals and achieving them. My definition success includes achieving goals in the workplace, however, I believe “success” is applicable to finishing whatever I planned to do in any aspect of my life.
I will not feel that I have lived a “successful life,” if the amount of time and attention I invest on a single aspect of my life exceeds the investment I make into the other aspects. Workaholic: Who Me?
What are your thoughts on “success”?
How do you define it?
How will do you determine whether you are leading a successful life, or not?
