Sandy attacks the “To-Do-List” - Part 3 of 3

Pam’s Page 11 – “Finances”

Hi sweet blogging friends-Have fun and be inspired by Sandy Teigs Part 3 and final post on "Time and Life Management".

Sandy Writes-

"Shhhhh....be very, very quiet...I’m huntin’ wabbits. I spend most of my time chasing that pesky wabbit, but he won’t get the best of me this time! ‘Cuz I’m gonna get him and when I do, I’ll........I’ll...... I’ll find me another wabbit to chase!"

Okay, so I’m coming out of the closet today and admitting that I am a wabbit-chasin’ addict. My “wabbits” are those special projects that come along in my life which require certain skills, intense focus and endless hours of time. I “attack” these projects with everything I’ve got – giving it my very best – to achieve the high standards I set for myself. When the tasks are completed, I enjoy euphoric sense of accomplishment for a while, and then I begin to look for another “wabbit” to chase.

You see, it’s not public recognition that fuels this driven woman, it is my addiction to the feeling I get at the end of the project. Sometimes that feeling comes from proving a naysayer wrong. Sometimes, that feeling comes from the release of bottled-up creativity. And sometimes, that feeling comes from allowing myself to do something just for the fun of it – when there might be other facets of my life that aren’t so fun.

I can’t speak for all task-oriented people, but there might be a few of you out there that are saying to yourself, “well, what is wrong with that”? The answer is; nothing...as long as those wabbits we chase align with our values and God’s will for our lives. If those wabbits distract us from the things we value and doing God’s work, then we have an imbalance in our life that needs attention.

So, how do you determine if your “wabbits” are keeping you on track or causing you to run in circles?

Take a close look at the following diagram from Steven Covey’s book, "The 7 Habits of Highly Effectively People" (the Book is on Pam’s Blog Library Shelf). In fact, make a copy and put it near your planner, on the refrigerator, near your computer, wherever you will see it often.

As you begin yet another week of duties, expectations, tasks, etc. stop every time you see this Time Management Quadrant and ask yourself, “Of the four boxes, which one am I in right now?" Make a little mark in the appropriate square. By the end of the week, you might begin to see a pattern developing – as did I.

If you are honest with yourself, you will clearly see that either you are spending your valuable time on tasks that are important, or you are wasting your valuable time on things that are not important. “Important” is defined by what you value.

It will also be clear to you that you are either spending your time on things that are urgent, or things that are not urgent. Understanding the difference between the two can cause you to feel a renewed control of your time.

If you feel so lead, stop by this blog in a week or two and gives us some feedback on any discoveries you have made by taking the Quadrant Challenge.
It is my hope that this information will liberate you and empower you to move in a direction toward a well-balanced, productive, fulfilling life.
By the way, the pesky wabbit can be found in the Quadrant of Waste, under “Escape Activities”.
Sandy's Final Life Management Tip: If I am doing God’s will, my time will be spent in the top half of this quadrant.

SPECIAL OFFER FROM PAM:

If you'd like an 8x10 copy of Covey's Time Quadrant Diagram, please send me an email from the "Contact Me" tab above. I'll reply back to your e-box with the PDF attached. You can then print it and place it were you will see it often!

>>>TAKING ACTION>>>

“Be doers of the Word, and not hearers only.” (James 1:22)

Choose at least one action you can take to spend time on tasks that are important and align with your values, God’s will for your life!

Write it down, commit to it, and start today!