HOW DO YOU BALANCE YOUR TIME AND PRIORITIES

[Pravin Kumar]

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Hello!
So this week, I’ve been focused on completing my new book, "The Miracles of Archangel Michael," as well as daily playing guitar and singing, and getting ready for our upcoming Angel Therapy Practitioner course. Since my intention is to balance work with play, I’ve learned some methods for staying focused upon my priorities.



This reminds me of a psychological study which found that humans — given the choice between working on a meaningful but difficult task, and an unmeaningful but easy task – will usually opt for the easier task. Putting priorities into motion takes determination! It’s all-too-easy to get swept in the current of little distractions, while your Dream sits patiently on the sideline.



When I was writing my first book, I was a young mother of two young sons, attending college part-time at night, and working full-time as an insurance secretary during the day. I was busy! Yet, this inner calling to write a book kept nudging me. The thought of writing filled me with pleasure. Yet, I couldn’t imagine how I’d have time in-between taking the boys to school and their karate class, doing my own homework, and being at the office all day.



And then there were the emotional and psychological factors, such as fears of failure ("What if I can’t write a book?"), fears of success ("What if I CAN write a book?"), self-doubts ("What if I’m not qualified to write a book?"), social fears ("How would it affect my relationships if I became published?"), family concerns ("Will writing this book take time away from my children?"), and financial doubts ("Should I put my efforts into something else that will definitely help to pay the bills?") Then there was the outside factor of my college professor tell me matter-of-factly that I’d never get published.



Fortunately, I had the presence of mind to pray and ask for help! My Divine guidance told me to get a large calendar and mark mini-writing deadlines for myself. The guidance told me to keep these deadlines realistic, yet firm.



So I wrote – in ink, for true commitment – the dates when I’d have each book chapter completed. Chapter 1 was "due" on March 31, and then Chapter 2's deadline was two weeks later. Since I had no publishing contract, these deadlines were purely between me and my angels. Nonetheless, the deadlines motivated me into action.



After my sons were asleep each night, I’d write for about an hour. It meant sometimes saying "No" to other activities such as spending time with friends, talking on the phone, watching television, or pleasure-reading.



And that’s the Existential Dilemma: In each moment, we can only immerse ourselves fully in one activity at a time. Even the most skilled multi-tasker must face the decision of whether to engage in Task A or Task B in any given minute. The Existential Psychologists say that each moment’s choice causes angst that leads to depression or anxiety, as we rally against the grief of realizing that by choosing Task A, then Task B goes undone. Then there’s the angst of worrying whether to choose Task B instead of Task A, or whether we’re doing Task A "correctly."



It’s about balance I finally decided. The angels taught me that humans can’t (and shouldn’t try to) compete against clocks. The angels say: "Clocks are machines. Humans are not machines." It’s also about giving yourself a break if you need one, having a sense of humor about yourself, and enjoying every Task during every Moment.



I still use the Deadline System to motivate myself to write. These days, instead of making my own deadlines, the publishers give them to me. That’s just how my personality works – I was the same way in high school and college, getting reports and projects done according to their deadlines. For other priorities, like playing music and exercising, I make sure that they’re non-optional daily activities. I create appointments with myself: "Play guitar and sing at 8 o’clock" and "Exercise at 6 o’clock," etc. This way, time is my friend instead of my competitor. Keeping my self-made appointments is treating myself with love and respect.



How about you? What methods do you use to manage your time and focus upon your priorities? What "Delay Tactics" have you used in the past, and how have you dealt with them?



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[ImALostSoul]

I wish to balance out my time and priorities.
Lifes full on at the moment

AP

[wishiknew]

When things in your lives seem almost too  much to handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the  mayonnaise jar and the 2 cups of coffee.

A professor stood before  his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class  began, he wordlessly picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and  proceeded to fill it with golf balls.

He then asked the students if  the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

The professor then  picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar  lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He  then asked the students again if the jar was full.
They agreedit  was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into  the jar.

Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked  once more if the jar was full. The students responded with an unanimous  "yes."

The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under  the table and poured the entire contents into the jar effectively filling  the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.

"Now," said  the professor as the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize that this  jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things--your  family, your children, your health, your friends and your favorite passions---and if everything else was lost and only they remained, your  life would still be full.

The pebbles are the other things that  matter like your job, your house and your car.

The sand is  everything else---the small stuff. "If you put the sand into the jar  first," he continued, "there is no room for the pebbles or the golf  balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on  the small stuff you will never have room for the things that are important  to you.

"Pay attention to the things that are critical to your  happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups.  Take your spouse out to dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time  to clean the house and fix the disposal. Take care of the golf balls  first---the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is  just sand."

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what  the coffee represented. The professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked. It  just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may  seem, there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a  friend."

[karlenespellman]

What ever is due first gets the attention first, then on down the line.

Life is never boring at my house.

Karlene

[soul_flower]

I cant seem to focus on anything right now....I really need to kick myself up the bum and manage my time more...I have never been good at that,same as in school.Always rushing to get things in on time.Silly me.


Tamara :o)