Any given workday, most people have more to do than time to do it in, right? Then add family responsibilities and any kind of community work -- how in the world can one person do it all? Hah! How about just picking what to do next?
Sometimes I think this 24/7 world is a crock...I mean, it gives the illusion that we can do more, when all we've done is just added to the list of things we think we should do every day. But the issue of having too much work and too little time has simply expanded with the clock. Hasn't gotten better, in fact it has gotten worse for a lot of people.
But I think I have figured out for myself how to prioritize the activities -- and time -- better. I stopped micro-managing the clock and the list and instead looked at what I was doing from a higher perspective.
Sure, I could do practical things to decide what to do next, like projects that are on deadline and GOTTA be done right away. And maybe I could pick stuff that is easy to do so no biggie, just do them and cross them off the list. And then there are those things that other people are relying on me for -- I am part of a team so I don't get to pick the time to do the work.
Hmmm, this is how it ALL gets demanding, with no clear direction on what to do next that satisfies everyone, me included. Which is why I needed to find a better "decision-tree" on prioritizing activities.
During a particularly stressful period in my life -- running my ad agency AND managing key clients, volunteeering several hours a week for my church, helping out with my extended family needs -- I spent a LOT of time staring at my "to-do" list. I would make a dent here and there, usually because circumstances (i.e. deadlines) screamed loudest. But I felt like a hamster on a wheel, not really getting anywhere. And certainly not feeling at all satisfied with my work. Where was the joy in all this?
At one point, it got to a breaking point: stupid mistakes were happening in the agency work and I felt totally out of control -- now it looked like I had to ADD double-checking my staff's work to my list. In desperation, I visited a good friend of mine who is a spiritual mentor and wailed, "What do I do? I feel totally helpless!"
Right off the bat he asked me, "Are you devoting enough time each day to your spiritual study?"
Aaaack! No! He didn't get it! I needed tips on how to order my list and get it all done each day....oh, and by the way, the first thing that got knocked OFF my list was the spiritual study -- no time.
Fortunately, I didn't say these things out loud. Haha, he probably could tell by the look on my face that he wasn't getting any traction yet! So he went on to explain it more specifically.
"The most important part of your day is communing with the Supreme Being, the intelligence that orders the universe. Then you know without a doubt that you are in His this day." He went on to say that if my FIRST PRIORITY, my heart's desire, is to express spiritual qualities then I was truly in His service. And that this would have a practical effect of knowing what was important to do that day. Because: it would be the thing that would advance my spiritual growth!
OMG, I can't tell you how FREE I felt at that moment!! I mean, I finally felt like I had the foundation, the core principle of how I needed to approach each day, each decision, each activity. I walked back to my office smiling and feeling lighter than air. Seriously. It was like my whole life had taken a right turn. And it changed the way I approached every single day, then and to the present.
Here's what I learned:
First, I commit to spending a portion of the day in spiritual study and communion. For me, that is best in the early morning before the events of the day start crowding in, demanding attention. And it "sets up" the day in the right way. Usually, there is one spiritual insight that particularly means something that day -- and throughout the day, whatever decisions are to be made, I relate that insight to my thinking at that moment. It never fails to clarify the next step.
Next, when I look at activities or projects, I ask myself: Am I doing it because it is easy to do? Or I feel like I am the ONLY one who can do it? Is pressure forcing me to take action?
Divine Spirit should be guiding me, not pressure or time or perceived responsibility. When that is my northstar, I am confident that right decisions will be made and all will be blessed because we are all in the ordered, harmonious universe of Spirit. And maybe there is someone else who should be taking responsibility for the project that fell on my list. I must choose that which helps me grow spiritually...perhaps there is something on my list that, while easy for me to do, will help someone else grow spiritually? Lots of times this means I pick the bigger challenge to do :-)
Years later, the net result of this daily approach hasn't minimized my work load -- in fact I actually think I do more. And I am definitely accomplishing a lot more. It doesn't mean that every day is smooth sailing, but whenever I feel like there is more pressure than joy and freedom, then I know what I have to do next. Nope, not check the list. Look to my spiritual preparation and find peace. THEN I can check the list!
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