Planning

Start with the end in mind.

Stephen Covey

While I was cleaning in the basement a few days ago...

I found this quote in some of my old work things.

I thought it was so important, I had it laminated.

It lived taped to my computer monitor.

I would look at it and make a plan.

What did I want to accomplish today?

Planning was about 90% of my job duties.

Planning, scheduling, coordinating....

people and paper shuffling.

It made me think about how little in my life I plan these days.

Mosts times, things are on a day-by-day basis...

sometimes moment-by-moment.

My morning doesn't begin with long to-do lists.

I definitely don't rearrange my to-do list by priority....

and who in the world would I delegate to?

There are always a few things that have to be done...

some places I would like to go - library, grocery, park, friends, relatives.

Cleaning and laundry are a never ending process.

But is there isn't a real end in mind.
Cleaning the toys off the living room floor for the 800th isn't moving me closer to my goals.
Would the Itsy Bitsy Spider even make it on the list?

I remember how I felt at the end of the week long training session my company sent me to.
Seven Habits for Highly Effective people...
I giggled about how life changing I thought his words were then...

Seems like such a waste of a week in time now...
and I tossed the quote in the trash.

This morning, watching Eva play on the floor with her daddy...

I realized why it wasn't that way anymore.

I used to have a dozen or so goals in constant need of attention.

I only have one or two these days.

Two people and one priority.

Making my minutes, days, years with them the best it can be...

and enjoying the moments as they come.

I think this should have been my top priority all along...

and I finally got it.