As a gift, I received a great little book called Every Monday Matters – 52 Wasy to Make a Difference by Matthew Emerzian and Kelly Bozza. Basically, it is a guidebook to taking weekly actions that will get you involved in doing GOOD – in your own life AND in the lives of others.
I am willing and up for anything that results in good at this point in my life, and the implied benefits of this “program” appealed to me greatly, so, what the heck, right? My hope is that I will now look forward to Mondays and that I will become excited to start the week off by looking forward to discovering what I can do to help someone else as well as myself. So here is the first of 52 for 2010. I look forward to your comments, your own journey and to making Monday’s Matter!
WHAT MATTERS MOST?
A List of What Matters Most to Me
- LOVE – The relationships with my kids, my close and extended family and friends and spending time with them. And fully accepting all unconditionally.
- Connecting with other people and listening. Really listening and learning.
- Contributing – to relationships, through work, to society, to others.
- Creating.
- Health – Physical, Mental, Spiritual
- Genuine.
- Happiness – I figure if I have all of the above, happiness will be a by product.
How I currently spend my Time (in order of greatest time to least amount of time)
Working
With Kids ( and MOM STUFF. Need more play time here – They grow up so fast!)
Household
Exercise
Personal Time
Fun Time
Wasted Time
List of Weekly Activities That are REQUIRED, OPTIONAL, WASTE OF TIME
Work (REQUIRED)
Writing – Clients, Book Proposals, Blog
Marketing
Networking
Facebook (OPTIONAL-WASTE)
Email (OPTIONAL – WASTE)
Obsessing on the past or the future (WASTE)
Exercise (REQUIRED)
Personal Time Daily (REQUIRED)
Masters Program (REQUIRED)
Helping kids with Homework/School/Sports Shuttling (REQUIRED)
Attending kids’ sporting events and school events (REQUIRED)
Seeing family and friends (REQUIRED)
Adult Time (REQUIRED)
Worrying (WASTE)
Shopping/Aimless Wandering (WASTE)
Housework (OPTIONAL – REQURIED) – I need a neat house…but I know it is not as important as some of the other things on the list….Need balance here! J
House Upkeep (OPTIONAL – REQUIRED) – This list is endless and overwhelming, so I alternately ignore it and stress over it.
Hmmm. Now I can rearrange my schedule so that I can spend my time doing that which is REQUIRED. Interestingly, I realize most of the wasted activities tend to be an output of negative mental energy. Letting go of control, and just being in the present and enjoying what comes up is a new habit that I hope will alleviate that wasted time and energy and help focus on the positive – and thus move everything forward as it is meant to be. Whatever that looks like.