Ice Cream Solves Everything!
One day after work, my wife and I admitted to ourselves that we were trying to cram too many things (tasks, obligations, distractions, etc.) into a relatively small space (24 hours in a day), it became obvious that we needed to clear some clutter from our schedules. So, we drove straight to Chick-fil-La and got ice cream! Trust me, this was one of the smartest things we have done in our marriage!
Our random ice cream date turned out to be one of the most valuable things we've done in our relationship. We sat down and obviously enjoyed our ice cream, then began to talk about life and our priorities. We were both feeling a bit overwhelmed.
I hear people say all the time, "Where has the time gone? Wow, time sure goes fast." It sure does! But how about this one, "Life sure goes fast!" One of the most important things we can do in life is to prioritize. Why? Because life really does go FAST!
Have you ever thought about what you value most? Values are what you hold as most important in your life, these are the things that, in large part, define you and guide your time choices.
I want you to do something. Try to pay close attention to all the things you do today – all the things you’re trying to fit into 24 hours. How much TV are you watching in the morning and evening? What websites are you browsing? What games are you playing? How much time are you spending texting, emailing, or updating your social media accounts? How much online window-shopping are you doing? How much time do you allocate to eating, cleaning, and taking care of others? What else are you spending the precious minutes of your day on?
What you might notice first is that you’re doing too many random things that don’t need to be done – too many time-wasters.
However, you can start stealing your time back by eliminating as many needless distractions as possible, and saying “no” to new ones that arise. Easier said than done, of course, but the important thing to realize is that you CAN change how you give your time.
One of my all-time favorite ways to prioritize is to ask, "W.I.N."? This stands for WHAT'S IMPORTANT NOW? WIN has been one of my closest friends ever! Talk about a BFF!
I've got a lot of hopes and dreams I still want to accomplish. I have a lot of people I want to hang-out with. I have so many piano songs I want to learn. I have so many fun things I want to enjoy with my wife. One problem...LIFE IS SO DARN BUSY! So, it's WIN to the rescue.
Here's a thought, go hit-up a fun place to get some ice cream and open the Notes app up on your phone. Write down your current "to-do" list and then prioritize by asking, "WHAT'S IMPORTANT NOW?" Try to regularly get into the good habit of asking yourself WHAT'S IMPORTANT NOW?
