An Inkling
One more whack at how we use time. Last week I wrote about getting a handle on how we use our time. This week’s focus is on deciding where to trim.
For most of us the problem is not just in eliminating all of the evil and worthless things we do. Even after shop lifting, drunken brawls, and drug dealing are crossed off our to do lists, we still have too much to do! And I mean too many good things – which is not a good thing.
So how do we decide which good things to prune from the schedule vine? As any good gardener knows, some of what must be pruned is living, and that smarts. But there are smart ways to prune.
Here’s a tool for pruning your schedule. List all of your repeated activities. By “all” I mean everything, such as: watch the news, mow the lawn, teach Sunday School, go to work, read the children a bedtime story, meet monthly for lunch with the book club (with the attendant book reading), meet with my small group, etc.
Then go down that long list of activities (you’ll have visual evidence of why life feels so busy), and mark next to each one the letters C,B, or E. C is for committed, B is for burden, and E is for enjoy. You will have two letters next to many, and maybe even three.
The activities with just a B are prime candidates for pruning. When I see B’s on my list I wonder, “Why am I still doing this?!” Most of these activities can be eliminated.
The problem is that eliminating only the B’s is usually not enough. The more painful choices come with pruning back C’s and E’s. But even some of those must be pruned for the vine of our schedule to bear fully. And as with any vine, it needs to happen regularly – say once a year.
You may have a better spin on how to do this. Gardeners do well to share their discoveries. So let us know. And may the fruit abound!
Whacking away,
Keith
