Are You Putting Putting First Things First?

Ephesians 5:15 says "Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time."

If there were a top ten for excuses for not exercising and eating right, number one would be "I'm too busy " or "I don't have time."

I'll never give this excuse any credibility because you make time for what is important to you.

I love this story. It illustrates well why we always seem to be short of time for the important things.

"A professor of philosophy stood before his class with some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly he picked up a large empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with rocks about two inches in diameter. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was full. So the professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly and watched as the pebbles rolled into the open areas between the rocks.

The professor then asked the students again if the jar was full. They chuckled and agreed that it was indeed full this time. The professor picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. The sand filled the remaining open areas of the jar. "Now," said the professor, "I want you to recognize that this jar signifies your life. The rocks are the truly important things, such as family, health and relationships. If all else was lost and only the rocks remained, your life would still be meaningful.

The pebbles are the other things that matter in your life, such as work or school. The sand signifies the remaining "small stuff" like busy work and material possessions. If you put sand into the jar first, there is no room for the rocks or the pebbles. The same can be applied to your lives.

If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are truly important. Pay attention to the things in life that are critical to your happiness and well-being. Take time to get medical checkups, play with your children, go for a run, write your grandmother a letter. There will always be time to go to work, clean the house, or fix the disposal.

Take care of the rocks first – things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just pebbles and sand. Finding time in the day for fitness or participating in other athletic endeavors should be considered a "rock" for us all. Physiologically, working out releases endorphins in the body. These endorphins are natural pain-relievers produced by the body. This is what gives us the natural high experienced after a workout. This natural high has the potential to positively influence our daily interactions by making us feel better about ourselves. Make fitness a rock solid priority in your life and reap the benefits."

Are you taking care of FIRST THINGS FIRST, Tracy?  

Many times the issue is that we let unimportant mundane tasks take the place of the HIGH IMPACT activities that make the most difference in our happiness and well-being.

One of the ways to make 2022 a BREAKTHROUGH year is to develop a SOLID TIME MANAGEMENT SYSTEM. 

I can tell you right now I'm juggling a lot of things and if I didn't have my time management system I would be spinning my wheels and having a hard time staying focused!

Do you need a better time management system?

I'd love to show you how mine works. It has helped me be intentional and make progress in ALL areas of life.

This will be another ESSENTIAL TOOL to help you START and FINISH STRONG in 2022.  

Dedicated to making 2022 your BREAKTHROUGH YEAR!