In a conversation with a friend this weekend, he mentioned that everything was going great in his life but he just needed to figure out how to make more hours in a day. I told him to make sure he called me when he figured out how to do that! It was really interesting timing to hear that comment because lately I’ve been realizing that time is my most valuable commodity. We all play many roles in our lives. For me, those roles include husband, father, entrepreneur, friend, family member, board member of Starlight Children’s Foundation, and aspiring Ironman. As a kid, it seemed like there was an endless amount of time. So much so that I remember actually complaining about being bored. Even in college, it seemed like there was plenty of time to go to class, study, work, and maintain an active social life. However, as adults, we have more responsibility than ever, and lately it has begun to feel like I can’t fit in all the things I have, or want, to do into a day.
- This weekend I was invited to go to the Chicago Bears game by a friend that I haven’t hung out with lately. With that in mind, and considering that I know he has good seats, my first reaction to his invite was “hell yes I want to go.” Once I stopped to think about it, I realized that that might not be the best decision. Considering that I had traveled on Friday, had a busy Saturday, was supposed to have dinner that night with my wife for her birthday, and both my wife and I would be traveling separately the next week and weekend, I decided that I should skip the game and spend some family time. I’ve always had an issue “missing out” on things. If there is something going on, I want to be involved. When I moved to Chicago ten years ago, I had to start dealing with that issue. In a city this big, there is always something going and I realized that I can’t be everywhere. Since my son has been born, I’ve had to prioritize my time even more.
Recently, I mentioned to my wife that I was going to start having a purpose behind my actions. Instead of just doing things to keep busy, I was going to make a conscious effort to think about how I wanted to spend my time. At first the thought that everything I did should have a purpose seemed overwhelming. I can’t always be “on” and I need a little down time too, right? However, the realization that having a purpose doesn’t necessarily mean work, really helped. My purpose can simply be to have some down time, or to spend some time with my son. The point is, I will think through my options and allocate my time according to what I want to achieve in life. Instead of letting other people’s priorities and schedules dictate mine, I will spend my time according to my goals.
With the winter in full swing here in Chicago and the shortened days in effect, it has become more important than ever for me to schedule my time. When I spend the time to plan, I’ve realized that things like early morning training session become a necessity, not an option, setting aside time in the evening to work becomes essential, and even relaxing on a weekend takes on a different meaning than before. Lets face it, our lives are more hectic than ever and with technology and social media, it always seems like we are missing something. Unless my buddy calls me with some breakthrough on making more hours in a day, time is going to remain our most valuable commodity. If we don’t decide to prioritize how we spend it, we may wake up one day and realize that aren’t where we wanted to be because we didn’t.
Related articles
- Time truly is the most valuable commodity (thestrugglingactor.wordpress.com)
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- Competing In An Ironman Triathlon Through Pam Kallio’s Eyes (showbusinessreportsocial.wordpress.com)
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