You would think with the amazing time saving devices such as computers, on-line shopping, auto deli ordering in the supermarket, pick up areas for take out orders – that we would have all this time on our hands. But as one minute frees up, we stuff two more minutes of activities in it.
I often think as I get into the car, “I hope I don’t get a flat because my day is planned so tightly that I wouldn’t have time to get it fixed.” Now that is a problem.
For many, we are in a perpetual feeling of rushing through life – as if every event were just something we had to check off our “life to-do list.” We didn’t remember it; we didn’t love it. But we checked it off and got it done. What a crazy way to go through life.
With the holidays around the corner, consider the following to slow things down, be more present and get more out of the time you have:
1. Commit to doing a family activity (dinner and a show, short trip, etc.) instead of spending time rushing through malls buying gifts. Memories are better than gifts that end up in landfills.
2. As a family, select one or two events to attend this holiday season (office party, friends and neighbors) and go have an amazing time.
3. Scale back on the food at dinner – we all need to eat a little less and we’ll have more time to spend with the people we care about – or (my favorite) get the family in the kitchen to help. It is a great way to start a new tradition.
Commit to ending the rush to get through life. Stop and sit a spell. Notice things around you. Talk to people. Get reconnected.
Life is not a race or an event to check off on your to-do list. Life is to be lived and you can’t do that running at breakneck speed.
This entry was posted on Thursday, December 10th, 2009 at 5:53 am and is filed under For Employees, For Individuals, For Managers. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
