It’s a beautiful spring day. It’s the first beautiful spring day. And just as I was about to settle into my to-do list and heaping “got to get this done” pile, a friend texted me.
“You up for a walk?”
Now, I know that I didn’t have time to take a walk. There were things that I needed to get done…and get done now…
Or were there?
Many of my deadlines are real, and quite a number are self-imposed. I am lucky that there are times when I have flexibility for how and when I get through my projects, and sometimes I have to remind myself that there are times when I have flexibility for how and when I get through my projects.
And today, contrary to the incessant “you have to’s” in my brain, was one of those times when I reminded myself of that flexibility.
So today, rather than plugging ahead with my to-do list, I stopped and smelled the roses. Or rather, I went for a walk on the beautiful day with my good friend.
I coach my clients to fully show up when they show up – to think through how they want to be and what they want to accomplish, and then to give each moment their all. I also coach them to be aware of when the push to do things NOW is only an internal push, and to make sure that they make time for things that they enjoy. Things that will fill their soul and fuel their creativity. That will give them a break from endless doing and problem solving, and allow them space to experience and relish – so that they can return to their tasks at hand and be even more productive and effective.
To make time for the things that really matter.
Sometimes it is focusing on the task at hand – the emails I need to respond to, the blog post I need to write, the program I need to develop for a client – that really matters. And sometimes what really matters is carving out time for the moments – be they brief or long – that will stimulate or calm me, and the people around me.
What really matters? When I look back on this day – from tomorrow or a few years further – what will have been a good choice as to how I spent my time?
It varies. And I wish us all the wisdom, and flexibility, to Thoughtfully and intentionally choose.
What really matters to you? How do you choose to spend your time?
Click here to share.
If you enjoyed this post, you can read more like it in our book, The Power of Thoughtful Leadership: 101 Minutes To Being the Leader You Want To Be, available on Amazon.
For support in figuring out what really matters in this moment, contact Lisa at lkohn@chatsworthconsulting.com.
Click here to receive The Thoughtful Leaders™ Blog posts via e-mail and receive a copy of “Ending Leadership Frenzy: 5 Steps to Becoming a More Thoughtful and Effective Leader.”
Photo Credit: digitalista/Bigstock.com
