Welcome to The Blogging A-Z Challenge April 2012! Some of the most popular posts here at The Shellshank Redemption are the Motivational Mondays. So, after consulting the tortoises, we decided to make April our Motivational Month! Please join us for this (almost!) daily dose of alphabetical inspiration. We hope you enjoy it!
* DON’T MISTAKE MOVEMENT FOR ACHIEVEMENT. IT’S EASY TO GET FAKED OUT BY BEING BUSY. THE QUESTION IS: BUSY DOING WHAT? (Jim Rohn) *
Did you ever look back over your to-do list at the end of the day and see lots of things checked off but still not feel like you accomplished anything? Yeah, me, too.
For awhile, I couldn’t figure out why that was…until I really looked at the items on my list. Sure, the house needed to be cleaned (just ask the dust bunnies) and food needed to be bought (just ask the tortoises…and my husband) but those tasks weren’t priorities. (Okay, maybe the food part was…a little.)
I’m learning to fit those kinds of things around what’s truly a priority, what’s truly important, like writing and spending time with my husband and getting healthier. So, if at the end of the day, the laundry didn’t get done but I wrote another chapter in my novel and went for a walk with my husband, then I can absolutely call the day a success.
oh, yes, yes, there are so many of us (i'm guilty of it,definitely) who look busy and at the end of the day have accomplished nada!
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely! I have a tendency to focus on the things I didn't manage to do rather than those I did at the end of the day. I shouldn't beat myself up so much ...
ReplyDeleteThat's a very important distinction to be made. Being busy vs. accomplishing something. I've never really thought about it that way.
ReplyDeleteNice reminder about prioritizing. Sometimes it is all about quality and not quantity!
ReplyDeleteStephanie - glad to know I'm not alone. :)
ReplyDeleteSimon - I hear you! Why are we always so hard on ourselves and then give others a break?
M.J. - I try to think of this quote when I feel overwhelmed. It reminds me to think about what I'm doing.
Julie - absolutely!
It's an interesting distinction. I don't necessarily work on a daily basis, but I do have a goal to finish something each week (new story, freelance project, etc.), and that helps keep me feeling like I'm doing something.
ReplyDeleteErin
I totally agree with that. Now that the kids are getting older, I get to delegate more... I like that very much!
ReplyDeleteErin - sounds to me like you've got it figured out. :)
ReplyDeleteAnnalisa - good for you!
I'm so glad I found you...love your blog-I too am a lover of the beach and juggler of responsibilities, blah, blah, blah... Your blog today reminded me of a line in the movie, The Sound of Music that I repeat to myself often...'a life of activity suggests purpose' great post!
ReplyDeleteTotally agree with you. Sometimes I get obsessive with making lists and then I don't end up accomplishing anything. To be honest, sometimes I think I use the lists as an excuse to not actually do anything, I can't because I'm too busy making the lists!
ReplyDeleteTracy - thanks so much for stopping by!
ReplyDeleteJulie - I hear you. I love a good list, though. :)
Often I set myself up to fail with my lists. :)
ReplyDeleteTeresa
Teresa - yeah, I sometimes have that problem, too. :)
ReplyDelete