Making Every Minute Count …..

 by Mary Jo Wehniainen

Because you can only do one thing at a time, every action you take demonstrates what you consider to be most important at that moment. Here are a few simple tips to help you make wise choices about how to spend your time:

1.       Decide on two areas of life that are your highest priorities.

For those of you with a family and/or children, typically that’s one of your priorities. If so, choose one more. Your second priority might be your business, your job, a hobby, caring for an elderly parent, building a new home, your role as Sunday School administrator, volunteer rescue worker, etc. Remember, there are no right or wrong "priorities", and everyone is different. The important thing is for you to choose what two areas are most important to you at this time of your life.

I realize many of you reading this might feel overwhelmed by this suggestion because you already have too many things going on and have no clue which to say no to. This exercise is even more important to you! When you realize you have too many things going on without a "master plan", it’s time to take control! Doing so will cause your life to run more smoothly … and the people and things which are most important to you will finally receive the attention they deserve.

Don’t worry, you’ll still have plenty of regular day-to-day activities that need your attention, but when you look at how you’re spending your time, you’ll also see many things you’re doing that don’t support your highest priorities!

2.       Make sure everything you do is a deliberate decision and well thought out, rather than going through life on "auto pilot". Think about your two areas of priority before doing anything, and plan your schedule accordingly.

For example, if your two priorities are your family and your business, if someone asks you to take over fundraising for the local volunteer fire department, you should probably say no – unless doing so would somehow enhance your relationship with family members or the success of your business.

If you’ve agreed to bring two cakes for the civic league bake sale tomorrow, but your two areas of focus are spending time with your children and your role as Sunday School coordinator, you might decide to stop at the store and buy a couple of cakes rather than taking the time away from your kids or church responsibilities to bake the cakes from scratch.

3.       Begin saying no to anything that does not line up with your two main priorities.
This can be one of the most empowering things you ever learn to do. It may feel uncomfortable at first, but once you start saying "no", you’ll feel more in control of your life than ever before. Also, don’t feel you need to offer any lengthy explanations. Saying "no", "no thanks", or "not this time" is good enough.

Unfortunately, too many times we do things based on what we feel is expected of us, not because it reflects what’s most important to us! We rarely feel comfortable just saying "no" because the request doesn’t align with our personal, well thought out priorities. This is a habit that needs to change immediately if you want to have a meaningful life. You’re the one who ultimately decides how you spend every second of your time!

Remember, we all have the same number of hours each day. The wise choices we make on a continual basis will ensure that we live a rewarding and purposeful life with little regret.

Choose wisely! Today only comes once.

I wish you much joy and fulfillment as you make each minute count. :-)