True Priorities

What are your priorities? You can probably easily list the top three. Great! Now how do they show up in your routine life? Does your calendar reflect those three things? A self-discipline strategist has a rude awakening for us as we drift toward complacency or distraction.

You might have more Significant things you want to be doing, but any time that you are not doing them, they are not truly your priority. (Procrastinate on Purpose, Rory Vaden, 191)

Really? He goes on to be sure we understand…

That is one of the great deceptions of this life. In our minds, we think that our priority is our family, or our priority is being successful, or our priority is our faith, but if that isn’t what we are actually doing, then it isn’t our priority!

It is SO easy to be busy without purpose. It is hard work to stay on track with what is important. Distractions abound, fires burn, and needs demand attention. 

Some habits that will help:

  • Take a couple minutes at the beginning of the day to look at what you have on your plate and know what is truly most important. Daily priorities make a big difference.
  • Watch yourself and take deep breaths when you need to.
  • Phone a friend. Outside help and a little accountability and encouragement go a long way.
  • Make time to step back from the race on an occasional basis and look at the big picture carefully and prayerfully. Check your map, so to speak, and make sure you are going where you think you are going!
  • Feed your soul.

Balance

So, we’ve talked about resets between trips out of the house. We also have heard about the “clean kitchen at night” routine and think that would be nice. We love the thought of coming home or waking up to a clean house, but who has the energy?

Sometimes this is just complaining. We all have the days where we just need to suck it up and get it done. Life is full of hard work, and hard work is hard.

Then again, sometimes this is a red flag.

If we are too busy from running all over to cover the basic responsibilities of life, perhaps we are too busy. The constant overwhelmed, exhausted feeling is a warning sign — time to stop and think.

Even after looking at all the activities and making sure they fit priorities, there are seasons where we need to accomplish more (medical emergency, newborn, moving cross-country, etc.) and exhaustion is part of life. To help lessen the burden, though, we can recognize the increased load and choose to do less for a little while.

  • Go to super simple. Frozen pizza is fine. Spring cleaning will happen next spring.
  • Delegating doesn’t have to be permanent, whether that be a housecleaner, grocery pickup, or prepared meals. Basics can be covered, even if not with our own two hands.

Or looking at all the activities shows up some stuff that really doesn’t need to be done right now. Cutting back on that stuff will allow us to focus on priorities — loving God and loving our neighbor — instead of running on a hamster wheel. This is our chance to reset our lives (not just the kitchen) and go forward with a better pace. We can calmly cover our responsibilities and enjoy the space to love our neighbors, families, friends, and community as we go.