Paying Attention to Time!

We have one chance at making the most of each day.  It is important for us to be paying attention to time and how we spend it in the daily activities that makes up our life. Here is what I have learned that helps me better organize my day.

·       Plan your day the night before.

·       Review your plan early that day and make any necessary adjustments.

·       Take notes throughout the day to keep track of your progress.

·       Avoid being distracted unnecessarily by individuals or personal activities.

·       Before going to bed, review that day’s accomplishments, look over your notes made throughout the day and write out your plan for the coming day.

We can go a long way in making the most of our day by doing some planning.  If we would only sit down for a few moments in the hour before we go to bed and write a physical note to ourselves like a “To Do List” of what will be required the next day, we will have already laid the foundation for a more productive day.

The next morning, sometime before or during breakfast, I will review my “To Do List” and make any necessary adjustments. Sometimes I will realize that I have forgotten something entirely, or that I may need more information, or perhaps more resources in order to accomplish a particular task. 

In the morning, while doing my initial review I start to make notes in a spiral notebook in case I need to prioritize the day’s tasks more appropriately, make changes in my schedule and make a note of coordinating those changes with others that may be affected. I also try to obtain additional information that may be essential to complete a particular task. By writing down important contact information I ensure that I have it available. I have found that this helps minimize my time since I am not thumbing through the spiral notebook looking for a phone number or an address.

Watch out for time robbers, those individuals who are excessively needy of your time. You can’t ignore them! Just be mindful of the amount of time you are spending solving their problems. Give them some attention and be courteous about how you interact with them. While we need to support them we still can not afford to be their crutch.  Also pay attention to your own activities that you are not undermining your own efforts at improving how your time is spent.

After your evening has begun to slow down, take time to review your list and notes and see how well you did at accomplishing your day’s tasks. Make up a new “To Do List” for the next day.

For those of you who are more technological savvy, I am sure you will reach for your Blackberry or touch pad Android to assist you in keeping your schedule, lists and contact information. That is up to you. What if you did not own any such device? What if you live in Japan and were fortunate to have survived the recent catastrophe that has happened to them. You might find yourself to be fortunate to have a pad and pencil in which to write.

You see, I am trying to be as simplistic in my life as I can possibly be. Yes, I have my computer and cell phone too. But I am also trying to learn how to function without having total dependence on them. We have enough chaos in our life without worrying about where the recharge cable is located for an electrical device.

A To Do List is a simple method to help you organize your day and will help you to pay attention to time. Good luck in your efforts to improve.  Until next time, whenever that may be, be safe and be happy.

      

About Me!

Welcome to My Living off the Grid. My name is John Dull the originator of this content.  The intent of this website is to provide the reader with information concerning ways to improve our health, wealth and/or relationships. I have a few ideas that may be of interest to you, and I encourage you to share your comments with us here.

From the blog title, a person may come to the conclusion that I am going to write about alternative energy or possibly how to live away from civilization. That is not my intent. I chose this title as a means of explaining my simple lifestyle and why I feel this concept will become important for us to consider adopting in some manner.

Some folks may appreciate knowing a bit more about me. So here goes, and I hope you won’t be too bored. I was born into a Midwestern farming family nearly sixty years ago. My parents rented a small farm that had a milking parlor in the barn, a chicken coop, corn crib, a garage, and of course a house. We grew grain crops, fruits and vegetables and also raised cows, pigs, and chickens.  We produced most of the food we ate, whether it was fresh, frozen or canned. We made trips to the grocery store, for items we could purchase for less money than what it would have cost us to have made them. Or it was for items that we could not make.  We also purchased most of our clothing, as well as our sundry type items.  Ours was a simple lifestyle.

I feel our lives then were better than most lives people live today.  I believe we had better tasting as well as healthier foods to eat. We lived and worked in a way that required us to interact with others in ways not practiced today. Yes, our new technologies have improved our lives on one hand, but on the other it appears to be making us less social, less desirous of face to face communication.  We know that our income and savings are not adequate to support us into our retirement years. Yet, we still expect to be able to drive our over sized vehicles to work and round about each day. We are living our lives in such a way as if we have endless resources at our disposal.

Through this blog, it is my hope to provoke useful thoughts and ideas about a simpler way of living that will bring benefits that can improve our health, help retain some of our hard earned money, and better enjoy our relationships with family, friends and neighbors. Thanks to you for spending your precious time to read what I have to say.