Day 6: Evaluate, and Make a Poster

Yesterday I said that when situations shift your plans, it's often best to be flexible. On the other hand, if situations are constantly moving you away from your priorities it's time to examine both your priorities and your situations! If, at the end of the week, you feel dissatisfied and out of balance, make a note about why that is. Also, make a note of which of your priorities are getting left out of your life. 

Unfortunately, not all of our priorities share equal status. For some reason, some of the actions that we hold very high in priority just don't get the attention they need. I call these my "low-status (oxymoronic) priorities"; exercise usually fits into that category for me, and sometimes (unfortunately) artwork - for some reason, when flexibility is required, it's my health and creative priorities that suffer.

The same goes for your values and principles, because if you aren't letting them guide your path you cannot feel satisfied. (We will look at this more closely next month).

Choose one day each week to evaluate and record how well-satisfied you are with your "ducks in a row". If things continue to be out of balance over a few weeks, you need to regroup: 

-Maybe you need to lower your expectations for a while because you are running on low energy. 

-Or maybe you need to sideline a committee that is draining too much of your time. 

-Or maybe you can initiate a Home Focus Day to catch up on housework, or a Family Focus Day to give attention to your family.

Today, look again at your list of priorities, and ask yourself which do you spend the least time on, and typically don't really treat like priorities in your life? Also, look at your values and principles and do the same evaluation. 

Create an eye-catching poster that captures why you value each of your low-status priorities and values, and will help you to remember to give them the equal status that they deserve:

• Start by reviewing or setting intentions for each of your low-status priorities and values; include your deepest and most passionate reasons for wanting to do them. 

• Now either draw, or print photos or images from the internet that illustrate these priorities.

• Cut and paste the images and the intentions together onto a heavy card stock, and pin it to your wall.

Next Week Schedule, Step 2: 

• Friday - Block in your schedule for the next week: Add events and blocks of time for your priority categories (such as an hour for committee work on Tuesday and Thursday).

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