Returning to routine

7-14-09 rat race brain

I’ve decided I will NOT be returning back to my normal routine after my two week vacation.

During the time away, I realized I was starting to spin out of control with my schedule, which seems to happen periodically. Thus from time to time I need to stop and make an adjustment. The two week break was a perfect time to come back and re-create a new and better routine.

Lately I had been feeling so unfocused and rushed, so now I have taken some time to reflect on how I had been spending my time. What activities were wasting my time and what activities are beneficial? On our car trip back to Iowa, Greg and I listened to podcast sermons by Andy Stanley. One sermon dealt with how we spend our time and speaks about the “power of accumulated effect”.

For instance, if you only give a small time each day to exercise, say 20 minutes, each 20 minute time is fairly insignificant by itself. One 20 minute period won’t get you in shape or missing one period won’t get you out of shape, but it’s the accumulation of each 20 minute period that shows the effect. If you do this small amount over a long period of time, you will have the benefits.

So what we do in our 20’s and 30’s will effect how our life is in our 40’s. What we do in our 50’s will effect how we will live in our 60’s….. etc.

I was pondering about why I haven’t made much progress at cleaning out the Des Moines house, or why I haven’t framed the 5 paintings from last year….. why my art room is chaos…… what have I been doing with my time? (blogging too much?)

Anyway, I am starting out fresh from vacation trying to pay more attention to how I spend my time and what I could actually accomplished if I did small activities each day towards a longer goal. So far I’m considering giving up my TV viewing time and considering canceling cable TV.

On a positive note, tonight I am spending some time with my “Peace Sisters” neighbor girlfriends at dinner. Time building relationships is time well spent!

PS: no routine daily blog posts..... I am just going to post when I feel like it!