Grandparents Get Purpose

A study completed by State Farm Insurance showed that children are actually safer in the vehicle with a grandparent than their actual mom or dad. Fifty-percent safer than riding with a parent! The study was based on over 12,000 crash and injury claims between 2003 and 2007. You can read more about the study at the Greensboro News and Observer.

The results are surprising. Older drivers are often seen as less careful and not as responsive. The theory given by one of the individuals conducting the study was that grandparents might be more careful because of the "precious cargo" they were transporting. Another idea given was that they would be more nervous and therefore more alert to driving and traffic conditions.

In Juggling Elephants terms, they may be better ringmasters of their circus. They are well aware of their purpose and are more intentional about making choices to fulfill their purpose. It's a good idea for all of us-regardless of age.

What "precious cargo" (i.e. purpose) are you transporting today that needs your full attention if it is to be accomplished?

What Are Your Plans?

Continual planning and setting of goals is critical in accomplishing those things that are most important to you. You should take at least 15 minutes each day, formally planning your day and reviewing your goals. What effort is it going to take today to accomplish your goals tomorrow? It can be hard work and also requires discipline to keep focused on your plan. There is so much "stuff" that can get in the way of what you truly what to accomplish.

A good measuring stick for how you are doing with the planning of your life is to ask yourself this question, "Do I spend more time planning my weekend or planning for a vacation than I do planning my life?" You tend to plan for those things that you value and that are most important to you - especially in the short term. In the big picture and the long term, how important is your life?

Counting Down The Time Left In The Lineup

Using a count down timer to help you manage your time is not a new idea. BUT in a program last week I was amazed at how many people saw real value in the idea. Like many time management strategies, we forget them over time, or don't have need of them as much in different seasons of our work or life.

The value of the timer can not be overstated. It forces you to give a focused amount of time to a project or idea and reach some level of completion before the time runs out. The real strength is that the decreasing time acts as a constant course correction, challenging you to re prioritize often during the time period. And it serves as a frequent reminder of how precious time goes by so quickly.

Need to buy one but don't want to spend your time looking for one? Here are some options:
Amazon
Free Online Version
Webstaurant Store

We wouldn't want you to complain that you "don't have time" to improve your circus.

Can You Afford That Act In Your Lineup?

Here's a strange situation. According to an article in USA Today, a newly built high school in Riverside California (at a cost of $105 million) will sit idle because the school district doesn't have the money to pay for operating it. While the cost of operating the school would be $3 million dollars per year, just maintaining it comes with an annual price tag of $1 million.

While the source of their problem stems from inadequate funding sources (and maybe some poor planning), we experience similar challenges when we start a project or a task that will ongoing activities associated with it. We meant well when we started, but just didn't think about all the "maintenance" costs associated with it.

The next time you are contemplating bringing a large act into your lineup, ask yourself these questions:

• What ongoing tasks or activities will result from success with this project?
• Can I consistently complete these tasks and my other responsibilities as well?
• Can others consistently contribute their time and energy to the ongoing activities that will result from this project?
• What will I have to take out of my current schedule to spend the necessary time on this project?

Having clear answers to these questions may prevent a perfectly good elephant from squashing you!

Use Your Brain

Would you rather your brain "rust out" or "wear out"? The truth is that you are more apt to rust out your brain from lack of use than you are to wear it out from too much use (if there is such a thing).

Consider some ideas:

• Read! Read! Read!


• Work on challenging puzzles


• Sign up for a course and/or attend a conference that is related to your profession


• Sign up for a course and/or attend a conference that is not related to your profession


• Watch a documentary


• Meditate. Think deep thoughts in a quiet atmosphere


• Pick a topic and write a paper or book on it. Research and learn everything that you can on the topic. Become an expert


• Play brain games that sharpen your mind and make you think. (AARP has a wide selection of free games and quizzes for the brain see: http://games.aarp.org or do a web search on "Brain Games")

Unlike your knee, hip, shoulder, or elbow that could eventually wear out and need replacement the brain grows stronger and more proficient when it is active. What are you going to do to grow your brain? Make a plan and schedule each day to increase your knowledge and thinking ability.