Family Schedules

While my family and I have maintained somewhat of a daily "schedule" we have often strayed from it to accommodate things that in reality were not important or could have been done later. We also just got lazy from time to time.

A few weeks ago my wife and I decided to make a change. We created a daily schedule that includes both a morning routine and our afternoon/evening routine. We built in regularly weekly activities such as piano practice and church events. We also included the weekly family "intermission" as well as time for just mom and dad. We didn't just put in the things we "had" to do, but also the things we wanted to do.

It is incredible how liberating it has been to everyone in our family. Each of us know when/where we need to be and what has to accomplished each day. It has helped us to "police" our own personal schedules and get the most important things done so we are ready for family events. I have personally benefited from the increased focus time in the evening. I'm finally getting the personal reading time I have been looking for. Our stress level as a family has diminished, due in large part to having "no surprises." Before going to bed each night, we talk as a family about the next day, and see what changes might be needed to keep our lives in better order.

Yes, there have been some adjustments and changes made. The benefits, however, have been terrific-for all of us.

Purpose Makes A Difference-even for a culture

Geoff Colvin has written an insightful article, comparing the work habits of Americans vs. Germans, and in a broader light, those in the UK. It's entitled, Not So Lazy, After All. For years I too have heard of the long vacations taken by Europeans and the total vacation days they have in a year. Conventional wisdom has been that we Americans simply work harder. Turns out, that's not totally correct. According to one study, we actually work about the same amount. According to the research, We [Americans] do more market-based work, and Germans do more home-based work. Colvin does a superb job defining these differences in the article.

How do our differing purposes affect our lifestyle and culture? Colvin quotes the research done by Freeman and Schettkat: By working long hours and taking short vacations, Americans earn money to buy goods in the market. By working fewer hours and taking long vacations, Germans have more time to produce goods at home. (Example: Germans spend more time preparing meals (work at home) while Americans spend more money on restaurant meals-paid for by market work). Make sure you read the last sentence of the article-it spells out the ultimate impact of acting on purpose.

Interesting how acting on purpose affects us in so many ways.

Staying focused on Monday...and beyond

After the weekend, many of us trudge back to work on Monday already feeling tired instead of refreshed. If you are one of those people who has trouble maintaining your energy level on Monday afternoon or anytime for that matter, Redbook magazine gives a multitude of ways to keep your body and mind performing at a higher level. Here are a few of their tips-the article actually goes into more detail about the benefit of each one:

• Eat every 3-4 hours
• Fill up on fiber
• Stay hydrated
• Watch caffeine intake after noon
• Vent your feelings
• Turn on some tunes
• Take belly breaths
• Let go of grudges

I really like the summation given by the author near the beginning of the article. She said that the root causes of our lack of energy normally result from, "How we sleep, What we eat and How we cope emotionally with our problems." Kudos to Nancy Rones for such a timely article.

Watching One Of The Great Ones

One of my training programs last week was a group of school administrators and school district leaders in California. They were a dynamic, engaging group and I tremendously enjoyed my time with them. I also had the unique opportunity to see a fantastic ringmaster in action.

I arrived early to set up for the meeting and was met by "Dave" the facilities manager. He greeted me at the door, ushered me into the meeting room and immediately began asking me what I needed to get set up. No matter what I asked, Dave either had it available or quickly contacted someone to take care of it. When he finished with me, he moved to the food service area and guided the group as they set up for breakfast. Next, it was time to greet the participants. He was everywhere!

Once the program started, I noticed that Dave would stop by from time to time, checking on things and making changes as needed. Always upbeat, he left a wake of smiles as he scurried around taking care of things.

The most telling moment about Dave came when I talked with him after the program. I thanked him for doing such an outstanding job taking care of all of us. His response, "This is my school, and whatever happens here is a reflection of me." Dave gets a HUGE standing ovation from me and countless others in that school system. I left that meeting having learned much.

Who could you observe today that could teach you something about being a better ringmaster of your circus?

Just 30 Minutes a Day

What can be accomplished in just 30 minutes? A lot of different items come to mind-a phone call to a friend, checking email, a stand up meeting, a power lunch, etc. In our block of 24 hours a day though, 30 minutes doesn't seem like much.

But consider if you took 30 minutes a day for a week, month or year. That same 30 minutes can really add up-3 hours and 30 minutes a week, 16 hours a month, 182 hours a year. I realize that I probably waste more than 30 minutes a day on unproductive activities (that's a blog for another day), but what is the power of focusing 30 minutes a day on a specific goal or task?

What would be the outcome of reading 30 minutes a day-how many books could you read? What if you spent 30 minutes a day writing a book-how soon would you have a novel? Experts say that there is real value in exercising just 30 minutes a day-how much weigh could you lose?

We had a very large load of top soil delivered to our home for our yard. The task was very overwhelming to me as I looked at that big pile of dirt in my driveway. But, I made the decision to wake up 30 minutes earlier in the morning and spend that time wheel barreling top soil. It took time but eventually the project was completed. I took satisfaction each day as I saw consistent progress towards my goal over time.

What can you accomplish if you consistently focused on something for 30 minutes a day? Pick a goal, carve out the time and then be amazed.