Creating a rhythm for purposeful life

It’s not enough to be busy, so are the ants. The question is, what are we busy about?
Henry David Thoreau

I have been giving much thought to the rhythm of my life. With a less structured schedule, I am blessed to create my own calendar for many of my days. I have responsibilities and tasks to do, but the timing is more flexible than when I was working 8 to 5 and living a schedule that was often calendared for me. These days, I wake with the noblest intentions to accomplish tasks on my list — and I do! The moments that make up my days scurry past as I go about living my life, taking care of a million little details, and connecting with my people.

But I know that not every task is equal and while I check off many items, they’re not always the ones I most want to do, need to do. I have noticed that I favor the easy tasks, the ones that require a short phone call or conversation, a quick update on the computer or a short errand. Do I even know what I am scurrying about? Some days I wonder.

I realize that I am allowing my days to define me rather than defining my days.

As an aspiring writer, I need time for deeper thought and a creative flow. I need to learn new skills for developing and managing a website, for creating messages that resonate with real people out in the world (hopefully you and others like you), and for networking with other writers and — of course, to write and improve my craft. I am learning and absorbing so much about this new writing life.

Sometimes the simplest things are the most difficult … until we make it simple again. This week I have been playing with my daily and weekly schedule, analyzing where I spend my time and trying to create a new rhythm. I am creating space on my calendar and my “to do” list for spiritual, mental, emotional and physical balance.

I am marking time to work and create, to think deeply, to refresh and renew my spirit, to meet friends and family, and to relax and enjoy this world. In the process of assessing what rhythm works for me, I am coming to know myself better than ever before. I realize that if I don’t create a sense of purpose and direction, I can spend my whole day wandering from one activity to another. The demands and distractions of life easily pull me away from what I set out to do — unless I place parameters on myself. Like a child at a bowling rink, I need rails to keep me on target and headed for the pins at the end of the lane.

I know it won’t be a perfect remake and I will need to adjust as I go, but learning to define my days is the only way that I will see progress toward my goals. So calendar and “to do” list, we have new rules — and a timer! Wandering soul, I still love you and you add value to the process. You just won’t rule my days!

When we take control of our schedules, we take control of our life. We define our days so they don’t define us by default.

Here are 6 easy steps to take control of your life!

Write out your current responsibilities. Get very clear about what must be done — and what could actually be optional. Sometimes we place demands on ourselves, or allow others to place demands on us, that really aren’t necessary. It helps to do this step first, so that as you are completing step #3, you can pay attention to how you spend your time currently.
Designate priority tasks, including those that you aren’t doing now, but would like to do. This is your chance to dream a little. If you could do anything with your life and had no other responsibilities, what would you do? What has been on your “to do” list for a long time, but you haven’t made time for it yet?
Track your time and activities for at least a week. Mark down everything you do by noting specific activities and marking each time you change to a new activity. This is not an exact science. You are looking for trends. If you find that you are multi-tasking or switching gears every few minutes, write that down also and try to name it the best you can (for example, housework might cover a variety of smaller tasks).
Designate at least an hour to review your calendar or tracking sheet. Make notes on what you see. What are your most productive times of day? What is taking up more time than you would like? Do you have areas of “wasted time” or can you create efficiencies in some areas? Are there tasks you can delegate to someone else to free up time?
Create and implement a new weekly calendar that matches your priorities and designates time for your responsibilities. Be both realistic and rigid with yourself. Build in blocks of time for specific activities and, if you need it, use a timer to remind you to switch gears. Allow space for interruptions. And give yourself grace when inevitably you lose control of your calendar, because you will. Schedule “make-up time” and plan ahead as much as you can. Remember to schedule in fun and soul-building rejuvenation; these are essential to a purposeful life!
Reevaluate at the end of each week and at 30, 60 and 90 days (or anytime you have a major life change). Give yourself the gift of truth and grace as you examine your progress. What is working well? What needs to change? Are your minutes adding up to a life that you love? Give yourself a pat on the back for changing the course of your life!