Friday, February 17, 2012

priorities and other stuff that's important

For the past day and a bit I have been at a training conference for my one my jobs.  Yep, I have more than one. I have 4 in fact, and to date I have juggled them fairly successfully, as long as I work on a just-in-time model and largely operate in the ''important and urgent'' quadrant!

My new boss, only in the job a few weeks, and this was the first time he had met his team en masse, spoke this morning on the topic of priority.  It was a devotional-focused session, and several times he said ''this is what I'm hearing/learning/having revealed to me.  And each time that happened I thought ''me too''.


You see, I have been really considering if it is sustainable to get four (income producing) balls in the air.  I'm worried that one thing is taking priority over another.  That in fact some things don't get the priority they deserve.  Including my family.  My work includes after hours time on the phone or computer.  The kids don't get that, even though the pay off is that I am home for them every day after school.

I arrived back to collect my children, being cared for by grandparents, after 18 hours of learning and discussion and very little sleep, and 2 1/2 hours on the motorway, to find my son ill.  I didn't even take my shoes off and was straight to the hospital where I learned he had an infection in a cut on his foot which had turned septic and was making him quite ill.   I had been checking the foot each day, but in a cursory way it must be said.  And that kind of thing happens quickly.  I was reassured by the Dr it was ''boy stuff'' and he was given a tetanus shot and some antibiotics.  It gave me a fright.

This evening I realised again that I need to deliberate the issue thoroughly.And soon.   And then be deliberate in my actions.

It's a tough question and one I know is demanding an answer of me and soon: what are your priorities and what do you need to do to get them in the right order?   I've got a feeling that the answer is going to be a bit painful and uncomfortable to address.  I know that I don't WANT to give up anything I do.  But I also know that I NEED to in order to manage - no, honour, my priorities.

How about you? What are your priorities? Do you feel they get the time and attention they deserve?

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