Begin with Dessert!
By Natalie Gahrmann
Too many busy people fall into the trap of letting their work consume their lives and eat up the majority of their time. Instead of experiencing personal satisfaction and professional fulfillment from their work, they suffer from dissatisfaction and overwhelm.
Often these people get so consumed about their work and their fears of losing their job or not being seen as dedicated to their work, that they work nights, weekends and through vacations. If this continues long enough, they eventually lose touch with that part of themselves that knows how to disconnect and have fun; the part that plays, enjoys life, attains personal goals, and connects with friends and family in meaningful ways. They become so ingrained with their work that their work becomes their life and their identity. They cease the possibility of having the life they once dreamed of living.
Does this sound even remotely like you?
Many people struggle to manage their busy lives, control their time, make more effective decisions, and be more proactive, productive, efficient and balanced in the way they live their lives. Once in awhile, I find myself struggling with these same issues. I’ll be hit with simultaneous deadlines, bury myself in my work, and my family ends up complaining that I lose focus and don’t give them enough quality time.
But none of us need to continue struggling ineffectually for this balance. Instead, we must rearrange our thinking, so that the things that are truly most important to us, the things we enjoy the most, come first on our list of priorities. I propose you begin with dessert!
As Steven R. Covey says in his Seven Habits of Highly Effective People series, “Begin with the end in mind.” To do this, start by thinking about the life you want to live. What is most important? What do you want the most? The start designing the life you want to live—a life that will support these priorities. When your working life is focused on your greater life goals, then your work can supports that vision, rather than the other way around.
Start with your vision or ultimate goal of how you want to live your life. Then work backwards from there, to design your ideal work that leads towards that objective.
Identify your highest priorities: What is truly important to you in life? What do you need to get the foundation for your life vision?
Next, imagine the tangible steps are you taking to actualize that vision. How do work and your daily habits contribute. Make sure that you treat your work as a vehicle to take you where you want to go, not at the end itself.