PON Week #4 "Organize Your Priorities"

I am following the weekly schedule found in the book:

The book is available at Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Week 4 is "Organize Your Priorities" This is the final chapter of the section on Organizing Yourself.

 This Week's Goals:

~Make a list of your top ten priorities.  Your priorities should reflect your core values.  Post this list somewhere where you will see it often.  This is a great idea.  Greg and I did something similar when we did the Living Compass Programs during our marriage enrichment retreat.

~Make a list of all the activities in which you currently participate.  Compare the list to your top ten priorities.  Decide on activities that can be eliminated to make time for your top ten.  Focus on cutting out activities that take your time, but don't bring you joy.  It's amazing when you look at your priorities and you look at how you spend your time and they just don't seem to mesh.  I am fortunate that I have finished up with graduate classes and now need to only take 6 credits every five years for my teaching license renewal.  Not taking classes leaves much more time to spend with my family.  YAY!


~Right now, schedule time in your planner to contribute to your priorities.  Appointments may include:
   ~Phone call to a friend you need to catch up with
   ~Sit down dinners with your family
   ~Family movie or game night
   ~Exercise time
   ~A date with your partner
   ~Reading time for you
   ~Time to read to your children
   ~Craft time or time to work on a project
     I think scheduling things is really important if you want to make sure you actually do these things.  We now have a weekly date night and it has been amazing after just three weeks.  Before that I cannot remember the last time my dh and I went on a date.  I need to start scheduling my exercise time because it seems that is the only way I will actually do it.  Try this method out and let me know how it works for you.


~Learn to say no, especially when things do not align with your priorities.  You don't have to say no to everything, but you also do not have to say yes to everything.  Keep in mind what works with your core values,


~Honor your priorities each day.  Amen!  Some weeks I have less control over my after school time because of work commitments (i.e. committee meetings or PT conferences).  There are some non negotiables in my job or dh's and we have to plan accordingly for that.


I have gotten lots of comments and emails from people wondering how I do it all.  Trust me I don't do it all everyday.  I have good days and bad days like everyone else.  I fall short of my goals and do not always cross everything off my To Do list, but just by being aware of what needs to be done and keeping my thoughts and goals organized, I am accomplishing much more than I otherwise would.  The more planned I am and the more organized and clean my house is, the happier and more content I feel.  And you all know they saying, "If mama 'aint happy, 'aint nobody happy".  :)

Just remember every step toward organization is a step away from disorganization.  Good luck this week and let me know how it goes!