Priorities & Responsibilities

It’s been a while since I posted a “meaningful” entry to the blog. Woke up early this morning & spent some “me time” catching up on my RSS feeds & enjoying some music from Pandora.

I started thinking about Priorities & Responsibilities… We all have them.  The older you get the more you have & the more you should be able to manage them.  I think I do a reasonably good job of managing mine but without a regular review it’s easy for things to get out of balance.

My current responsibilities include (in no particular order) but are not limited to:

  • Husband
  • Father
  • Friend
  • Employee
  • Consultant
  • Leader
  • Home Owner
  • Citizen

Some responsibilities are easy to prioritize.  My family comes first above all else, including myself.  I absolutely cherish my friendships and my employment helps me enjoy all of it.  I’m deeply proud and honored to be an American citizen & could not imagine living in another country.

The difficulty I sometimes have is prioritizing my responsibilities.  I love my job and have been very fortunate to find a company as supportive and encouraging as the one I’ve been at for the last 5 years.  BUT, it’s very easy to get swept up in a project at work and let other things slip.

As hard as I work and as much as I love doing it, the weekend is my goal each Monday morning.  I live for the weekend and try to make the most of every one.

We all have our pleasures in life as well, and some of our responsibilities are actually pleasurable.  These have to be prioritized along with everything else.  Throw in a few wants/needs & you have the makings of a complicated, albeit rewarding, life!

If it’s been a while since you’ve sat down and reviewed your Priorities & Responsibilities, take a moment to do so.  I’ll bet you find a few areas that have been neglected…

Seventeen Dollars For A Notebook? Well Worth It, Say Fans

moleskineForbes.com had an article about one of my favorite daily carry items, the Moleskine notebook.  while expensive when compared to spiral bound notebooks, the craftsmanship is first rate & you will want to write in it all the time!

I’m glad to see people still taking the time to enjoy the finer things in life.

If you’re going to be traveling soon the City books are a really good accessory to have with you.  You can document your journey and create a real keepsake for future trips.

Making it All Work by David Allen

david-allenI received an unexpected email from Amazon.com the other day.  It was a notification that a book I pre-ordered last summer (and forgot about) had shipped.  The package arrived today and inside was a fresh copy of David Allen’s new book titled Making It All Work: Winning at the Game of Work and Business of Life.

This is Mr. Allen’s third book and early reviews indicate it’s a great follow-up to the hugely successful Getting Things Done book published in 2001.  His second book, Ready for Anything, was basically a list of 52 productivity principals each dedicated to their own short chapter.  I didn’t find it as groundbreaking as the first book but it’s still a great read.

I’m looking forward to blocking out some time in the next week and digging into the latest publication.  If it’s as good as the reviews indicate I think I’m in for a treat!  If you ever get a chance to see David Allen in person do it.  He’s an awesome public speaker and his presentation is outstanding!

Moleskine: The Perfect Notebook?

I’ve been using a Moleskine notebook for several years.  I was introduced to them through the GTD program by David Allen.  What makes the Moleskine line of notebooks special is their solid construction & unique history

Currently there are 9 different types of notebooks so you’re sure to find one that’s right for you.  I’m partial to the Pocket Size with grid paper, although I’m thinking about changing to blank paper to help foster some creativity (think outside the lines).

I’m planning on picking up a City Notebook for Chicago before my next trip up there.  If it’s as functional as I hope I’ll be picking up city Notebooks for my planned trips to New York & Washington DC next spring.

I like to keep everything stored electronically but there are times when the laptop & PDA just won’t do…  One of my favorite brainstorming tricks is to hit up the local coffee shop with some new tunes on the iPod, my Moleskine & my favorite pen.  Tune out the world, consume some quality caffeine & capture all of the ideas that come pouring out.

Do you have a favorite tool that helps you get the job done?  Leave us a comment & tell us about it!

GTD Review and a seasonal photograph

I ran across a really good review of Gettng Things Done by David Allen at The Simple Dollar website. Trent does a great job describing the various chapters in the book and gives it a buy recomendation at the end of the review.

Took this picture in July but it’s pretty appropriate now since the leaves are turning and starting to fall in the backyard.

Leaf Covered Path

The Weekly Review

It’s Sunday… It’s 5:00 am… It’s a cool fall morning and I drag myself out of bed for my weekly ritual. It’s called the “Weekly Review” and it’s an essential part of the organizational philosophy called Getting Things Done (GTD) by David Allen. It will consume the next 2-3 hours of my morning as I review the activities/notes of the past week and get ready for the week to come.

Those of you who know me know that I’m somewhat obsessed with orginization and the GTD method. It comes from years of trial and error with other systems. I’ve found the GTD system just clicks with how I function.

Clearing my head of unwanted distractions allows my creative energies to flow and ultimately it helps me relax. The outcome of this weekly appointment I have with myself is a clearer understanding of everything on my plate. From emails to phone calls, from meetings to projects, everything gets touched and the next action for each activity is clearly identified.

Over the past few years I’ve had the opportunity to attend David’s 1-day seminar in Chicago as well as loan copies of his book to friends and co-workers. Some have adopted the GTD principals & others really need to give it another shot…

Now that the decks are cleared and all loose ends are tied up, I can go upstairs and relax with another cup of coffee… I’m cooking 3-meals this afternoon to get ready for the upcoming week.  More about my cooking obsession in a future post.