“I’d rather binge watch Netflix than see a book I wrote on a shelf in a store.”
“I’d rather follow the plots of seven different television shows than cut the grand opening ribbon at a store I own.”
“I’d rather play Candy Crush than get in shape.”
“I’d rather stare at my phone until I get lost in a digital haze than build a relationship with the people I’m actually in the same room with.”
No one ever says horrible things like this.
No one ever makes such proclamations.
At least not with our mouths.
Most of us declare things like that with hands though.
Most of us proclaim things like that with our calendars.
Most of us shout things like that with our phones.
Most of us would cringe if we were honest for 30 seconds about the things we donate our time to.
That’s the scary thing. None of the things I mentioned above take our time. We give it to them.
Which is actually not such a scary thing at all when you think about it, because it means at any moment, you can stop giving them your time. You have that power. You don’t need permission from anyone. You get to make that decision.
I binge watched an entire season of Blacklist last fall in about 6 days. I can’t just watch one episode of a television show on Netflix, it’s like trying to eat one potato chip. Finally, I got tired of donating time to things that ultimately don’t matter.
That’s why I created the DO Summer checklist. I knew that when I was traveling and tempted to relax with some mindless hours of TV, that simple piece of paper would haunt me. I knew that sitting on an airplane, instead of playing Plants vs. Zombies, my go to app, I would think about that checklist. And I’d write. I’d read. I’d do the things I promised to do, because I wanted to finish 1,500 minutes of focused time this summer.
You don’t have to DO Summer with me. You might have a different tool that works for you, but if you don’t, download it today.
Be honest about where you’re donating your time. Don’t let your mouth shout a promise your calendar isn’t keeping. Do your work. You’re the one giving the gift of time to someone or something. Make sure it’s the best recipient.
Excellent post today Jon!
Really hits home for me and how I focus throughout the day. Good to get back on track
What a not so gentle reminder of the truth. We claim to be things like writers, bloggers or whatever but what are we doing? If our actions matcheddar our bylines we would see much more success in reaching others.
My wife and I were just saying that there is so much to do but we will never get it all done because we “sit too much”. I hope what you wrote will give me some motivation to change that.
I love this! Mostly because I just posted something similar on my blog but also just because it’s true. 🙂
I’m probably really weird. I don’t watch TV. I leave my phone in my pocket or jacket when I talk to people. I’m so de-attached to my phone half of the time I don’t even know where it is. Which can drive friends crazy as they try to get hold of me. But some days my time disappears regardless. I get involved in a discussion on FB that truly is engaging but still, oh there goes an hour or two. Some days I have so much going on I can’t decide what to start working on despite that my list that tells me (resistance) so I end up checking the internet reading blog posts. Like right now 🙂
Right on with this post, Jon. The calendar calls us out on how we spend our time the same way a budget calls us out on how we spend our money. Both show us where we’re placing the most value in our lives, regardless of what we tell ourselves and others.
I’d like to get in shape this weekend… but that candy is NOT gonna crush itself!
Some will call this post being transparent. I think that seems to be the buzzword today. But when we take these steps that you suggest, we simply being honest. Brutal and sometimes gut wrenching honesty. Call it transparency or vulnerability, and those words might be right, but this is a post about being completely honest with yourself. Grateful for you, Jon.
Absolutely true. I just made myself a “phone jail” where I put my phone during dinner and during a family activity afterwards, so I’m not tempted to neglect the beautiful people in my house 🙂 it has worked out great so far.
If you donate about 2 minutes to reading this post about time, it will help you understand how to use time better. https://stevesimms.wordpress.com/2015/01/27/its-about-time-for-a-brief-about-time/
READ MY LIFE STORY HOW I WAS HELPED BY THIS GREAT MAN,When i was a young lady i was looking for a man that we love and cherish me,the most men i meet they use me and dope me,at first they tell me that they love me as time goes on they started hate me,so when i was 34year old i was not have any body to call my lover and also due for married,i was looking for any man that we marry me so that i can have my own kids,My two younger sister have got married one of them has a kid and the other is pregnant,i tough the world hate me so i try to live my life the way i found it,i now register a dating account hope that i will fine some that we love me,so lucky for me i found a Spanish man who i love and he also love me i told him to come to my country he said no that we should just be dating through the Internet i was surprise because he always tell me that he love me and he can do any thing to have me,so i try and look for help for my problem i told my sister and she told me about this great man that helped her friend to get back her lover,we called her friend to give us the contact of this great man,which she did i call him and told him every thing,he now said that i should call him in one hour time, i call him he told me that i was the one that cause the problem that when i was young i cause and old men who has black power so she lay a cause on me and i remember that day but the man is die now i told the the great man he said he knows that he can still help me that he need some items to brake the spell,so i did what Dr Ogogodu told me to do the great man,he told me that within 48hours my problem we be solve,when it was 45hours my ex lover who broke up with me last 5years call me and told me that he still love me that he want me to marry him so many men where asking me to marry them that was how i found my husband,i am so happy,my advice to young lady be good to everyone,My name is Jones Michelle I live in UK,If also you need is help contact him on email [email protected] or call is cell number +2348078999655 and he will help you out.