First Things First

& nbsp;

As I sit here procrastinating about writing this blog, I wonder what are those 7 Habits of Highly Effective People? I have not read the book by Stephen R. Covey, although right now I’m wishing that I had. As I struggle over the topic for this blog, my phone is ringing; I have letters to get out, emails to answer and a trial to prepare for. I’m sure that there is something in that book to help me get through what is on my desk and what waits for me at home.

With multiple avenues for communication, I often find myself inundated with things to do. A simple to do list has become multiple lists. Keeping track of my to do lists is something to do. Now, before I go to bed at night, I go back to the list and add things, but at the same time I write down or at least think about all of the things that I have accomplished. This helps me sleep in order to be effective the next day.

I remember reading in a book once that you should never be bored. I found that to be great advice, but for me that translated into never being still. I do get a lot done in the day; however I tend to move from sun up to sun down. I watch my kids now and comment that they do not stop moving until they fall to sleep. The proverbial apples did not fall far from the tree.

It is incredibly easy in these times to become overwhelmed. Every headline today is of something disheartening, the economy turning for the worse and someone’s life falling apart. It is easy to focus on the negative as opposed to thinking win/win (the 4th Habit of a Highly Effective Person). I am thankful for the time when my blackberry goes down, or my computer freezes up because it allows me to be still and give focus to those wonderful people that I work for.