Check Your Calendar

Everyone has priorities. Everyone has things they view as important to their lives. Everyone has an idea of the rankings of these priorities in their lives. This ranking in mind is an interesting list to compare with what actually happens in your life. If you say something is important to you, check your calendar and see how much time it makes up in your schedule.

See how much time you are dedicating to something that you view as important. If your calendar is packed with time allotted for this activity, then you have a good perception of how your values and time align with what is important. If you see numerous other activities or commitments taking you away, you may need to reevaluate what is actually important to you or change your calendar to reflect your initial list.

Many people view family and spending time with family as a core component of their lives. Many people have this perception because they love their family. Many people also have this perception because they feel it should be a top priority. When you look at your calendar, do you see lots of free time where you spend time with family? Do you have time to call your parents, grandparents, or siblings to keep those relationships strong? Do you have time to spend with your immediate family and those in your household? Or is family time something you say is important, but lacks your time commitment according to your calendar? If you are so busy with work, other activities, and other responsibilities that you cannot choose to allocate time for family, is it really that important to you?

From a black and white perspective, it is not. Your calendar tells you so. If it is, realizing a lack of commitment can show what needs to be changed. It can show you need to cancel those extra plans or plan to make it home for dinner after work. If it is important to you, you should be able to find the time to make it a priority in your life.

Family is used as an example because of its general status of intended importance from person to person. Anything can be important to you, and this calendar perspective can be used to check anything in your life. If faith is important to you, how much of your time is taken up practicing it? If working out is important to you, how much time are you dedicating to sculpting your body? If playing a musical instrument or sport is important to you, how much time are you spending in the lab practicing? Check your calendar and see. If it is already important based on your time, you will know. If it isn’t, then you will need to adjust your priorities or make time. Check your calendar and see.