The Most Precious Resource

The digital clock over my Houston home’s stove. June 2013.

At this moment in my professional life, I’m

• working hard to rapidly scale FrogDog;

• preparing to undertake large-scale repurposing at the Eigel Street Twin Flames Properties commercial office building to give it more rentable space; and

• performing final due diligence on a third business opportunity (that’s looking like a go).

Among many other priorities and commitments. The bullets outline only the high-level items. Yep.

All these activities leave very little time for my personal goals, including that novel draft I mentioned, this blog, the close friends and family I value so highly, health and fitness priorities, and the solitude that, as an introvert, I so desperately need.

Time is our most precious resource.

In the quotidian churn, we easily allow our reticence about declining requests to encroach on how we should best spend our time. Over-committing strings and stresses and, eventually, burns us out.

I’ve created a quarterly recurring Outlook task that prompts me to evaluate my obligations and axe the ones that don’t align with my intention for the short term and my goals for the long term.

My diligence in this area required utter frazzle and exhaustion and two friends’ intervention. They felt serious concern for me. Epiphany of the obvious, thanks to their guidance: I only have so many hours in my day. And in my life. I can say no. I can prioritize based on what I most need and value.

And once I better guarded and apportioned my personal and professional minutes and hours, not only did my mood and attitude and resilience improve, but so did my results.

How do you prioritize your time?