Could You Use An Extra Helping Of....Time?

Could you use a little more... time?  I've never bumped into a small business owner who said, "My biggest problem is that I have too much leisure time." 

I'm currently reading the book Necessary Endings by Dr. Henry Cloud.  It was a kind gift from a friend who thought it might be helpful in my work advising owners of family owned small businesses.  The premise is that we sometimes struggle or just plain get stuck, in life and in business, with "endings" - - stopping or bringing an end to activities, relationships and businesses.  We pursue good things but not the best, try to rehabilitate people and enterprises that are never going to succeed, or try to revive situations that are long, long dead and gone.  Essentially, we waste time in areas that rob us from pursuing our very best.  

How productive and effective could you be if you spent most of your time on the very best things in life, both personally and professionally?  To focus there, you have to decisively choose to bring some things to a necessary end.

One of my all time favorite books, 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, by Stephen Covey explores the principle of "First Things First".  Dr. Covey urges leaders (as well as business owners and all individuals) to focus on the "not urgent and important" things in life.  Don't you sometimes get the feeling that you are spinning your wheels addressing urgent situations throughout the day, only to reflect back in your exhaustion to realize that the things you pursued really weren't that important in the long run?  Stephen Covey would encourage you to spend less and less time on urgent situations, which will allow you more and more time to address important aspects of life and business.

Perhaps the way to "make more time" is to consciously choose to stop doing some of the things you currently do.  Wisdom says to the weary, to those who dream of a 30 hour day, stop doing the urgent and unimportant, bring these things to a necessary end.

Quick quiz:  What will you stop doing TODAY to allow more time for the very best in your life?

Thanks for sharing 117 seconds of your day,
Smitty