New Year...Changes Ahead

It's a new year, and a new decade.  Big deal...not news to anyone to be sure.  So what I am to do this year?  Make resolutions?  Reflect on the last year and come up with some earth shaking revelations?  Beat myself up for all the things I wanted to do last year but didn't?  Ponder the meaning of life?  Freak out over the fact that I am across the mid-point of my 40's and on my way to 50?
Answer: E - All of the above.

Seriously, though, it is a time for reflection and to make commitments to one's self and to establish some goals.  Businesses do it, sports teams do it, clubs and non-profit organizations do it...so why not the individual.

This week, on one of my typical insomniatic nights, I sat in the living room in some deep reflective thought (beating myself up a bit, again) and wanting to figure out how to keep "the important things" important and keep them in front of my face.  I decided to make a list of things that were important to me.  I also did some "accounting" for time, as time seems to become more and more my enemy as I get older.  I really struggle with understanding where all my time goes and I feel guilty for any time I spend doing anything that seems "unproductive" in any way.  It has become my true inner-demon.  Finally, I tried to come up with some objective self-criticism and some ways to improve and work on my weak areas. 

Here is what I came up with:
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Insights and Observations - Objectives for 2010


What is important to me?

1. My own physical health
a. Cycling
b. Strength Training
c. Core and flexibility
d. Diet
e. Sleep

2. My own mental and emotional health
a. Stress Management
b. Time Management
c. Work/Life Balance
d. Feeling a sense of value and accomplishment – both personally and professionally

3. My wife and my daughter
a. Quality Time spent with both
b. Investing in my relationship with my daughter – being a father, fully and completely
c. Nurturing my relationship with my wife
d. Seeking ways to keep life fun and interesting
e. Do something fun everyday (doesn’t have to be elaborate)

4. My family (Parents and Siblings)
a. Stay in touch
b. Call each at least weekly, if not more
c. Tell them I love them
d. Listen and help them to talk

5. My work
a. See # 2 above – all apply here
b. Setting goals for myself – 1 year, 3 year, 5 year
c. Plan the work and work the plan
d. Invest more time in building relationships – team as well as peers and next level of management
e. Ask for help
f. Building and establishing trust
g. Trusting others

6. My friends (close, old and personal ones)
a. Call weekly or at least email

7. Growth and continuous development/learning
a. Professionally – both technical and management
b. Personally – work on the big blocks – balance, being reasonable on self, parenting
c. Read – in general, more of everything

8. Establishing and investing in new relationships
a. Seek out new connections
b. Get out of my shell and comfort zone
c. Be a better listener and seek information
d. Be patient

9. Improving on weak areas – personally and professionally
a. Time management
b. Stress management
c. Communication
d. Work at being less introverted – be cautious about avoidance of conflict and situations that I don’t have control over
e. Forward thinking and planning
f. Living in the NOW


Where does my time go (currently)?
In a general sense:

Weekdays:
1. Sleeping – 6 hours
2. At work – 8.5 hours
3. Daughter – 1 hour
4. Wife – 1 hour
5. Fitness – 1 hour
6. Morning prep – 1 hour
7. Evening prep – 1 hour
8. Relaxing (doing nothing, watch TV, read before bed) – 2 hours (am and pm)
9. Travel – 1.5 hour
10. Eating – 1 hour

Weekend days:
1. Sleeping – 6 hours
2. Piddle (miscellaneous efforts) – 3 hours
3. Daughter – 2 hours
4. Wife – 2 hours
5. Fitness – 3 hours
6. Morning prep – 1 hour
7. Evening prep – 1 hour
8. Relaxing – 2 hours
9. Travel – 2 hours
10. Eating – 1.5 hours
11. Errands – 1 hour

Total = 24 hours

Improvement Opportunities

1. Improve Productivity through better planning and organizing
a. Spend 1 hour planning on Sunday night/Monday morning
b. Spend a few minutes at the end of each day organizing for the next day
c. Spend 1 hour on Friday afternoon organizing for next week

2. Gain efficiency in information management
a. Check e-mail three times a day – morning, after lunch, near end of day
b. Take notes/minutes from every conversation. Save and track by project/technology/issue

3. Improve meetings
a. Use the agenda
b. Force team to contribute and be prepared
c. I NEED TO BE PREPARED AND INVEST THE TIME
d. Follow-up needs to improve

4. Be conscious of the moment – live in the now
a. Better planning and organization should help with this – get it out of my head!

5. Make use of every moment!!!

6. Avoidance - Procrastination
a. Do not invest the time in avoidance. Just do it. It will go a long way to clearing my head and reducing anxiety.

7. Make a workout plan and adhere to it
a. Set goals
b. Tell people my goals to make me accountable
c. Document it and track it

8. DON’T SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF!!!
a. Everything should align with overall objectives and strategies. If it doesn’t, it likely is not that important!

9. Stop reacting to everything.
a. Sometimes it’s better to not react and make that part of the consequence of the action

I plan to review my list daily.  I have it pinned next to my monitor at work and a printed copy inside my notebook so it is always closeby.  I am a firm believer that we are all creatures of habit and that we need time to break old habits and time to form new ones.  Having the things that are important to me in front of me every day will help to keep me focused on what is truly important.