Last year, I blogged about a new boundary I had set for myself. The boundary, which I formed after listening to a teaching by Craig Groeschel, had to do with making my evenings sacred. I was determined that when my daughter was born, she would have a daddy in the evenings. Well, she has been born (and she is awesome), and I played with her on the floor for over an hour last night (which was awesome).
Well, I'm a little over a year into it, and I am pleased to let you know I have done a pretty good job at keeping this boundary. I keep a sharp eye on my calendar, and I rarely have more than one meeting during the evenings each week. I have found that when I control my schedule, instead of the other way around, I get more accomplished (and am less likely to go AWOL).
Enter new challenges: I have recently been given more responsibility at work (which is a good thing, right?). This has forced me to evaluate my time even further. So, back in December, I read Making Ideas Happen. This book transformed the way I set my calendar, organize my files, and prioritize my life...yes, my life. I am even tracking my hours to stay focused each week (I work hard to limit myself to a 50-55 hour workweek). I highly recommend this book if you find yourself banging your head against the wall as you try and fit everything into 24 hours. Lord knows, that is one reason I picked up the book in the first place. We must plan to be successful with our responsibilities. If we just react to the world around us, we'll go nuts.
I am about five weeks into this new challenge of added vocational responsibility, and no one has called for my head (yet...it will happen, I am sure...that's part of leading others). Hopefully, 2012 will roll around (if the world doesn't end first) and I will have another positive update. Accountability is rare...who holds you accountable?
