one step forward
i mentioned in a recent post that i’m not a particularly goal-oriented person. after some reflection, i’ve decided that what i don’t mean is that i never set goals. in fact, i make new goals quite often. i just don’t usually accomplish them, and i’ve come to accept that as normal.
as i think about the kinds of goals i’ve set in recent months, i realize that the main problem is that i’m a terrible multi-tasker. i can’t talk on the phone & do the dishes. i can’t bake & do laundry. i certainly can’t do anything while checking facebook.
when it comes to small daily tasks, not being able to multi-task is not really a problem. it just means i need to do one thing at a time (can you tell i don’t have kids yet?). but i’m noticing a similar trend with long-term tasks and goals as well. here are some common examples:
- when i’m diligent reading the word daily, i rarely work out, but when i exercise regularly, i forget to read my bible
- when i’m frequently interacting with my neighbors and local friends, i forget to call home & talk to my family & friends, but when i’m focused on regular chats with family i’m slack in spending time with locals
- when i focus on real food, new recipes, and creative shopping, my passion for my work dwindles, but as i shift my attention to our work, real food goals go out the window
these are just a few examples, and they don’t always come in neat pairs. overall, when i choose to set goals and make a plan to achieve those goals, the other goals & plans i already have get set aside. that said, i recently made some new goals for incorporating exercise into my weekly activity, and i came up with some motivating rewards to help me achieve them. i’m hoping that awareness is the first step to recovery in this case – hoping that knowing my tendency towards imbalance will help me to be more alert to it this time around.
so, how do you avoid this kind of imbalance?
one is silver 
I avoid the imbalance my never setting goals 🙂
Heh, actually, not quite the case. I’ve found it’s helpful to focus on one thing at a time until it becomes a habit. i.e. Spend a long time doing daily Bible reading until it comes super naturally. Then move on to doing the same with exercise, and hopefully the Bible reading habit sticks around.
This is David. I’m also a one-track-mind kind of person, so I have to set up a daily and weekly schedule to keep life balanced. Ex. After lunch each day I pr, read Scr and rest. After work almost every day Heidi and I take an exercise hike. On Saturday mornings, I (often with Heidi) take a longer hike. On Sundays, we walk to chrch and later I walk to our favorite restaurant, etc.During our walks together, Heidi and I catch up on the day and sometimes pr together. Often, I need her help to remember our prayer time together at home. Maybe Dan can help keep you balanced and you him.