Thursday, February 17, 2011

Solving a Time Problem

All of the time I have on my hands right now could be due to a lack of focus on my endeavors. But it is plain to see that I could easily commit to more than I could possibly accomplish, yet there are large gaps between deliveries. An example is acting, where I am currently in performances that go on each Saturday night for six more. Another is pool where I am in a league that plays on Wednesday night and our team is slated to play in the playoffs at the end of February. A third is riding where I am riding on Monday nights and can’t justify the acquisition of a horse, by purchase, lease, or arrangement other than per occasion. The fourth is golf and it is not the season; my club dues are paid for this year and I’m ready to play but won’t until at least the middle of next month. All of the others are likewise in progress but there is nothing pressing in/on any of them to keep me fully occupied. So what is my point?

My point is the utilization of the in-between times. I don’t want to get into other things because I want to stay focused on the four major endeavors and then the other fourteen, likewise important but less. Whenever I have or think of a task to do on any of them, I do it.

All of them could benefit from more attention and the one that could stand a lot of attention, and require me to get out and do it, would be sketching; I could do this without commitment to big chunks of time and in order to make it interesting I would go somewhere to make the sketch. I have the goal of a sketch diary and know that it will be crude in the beginning but will improve over time. I have a sketch book that I can carry with me and I will from tomorrow on.

There are some criteria for utilizing this discretionary time, which I haven’t articulated as yet; this will be an attempt to do so. The criteria for “forget-me-nots” are a good example/pattern/model to follow. There are two general criteria, Absolute and Desirable. The Absolute is that it has to be something that will support and make progress toward the accomplishment of the dream for an endeavor. The Desirable are: a) it not be a task listed in the palm pilot (b) it not require more time than is available at the moment, (c) that it not interfere with any item in the palm pilot, IOW not keep me from doing s.t. that is already planned, and (d) that it not preclude doing chores and duties.

This seems to be a brilliant plan for chinking the interstices in the wall of the day. Where I now puzzle, surf, or idle; I can refer to the "why would I" for the endeavors and do s.t. that will move me toward accomplishing those dreams. Just referring to the these, now in the palm pilot, will reinforce same and give them top of mind awareness. Although not a criteria, it should be kept in mind that whatever is done would be okay as it is, IOW perfection is not necessarily the goal.

This will certainly work for the four and all the other endeavors. It will immediately require me to get in touch with the dream of each of them; s.t. that has been articulated, recorded, and reviewed when plotting and scheming; and now carried with me for referral at the odd moment. So item number one on the agenda is to get the dreams for the year into the palm pilot for ad hoc review.

In order to keep it positive and constructive, i.e. moving towards accomplishment of a dream, it would require staying in the moment as it is done. It would be preferable that it not be “junk miles” either. Junk miles defined as a running or walking pace that doesn’t improve aerobic fitness. In this sense we would be referring to doing s.t., even in the endeavor, that is a waste of time and not moving towards the accomplishment of a dream, like (take your choice) shooting pool without paying attention to the shot. And yet to get things started, activities could be in this category as long as they progress toward meeting the specification of moving toward the accomplishment of the dream.

Yes, I think we’re there. This entry is short but more would be a waste of words. Once again the blog has brought me to a conclusion and from here on out I will be more effectively spending my time.

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