Tag Archives: Priorities

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One Word 365 – 2020 Edition

Finding One Word To Live By For 2020

New Years Resolutions have never been something I have invested myself into. First, I never really saw much point. And second, when I did try, I usually failed at keeping them pretty quickly. My approach over the years has been more goal oriented, and not resolution oriented. Mostly.

One Word 365

Several years ago, I stumbled across the idea of choosing a single word to live by for the year. This has been a paradigm shift in my thinking in a lot of ways, and for several reasons. Let me give you a glimpse into my thought process.

I usually start thinking about this in October. That’s the time of year that I go to Colorado for a retreat called Wilderness. That’s where I review my Life Plan in detail and examine what God has been dong in my life closely to see how I can take further steps forward in the coming year. That week in the mountains is kind of my “spiritual fiscal” year. It’s a critical time for my spiritual and personal growth.

And that’s when I start asking God for a concept to focus on for the coming year. The past three years, I have used words that were all similar in how they were impacting my life: “present,” “unhurried,” and “balance.” Those all held similar goals and strategies for my life, and I feel like God taught me a lot over those years. (Here’s a list that provides an overview of all the words I have selected since 2011.)

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The Full Focus Planner

Achieving More With A New Planning Tool

I have always seemed to struggle with keeping a calendar consistently. It has just seemed to be an area where I could not maintain any continuity, and every system I tried failed. Until now.

Full Focus Planner

Keeping a calendar has always been hard. I started off in college by using the DayTimer system. I initially used the small, pocket sized planners. But eventually I “upgraded” to the Desk size, and purchased a few different leather covers to go with it over the years. It was a good system, but I struggled to keep it with me, and found that when I needed it, it was either at home or at the office… wherever I wasn’t. And, over time, I just stopped using it.

I moved to jotting things onto a wall calendar, hanging by my desk, and then to a deskpad type calendar. Those seemed to work for a while, but I ran into the same problem. I never had it with me when I needed to check something.

When I got my first BlackBerry, and then later moved to an iPhone, I thought my problems were solved. I started using the calendars on those devices, eventually settling on Google Calendar, which synced across all my devices. This seemed to be much more effective, but I had one small problem. I love writing, especially using pens, and specifically, using vintage fountain pens. While Google calendar was effective, I still struggled to use it. I just forced myself to use it, because what other option did I have?

And while Google does a great job of keeping my appointments, it doesn’t help much at all with my tasks or goals. It still wasn’t fully what I needed.

Several months ago, I discovered a new planner, a paper planner, and a full-feature planner. I was intrigued, but skeptical. So I started digging. I found others who used it, and looked over how they implemented it. I watched videos about it. I read blogs about it. Finally, I decided to pick one up and try it out.

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Getting Things Done With Todoist

Implementing A New Productivity Tool

For the last few years, I have used an online task manager to keep track of all my projects, tasks, and other items to be done. But recently, I have made a switch that has helped tremendously.

Todoist

Since 2011, I have used a task manager called Nozbe. Even though I have switched, it’s not because this was a bad product, or something I didn’t like. I have just found a few things that work better for me. Nozbe is a great product, and a great company. The only drawback in my experience is the expense. They are one of the more pricey task management systems out there.

A few months ago, I started using a new planner, which has become the most effective tool in that regard in my life. It has been a game changer. I’ll share more about it in a later post.

But, from that change, I also incorporated a hybrid task management system, with a fresh start in a new piece of software. I have made the switch to Todoist, and when paired with my planner, this has become a highly effective tool in my arsenal.

Todoist allows me to incorporate my task list into projects (Nozbe did as well, but Todoist seems easier to use). Those projects are the things that I need to get done to advance my work and my personal tasks and goals. I have set this up in almost every area of my life, from goals like growing in my skill as a guitarist, to weekly tasks, like sermon preparation, which contains several sub-tasks.

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Life Plan Review

Staying On Top Of The Greater Things

Several years ago, I developed a Life Plan, outlining the most important aspects of my life, and what I wanted to achieve in each of those areas. Periodically, I take the time to review that plan, in order to make sure I stay on track.

Life Plan Review

I was first introduced to the idea of a Life Plan by Michael Hyatt, through his blog on leadership. At that point, he was the CEO of Thomas Nelson Publishers, and was striving to help others develop their leadership abilities on the side. Since then, he has made his leadership platform his main work, and has developed it into a full time business.

His blog and podcast are full of great leadership resources. Most of these are designed for the corporate or business mind, but there is a lot of overlap into the church as well. I find a lot of his resources to be extremely helpful, to the point of being almost invaluable.

One such resource is the development of my Life Plan. I initially wrote out a detailed plan for my life around 2011, identifying those areas of my life that were most important to me, and striving to make them the best that they can be.

I have written about this before, describing what a Life Plan looks like, and how I have fit it into my life.

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Digital Minimalism

Takeaways From The March LeaderBooks Selection

I recently joined a book club designed for leadership building called LeaderBooks. The book selected for March was Digital Minimalism, by Cal Newport. Here are a few of my thoughts concerning the book, and my reactions to it.

Digital Minimalism

Our culture is noisy, and a voice of reason in the midst of that noise is needed. Cal Newport strives to be that voice with his book Digital Minimalism. The subtitle seems highly appropriate for the culture we live in: Choosing A Focused Life In A Noisy World.

The premise Newport begins with is that we have been hooked by the digital conglomerates that operate in our world, and we are no longer the user being targeted with need to fulfill. No, we are the product being sold, and our consistent tapping, clicking and swiping is an addictive habit that is designed to keep our attention focused in on the apps we use. Because, the longer we use them, the more money they make.

In response to this, Newport calls for a heavily moderated digital detox. His approach is simple. First, remove all optional digital use from your life for thirty days. After that time, as you allow certain products back in, evaluate just how effective they are at meeting your needs, and if there is a better tool, use it instead. Then, finally, you set the parameters that it can operate under. The digital product no longer has mastery; you do.

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One Word 365 – 2019 Edition

Finding One Word To Live By For 2019

For several years now, I have chosen one word by which I strive to live by for the year. I have never had much luck with resolutions at the beginning of a new year, and have much greater success by choosing a single word to make the focus of my personal growth for the next twelve months. I feel that I am able to become more of who I want to be, and more of who Gods wants me to be in this way.

One Word 365 - 2019 Edition

Over the past few years, I have chosen several words that have had a similar base to them. Last year, I chose to live “unhurried.” And the year before that, I chose to live in the “present.” Both of those stemmed from the feeling that God wanted me to live much more focused that I have been, and to set aside some things that, while being good things, were consuming much of my time and energy. This year’s word is along a similar vein.

I won’t go into details about all the words I have chosen to live by over the years (If you want to read through some of my other choices, and my reasons for them, here is a brief list). However, I will share with you that I believe that God is leading me to choose words words with similar concepts for a reason. I think he is continuing to grow me in these areas, and helping me to become more of the person he desires me to be.

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Finding A Quiet Place

Withdrawing To A Quiet Place For Prayer

Do you have a place where you can get away from everything for a few moments to be alone for the purpose of prayer? If not, you need to find a spot.

Finding A Quiet Place

Several times through the Gospels, we read of Jesus heading out to a solitary spot for the purpose of prayer. This was a very regular occurrence for Jesus, and it should be for us as well.

At daybreak, Jesus went out to a solitary place… – Luke 4:42a

I have found such a spot not too far from my home. It’s far enough that I can’t just go there any time I want, because it’s about an hour away, but it is near Springfield, where I find myself frequently for ministry errands, hospital calls, and personal stuff. So every now and then I stop by and sit for a while.

It provides a great place to pray and reflect on what God is doing in my life, and in the lives of my wife and kids. It provides a nice location to seek his presence in my life, which can be busy and full to the point that I can’t really hear the still, small voice of God. It provides an atmosphere that is calm and peaceful, which can help my stress levels to lower, and my hurried nature to slow down and breath deep of the love of God.