Doing More With Less: A Look at your To’s, Who’s, You, and Do’s

I'm reading The Power of Less by Leo Babuata (of Zen Blog.) Like many of you I've been inundated and am inundated with too many things.

Orchmid's Photo Stream – Creative Commons

Too
Too much email…
Too many things to do…
Too many chores at home…
Too much mail coming into my house…
Too Too Too Too

One
I don't need “too” what I need is one. Focus on one task at a time. Focus on one goal at a time. Multitasking is a myth.

Focus
I was reading today in the Message translation of Luke Chapter 9

” Jesus said, ‘What a generation…No focus to your lives!…”

This reiterated some of the words I was reading in Leo's book. If you look at Leo's Zen habits from his blog, you'll see that the post 10 Things You can Do Today to Simplify Your Life has as the #4 item “set limits.
The fact is:

I am most often to blame for my “too's.” 

How about you?

I'm the one who subscribed to several hundred feeds in my RSS reader. I'm the one who didn't take time to remove my name from those awful mailing lists. I'm the one who “gave away” my email to get some freebie I don't care about only to have my email given to several thousand spammers. I'm the one who said yes to something good that I really didn't have time to do.

Toolstop's Flickr Photo Stream – Creative Commons – some rights reserved

But one point Leo also makes is one I've been applying in my own life and that is FOCUS. Really, focus on one thing – get that out of the way and then focus on another. If you don't focus, you get nowhere!!

“A thousand wishes won't catch any fishes.”

It isn't about wishing it is about doing. And sometimes doing means you have to pick.

Some people use the term “bandwidth” and yes, that term is OK, but I think it is more about longevity. Would you rather be available 24/7 and do everything possible for 3 years or have a career where you work 5 days a week and a few weekend days a month for 30 years? Which will contribute more to society?

Bandwidth will allow you to use up to the full bandwidth at any point with no degredation of service. The fact is that a human's “bandwidth” is more variable and that if you use a lot of it one day – there is less to use the next and so forth. (I'm living this with jet lag from my trip to China and Pennsylvania right now.) So, longevity is really more important. Sustainable performance.

As Much As You Will Give
This world will take just as much as you give it. Your job will take as much as you give it. And when you die from exhaustion, they'll shake their head, name some awards after you and talk about your tireless service and move on without you!

This world needs you and what you have to offer but in order for you to give it on an ongoing basis- you have to be ALIVE!

Today, we had an assembly about our runner up state championship girls basketball team and the coach said,

“I always tell my girls that in this world nobody is going to give you anything – you have to fight for it.”

And that is true. No one is going to give you ANYTHING and if you want to get something you  have to FOCUS and fight for it.

You know I could be “Mrs. Perfect” and answer all 900 something emails that have accumulated in my inbox in the week I've been gone to China but you know what – the 200 emails from nameless, faceless PR firms who don't care one bit about my readers or me – they don't care – if I reply, they'll keep on sending me JUNK – of which I care about less than 3%! So, why bother? I'm using MailWasher Pro and I'm washing those folks out of my hair.

I have time for my friends and unless the PR firm wants to read David Meerman Scott's expert book on Social media (The New Rules of Marketing and PR: How to Use Social Media, Blogs, News Releases, Online Video, and Viral Marketing to Reach Buyers Directly, 2nd Edition) as they deal with me – then I'm going to ignore them. (PR and Advertising people should read that book and get a clue!)


So – let's take a Look.


Step #1 – Look at your “to's”
Ask yourself these questions:

  • What am I able to eliminate?
  • What am I able to cancel?
  • What am I able to ignore?
  • What am I able to filter?
  • What am I able to remove?
  • What am I able to simplify?

Step #2 – Look at your “You”

  • Are you treating your body in a way that it will last?
  • Do you feel good most days?
  • Are you eating right?
  • Are you getting enough rest?
  • Are you exercising?

If not, why not? It starts with you. Peak performance happens when you are well rested and well cared for. We all go through stages when this isn't possible but if we take care of ourselves the other times, we'll have a reservoir to be able to make it through those tough times without pushing ourselves into a heart attack.

Step #3: Look at Your “Who”

  • Who do you love?
  • Who do you care about?
  • Who do you want to know better?
  • Who gives you a reason for living?
  • Who do you want to help and influence both now and as part of your legacy?

The problem w/ our “who's” is that they are often there and taken for granted – they don't go on our list. Our Lists have lots of “do's” but often don't include the “who's.”

Then… look again at your Do's. 

Your Do's should get rid of as many unmeaningful unbeneficial “to's” as possible while taking care of “you” and remembering “who” is important to you.

Focus on what is important and start now. So many people do goal setting in January and emerge with a laundry list that looks good on paper and would make the perfect human! But perfect humans don't exist on this planet and the people who do the most focus.

Let's get more out of life.. it's too short.

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Vicki Davis

Vicki Davis

Vicki Davis is a full-time classroom teacher and IT Director in Georgia, USA. She is Mom of three, wife of one, and loves talking about the wise, transformational use of technology for teaching and doing good in the world. She hosts the 10 Minute Teacher Podcast which interviews teachers around the world about remarkable classroom practices to inspire and help teachers. Vicki focuses on what unites us -- a quest for truly remarkable life-changing teaching and learning. The goal of her work is to provide actionable, encouraging, relevant ideas for teachers that are grounded in the truth and shared with love. Vicki has been teaching since 2002 and blogging since 2005. Vicki has spoken around the world to inspire and help teachers reach their students. She is passionate about helping every child find purpose, passion, and meaning in life with a lifelong commitment to the joy and responsibility of learning. If you talk to Vicki for very long, she will encourage you to "Relate to Educate" or "innovate like a turtle" or to be "a remarkable teacher." She loves to talk to teachers who love their students and are trying to do their best. Twitter is her favorite place to share and she loves to make homemade sourdough bread and cinnamon rolls and enjoys running half marathons with her sisters. You can usually find her laughing with her students or digging into a book.

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20 comments

Donna Gaudet March 3, 2011 - 7:43 pm

Fantastic article. I actually took the time TO read it and I DO believe it will help me remember to focus. :-0)

Sklausmeyer March 3, 2011 - 7:56 pm

What a great post! I need to take time to read it each day. Thanks so much!

Coffeechugbooks March 3, 2011 - 8:18 pm

The best post I have read this year. Great insights and thoughts. It has inspired me TO read Leo Babuata and create my own blog post to help students and teachers in my area. Thanks

coolcatteacher March 3, 2011 - 10:55 pm

Love it!! Nice comment!

Vicki Davis
Cool Cat Teacher Blog

Building the bridges of today that the society of tomorrow will walk across.

Sent from my iPod touch

coolcatteacher March 3, 2011 - 10:55 pm

Thank you for commenting!

Vicki Davis
Cool Cat Teacher Blog

Building the bridges of today that the society of tomorrow will walk across.

Sent from my iPod touch

coolcatteacher March 3, 2011 - 10:56 pm

Wow! What a compliment! Thank you!!!

Vicki Davis
Cool Cat Teacher Blog

Building the bridges of today that the society of tomorrow will walk across.

Sent from my iPod touch

Edwardsco March 4, 2011 - 2:21 am

I am a 3rd grade teacher at Hughes Springs, TX. I have really enjoyed reading your blog. I hope you don’t mind that I have added you to my blog roll. My classroom is just beginning a blog this year. We are so excited to learn and share new things! Our blog is http://edwards3rdgrade.blogspot.com/

Denise Krebs March 4, 2011 - 3:54 pm

Vicki, nice challenge. I’m glad it’s the weekend because I definitely need to wash some things out of my hair! I’m coming back to this to do a re-assessment and spring cleaning of my reader and email filters, as well as spend some time on me and the ones I love.
Thanks for the challenge,
Denise

coolcatteacher March 5, 2011 - 5:07 am

Good luck! Me too!

Vicki Davis
Cool Cat Teacher Blog

Building the bridges of today that the society of tomorrow will walk across.

Sent from my iPod touch

Jacob Gonyea March 5, 2011 - 9:47 pm

I especially enjoyed your statement: “focus on one task at a time. Focus on one goal at a time. Multitasking is a myth.” This is sometimes difficult to achieve. Take for instance my typical night at home: eating a meal, responding to text messages, updating my Facebook, reading the latest Twitter feed, checking my work and personal emails, conducting research for my doctorate, and having the television on. I believe it is possible to multitask, but it is sometimes mentally draining to have your mind going in so many different directions.

coolcatteacher March 6, 2011 - 3:48 am

To me I am finding that less is more productive sometimes! I multitask a lot as well but often find myself focusing on one task over the others! I read today if we focus on enjoying our food and slow down we can lose 20 lbs just with that one change!!!

Vicki Davis
Cool Cat Teacher Blog

Building the bridges of today that the society of tomorrow will walk across.

Sent from my iPod touch

coolcatteacher March 6, 2011 - 3:52 am

Sure! Thank you for sharing and good luck!

Vicki Davis
Cool Cat Teacher Blog

Building the bridges of today that the society of tomorrow will walk across.

Sent from my iPod touch

Cinderelda6290 March 7, 2011 - 2:49 am

As a full time teacher, mother, commuter, and doctoral student, I find myself with many DO’s. I appreciate the reminder of the WHO’s. I agree that many times in our busy lives it is the WHO’s who are taken for granted and left behind. A timely, and much needed reminder.

Meg March 7, 2011 - 4:01 pm

Thank you. I think I just needed permission.

coolcatteacher March 8, 2011 - 7:10 pm

Yes, we do take our who’s for granted!

Wool Felt March 9, 2011 - 12:28 pm
mrsdurff March 14, 2011 - 1:36 am

You might also find interesting “Living more with less” Doris Janzen Longacre

plnaugle March 14, 2011 - 1:52 am

Brilliant, Vicki. Too many of us struggle each day with our TO do list that never seems too get done while ignoring our YOU’s and WHO’s. Thanks for helping me focus.

coolcatteacher March 14, 2011 - 3:19 am

I will look at it!! Thank you, my friend!

Vicki Davis
Cool Cat Teacher Blog

Building the bridges of today that the society of tomorrow will walk across.

Sent from my iPod touch

coolcatteacher March 14, 2011 - 3:20 am

Have a wonderful week! Thank you for starting mine off on a high note with your comment!

Vicki Davis
Cool Cat Teacher Blog

Building the bridges of today that the society of tomorrow will walk across.

Sent from my iPod touch

Comments are closed.

The Cool Cat Teacher Blog
Vicki Davis writes The Cool Cat Teacher Blog for classroom teachers everywhere
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