Sticking to the Important List!

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This year I have been thinking about ways to be more productive by spending more time doing enriching activities - i.e. the things that will make me a better person over the long haul. Thinking is the operant word here, because in some cases I have not been very successful. I guess you could say I am doing a little life-"editing" at the moment. The closer I get to 30, the more I am considering how I use and spend my precious time. Frankly, I think its important to add a little momento mori to your life to keep your focus fixed on what is important.

Making a list of important, enriching, and productive tasks is easy for me. Adhering to that list is not. A quick list of items I would like to dedicate more attention to are:

• writing/blogging
• reading (especially offline)
• listening to podcasts/audiobooks
• drinking more water/being more health-conscious
• exercising
• playing guitar

Unfortunately, much of my time gets wasted on less productive, less enriching acts:

• Watching TV/Netflix
• Vegging out online
• Shopping for the next thing online
• Playing computer games

Between these two lists, there is a major disconnect in the way I spend my time. I know the things I should be focusing on/doing, but it is a lot easier to default to the second list of entertaining distractions/diversions. These things are easier, more fun, and demand less of my attention and dedication. Ultimately, however, they do not end up making me feel like I have accomplished much. So, the task is to figure out how to devote more attention to the first, more important list. And, that is what my attention has been set on this year. I have been figuring out better habits for myself, and now I am figure out how to follow through with those better habits. 

Part of the success of better habits I think is based on having a gentle, helpful, and understanding view of the long term. For instance, I am writing/blogging more this year, but maybe not as much as I should be. Still, this is a win! I am reading more this year, but only by degrees from last year. Still, this too is a win! I read somewhere that everyone should aim to get 1% better each day. That is a small win, but over the long haul, people could see some major results. 

I am trying to live my life according to the philosophy that time is precious. In doing so, I have to take stock on how I spend my time. Really, I would just like to live life to the fullest and use my time wisely. In the end, I think this is what everyone wishes. But, let's face it, it's hard to adhere to the important list!