One of the interesting elements of my job is that every 3 months or so, our daily work gets so intense that I lose all perspective and it becomes the only thing I think about for about two weeks. I don't tend to blog, do any social networking, or even call my family for these periods, as the days are just too intense, and too long, with each day (including weekends) ending between 10 and 12 p.m.
It's now late January, and after a longer-than-usual period of intensity at work, I can finally pull my head up, look around again, and try an establish a sense of normalcy in my life. I've reintroduced myself to my family, gotten a few decent night's sleep, and feel ready to start working on my January goals. Alas, I only have 5 days left in the month, so I better get cracking.
And that last sentence is one of my bigger problems. I finally have a few days to relax, but I won't. I'll work to get done a number of things that were on my list for the month, because they are there to be done, and at some point, I had decided that doing these things were in my best interest.
But intensity does not make up for consistency. There are lots of projects where dedicated intense time will get them completed - I can write a budget, build a first aid kit or read a novel in a short span when it's needed. Unfortunately, most of the goals I have are really about forming new habits, or developing myself physically and mentally, things which don't lend themselves to intensity.
These types of development goals require consistency. Doing 100 pushups a day will develop me well; doing 600 in one day to make up for the rest of the week will make me sore and injured. Reading the news each day makes me aware of what's going on; reading once a month will update me, but will take extra time to get 'caught up'. Spending every minute of two days with my boys is not as good as being home for dinner every night. Creative writing is an ongoing process; writing four blog posts in a weekend, not as interesting.
So now it's time to return to those daily habits I'm trying to build. Pushups, stretching, prayer, social networking, daily family dinner, and other habits that are good for my long-term health, success and happiness. Am I trying to do too much each day? Yeah, maybe. But all of it is good for me, and worth doing. If I spend an hour each day focused on these things, I'll be a better man for it, and maybe I can fit all of these in when the intensity ramps back up again.
Sunday, January 26, 2014
Sunday, January 5, 2014
Dedication Matters
It's been a very snowy few days here in the Northeast US, and that 'vacation' feel I talked about earlier really hasn't changed.
We had one day of school and 'regular' work, but then a storm hit, and everything shut down again. Schools closed, roads covered and treacherous, even the superhighways closed. Frankly, though, I had had enough of working from home, and decided on Friday that I was going to get to the office, despite the obstacles. I'm not really sure why, but something drove me to be there.
The roads weren't great, but were passable. I was driving on a six-lane highway for a few miles with no other cars in sight, but I took it slow (30-40MPH) and I wasn't sliding around. I hit the NY border, and had asphalt under my tires. All good, right?
I was surprised that I was the first car in the parking lot.....but not that the parking lot wasn't fully plowed yet. What surprised me more was that by noon, there were only 11 cars on the site (normally probably about 1,000). My company promotes working from home, so we all have the infrastructure, and many people were doing just that. It seemed others had more sense than I did, 'cause everyone was working, just not at the office.
But then a knock on my office door. It was the woman who collects the garbage from all of the offices, and she was doing her normal rounds. Probably an easier day for her, I thought, as none of the offices were open or being used, but she was there when no one else was. So was the guy who vacuums the floors on Friday night. And the guy who made sandwiches in the cafeteria for the few people who were there. And as I left, the person who polishes the floors in the vestibule.
Yes, people in these jobs might not get paid unless they showed up for work, so they have a definite interest in being there. But I thought hard about the dedication to the job that each of them displayed, and the fact that every single one of them greeted me with a big smile and a "Hello" (really, "Hola" in most cases, but that's no big deal). Each of them had braved the snow / ice / bad roads to get to their job; they didn't wimp out, they didn't grumble through their day, begrudging the fact that they had to work when it appeared no one else was. They seemed happy to be there in service, and intent on doing their job to the same standard they had always maintained.
There's something to be said for that, but I haven't put it all together yet. There's a positive attitude, a willingness to serve others, a dedication to do a job and do it well, that I really respect. I hope to show more of those attitudes through this year myself.
Recent runs:
1/3: 10K on the treadmill.
1/4: 2 mile run, 1 mile walk, all treadmill
1/5: 8 miles running 6 laps around the parking lot of the local mall. Just glad there's no treadmill.
We had one day of school and 'regular' work, but then a storm hit, and everything shut down again. Schools closed, roads covered and treacherous, even the superhighways closed. Frankly, though, I had had enough of working from home, and decided on Friday that I was going to get to the office, despite the obstacles. I'm not really sure why, but something drove me to be there.
The roads weren't great, but were passable. I was driving on a six-lane highway for a few miles with no other cars in sight, but I took it slow (30-40MPH) and I wasn't sliding around. I hit the NY border, and had asphalt under my tires. All good, right?
I was surprised that I was the first car in the parking lot.....but not that the parking lot wasn't fully plowed yet. What surprised me more was that by noon, there were only 11 cars on the site (normally probably about 1,000). My company promotes working from home, so we all have the infrastructure, and many people were doing just that. It seemed others had more sense than I did, 'cause everyone was working, just not at the office.
But then a knock on my office door. It was the woman who collects the garbage from all of the offices, and she was doing her normal rounds. Probably an easier day for her, I thought, as none of the offices were open or being used, but she was there when no one else was. So was the guy who vacuums the floors on Friday night. And the guy who made sandwiches in the cafeteria for the few people who were there. And as I left, the person who polishes the floors in the vestibule.
Yes, people in these jobs might not get paid unless they showed up for work, so they have a definite interest in being there. But I thought hard about the dedication to the job that each of them displayed, and the fact that every single one of them greeted me with a big smile and a "Hello" (really, "Hola" in most cases, but that's no big deal). Each of them had braved the snow / ice / bad roads to get to their job; they didn't wimp out, they didn't grumble through their day, begrudging the fact that they had to work when it appeared no one else was. They seemed happy to be there in service, and intent on doing their job to the same standard they had always maintained.
There's something to be said for that, but I haven't put it all together yet. There's a positive attitude, a willingness to serve others, a dedication to do a job and do it well, that I really respect. I hope to show more of those attitudes through this year myself.
Recent runs:
1/3: 10K on the treadmill.
1/4: 2 mile run, 1 mile walk, all treadmill
1/5: 8 miles running 6 laps around the parking lot of the local mall. Just glad there's no treadmill.
Thursday, January 2, 2014
January 2nd
Remember what I said about habits, and being in the same place triggering old ones? That's a rule for a reason. First day back at work; first day resuming old habits. But this time, I caught myself, and made a change. A bit late to really say that I reformed, but at least I noticed the habits recurring when they came.
That's a start, and I took a few moments to reflect, and then to reorganize. If I can eliminate triggers by changing something up, then maybe one action doesn't snowball into a series of familiar ones. We'll see.
Run today: 1.5 miles in the snow. Lots of snow expected tonight. Still want to get to the office in the morning, though.
That's a start, and I took a few moments to reflect, and then to reorganize. If I can eliminate triggers by changing something up, then maybe one action doesn't snowball into a series of familiar ones. We'll see.
Run today: 1.5 miles in the snow. Lots of snow expected tonight. Still want to get to the office in the morning, though.
Wednesday, January 1, 2014
New Beginnings (2014 Edition)
This morning was a great morning! I was thinking: It's New Year's Day, and I've got a clean slate. This new year is fresh and full of possibility - there is nothing that is out of my reach! Now is a great time to effect changes in my environment, in my approach, and in my attitude. Opportunities and challenges will present themselves in the coming days, weeks, and months, and I'm looking forward to every single one!
Then I had to get out of bed.
Those thoughts stuck with me though, more than I remember in prior years. I've been thinking a lot about change recently, and some changes I'd like to make. I actually started making them last summer: I moved my family to a new time (not very far this time), became a Boy Scout leader, and began a religious education program (as a student, not a teacher) to join my church "officially". I did manage to lose some weight, though by New Year's Eve, I'd gained some of it back if only temporarily. And I made a change to be home for dinner with my family each night, which really did have an impact on me and them. I probably missed it at least once per week, but the other nights helped to strengthen our bonds.
There's more I need to do (but isn't there always?). This year, I'd like to change my attitude at work. 2013 was a bad year for my influence and impact, and a lot of that had to do with a chip I carried on my shoulder for most of the year. OK. actually maybe two; but I'm over that now, and accepting the changes that led to my attitude I plan to approach the year in a more systematic and less manic way, and try to calm the ripples that head my way, rather than amplify them.
I'd also like to change my nutrition habits - really more tweaking than wholesale change; I eat pretty well today with a healthy proportion of vegetables in my diet, and not much meat or fats. My two weaknesses of sugary snack and diet sodas have to be cut back though. They affect me in ways I don't fully appreciate, in in both mind and body, and I know I can do without them, or at least consume more moderately than I do today.
Big thoughts for a morning in January.
The next 10 days will set the tone for the year. I've been 'on vacation' for the last 10 days, so I haven't been to my office (but took Many Many calls every day). Getting back into the real grind will test my commitment to personal change. Habits are tough to break, and they are reinforced when we're put into familiar situations. They say it takes 28 days to change a habit; my personal history says two weeks to lock in change, and a lifetime of discipline to keep it from returning. That's true of both physical habits (like eating and exercise) and mental ones (like attitude and one's approach to interpersonal relations).
Here's to hope that my clean slate stays clean.
Then I had to get out of bed.
Those thoughts stuck with me though, more than I remember in prior years. I've been thinking a lot about change recently, and some changes I'd like to make. I actually started making them last summer: I moved my family to a new time (not very far this time), became a Boy Scout leader, and began a religious education program (as a student, not a teacher) to join my church "officially". I did manage to lose some weight, though by New Year's Eve, I'd gained some of it back if only temporarily. And I made a change to be home for dinner with my family each night, which really did have an impact on me and them. I probably missed it at least once per week, but the other nights helped to strengthen our bonds.
There's more I need to do (but isn't there always?). This year, I'd like to change my attitude at work. 2013 was a bad year for my influence and impact, and a lot of that had to do with a chip I carried on my shoulder for most of the year. OK. actually maybe two; but I'm over that now, and accepting the changes that led to my attitude I plan to approach the year in a more systematic and less manic way, and try to calm the ripples that head my way, rather than amplify them.
I'd also like to change my nutrition habits - really more tweaking than wholesale change; I eat pretty well today with a healthy proportion of vegetables in my diet, and not much meat or fats. My two weaknesses of sugary snack and diet sodas have to be cut back though. They affect me in ways I don't fully appreciate, in in both mind and body, and I know I can do without them, or at least consume more moderately than I do today.
Big thoughts for a morning in January.
The next 10 days will set the tone for the year. I've been 'on vacation' for the last 10 days, so I haven't been to my office (but took Many Many calls every day). Getting back into the real grind will test my commitment to personal change. Habits are tough to break, and they are reinforced when we're put into familiar situations. They say it takes 28 days to change a habit; my personal history says two weeks to lock in change, and a lifetime of discipline to keep it from returning. That's true of both physical habits (like eating and exercise) and mental ones (like attitude and one's approach to interpersonal relations).
Here's to hope that my clean slate stays clean.
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