You make time for what's important. I once read some advice that said: Don't say "I'm busy", say "It's not a priority". Then you will know whether you are making time for the right things. So when I hear "I'm busy", I also translate it to "It's not a priority". It's a good filter to see who thinks you are important enough to make time for, and then you can set your own priorities accordingly!
(okay, that paragraph above is a thought that basically summarizes up everything I want to say. But the background and additional thoughts are below...)
Since I read a lot of online articles (especially with friends sharing stuff on Facebook), sometimes I read the same things over and over again, because one website decides to parrot another, especially on "trending" items. Sometimes I read advice that makes sense, but it isn't often that I actually use some advice, and remember it down the road.
This piece of advice is different in that sense. I actually remember it, in its exact wording. I also use it when I tell myself I am too busy. And I find that it keeps making sense.
The surprising bit is this: Some articles are seen again and again on Facebook. I see someone sharing an article, and when I click on it, I realize that I have read the exact same thing before (whether it was from the same source, it doesn't matter, but what I mean here is that the content is basically the same). It is the same old advice, that people read and nod their heads to, but they don't follow. Why? Probably because they don't have time (some advice are harder to follow than others... I grant you that. Or maybe I grant myself that). But this piece of advice... I have only seen it that ONE time. Why? It is good advice... maybe too good that people don't need repeats?
Anyway, I did a search for this, and found that it was posted on Lifehacker in 2012. Maybe that was where I read it, because at one time I was subscribed to Lifehacker on my RSS feed. Until they started recycling items and I got tired of reading the same things all over again.
So, what prompted this post? Well, recently I get the feeling that I'm being pushed to the back of the priority list by some people. For example, when trying to meet up with friends, we settle on a weekend (a few weeks in advance, since we are such busy people...). But when the weekend rolls around, someone who had agreed on that date earlier will say that something had come up and that they are busy. I get it if this happens sometimes... when something urgent pops up, we can postpone a gathering among friends, sure! But when it happens again and again... I can't help but wonder, is this gathering so low on your priority list? Are you unable to book a time for this? And when you set a tentative date three weeks in advance (which would understandably be cancelled in case of something urgent), does any other appointment have a higher priority over this? Because I don't believe that urgent matters would happen on such a regular basis!
So yeah... I am using that piece of advice above to apply my filter. Because if you do not have time for me, I might as well put other things on higher priority over you too.
(okay, that paragraph above is a thought that basically summarizes up everything I want to say. But the background and additional thoughts are below...)
Since I read a lot of online articles (especially with friends sharing stuff on Facebook), sometimes I read the same things over and over again, because one website decides to parrot another, especially on "trending" items. Sometimes I read advice that makes sense, but it isn't often that I actually use some advice, and remember it down the road.
This piece of advice is different in that sense. I actually remember it, in its exact wording. I also use it when I tell myself I am too busy. And I find that it keeps making sense.
The surprising bit is this: Some articles are seen again and again on Facebook. I see someone sharing an article, and when I click on it, I realize that I have read the exact same thing before (whether it was from the same source, it doesn't matter, but what I mean here is that the content is basically the same). It is the same old advice, that people read and nod their heads to, but they don't follow. Why? Probably because they don't have time (some advice are harder to follow than others... I grant you that. Or maybe I grant myself that). But this piece of advice... I have only seen it that ONE time. Why? It is good advice... maybe too good that people don't need repeats?
Anyway, I did a search for this, and found that it was posted on Lifehacker in 2012. Maybe that was where I read it, because at one time I was subscribed to Lifehacker on my RSS feed. Until they started recycling items and I got tired of reading the same things all over again.
So, what prompted this post? Well, recently I get the feeling that I'm being pushed to the back of the priority list by some people. For example, when trying to meet up with friends, we settle on a weekend (a few weeks in advance, since we are such busy people...). But when the weekend rolls around, someone who had agreed on that date earlier will say that something had come up and that they are busy. I get it if this happens sometimes... when something urgent pops up, we can postpone a gathering among friends, sure! But when it happens again and again... I can't help but wonder, is this gathering so low on your priority list? Are you unable to book a time for this? And when you set a tentative date three weeks in advance (which would understandably be cancelled in case of something urgent), does any other appointment have a higher priority over this? Because I don't believe that urgent matters would happen on such a regular basis!
So yeah... I am using that piece of advice above to apply my filter. Because if you do not have time for me, I might as well put other things on higher priority over you too.
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