I think I've shared before that I'm doing the Miracle Morning. I don't do it every single day but I do most. And meditation is part of the routine. I definitely don't think I'm good at meditation. I'm not heading to India for a 3-day meditation retreat anytime soon. But I can handle 10 minutes in the morning. I'm actually a huge fan of Calm. And one of the things I enjoy is that each day has a different guided meditation and it always offers something insightful to think about. Which is my long-winded way of explaining how I heard about the importance of sharpening your saw from Stephen Covey. There are a few slightly different versions of this story but the main idea is all the same. We are all much more effective when we stop and take the time to sharpen the saw. Not a literal saw, unless you are an actual woodcutter but a metaphorical saw. And YOU are the saw.
When we become tired, stressed, irritable, worn down whatever we are working on is suddenly so much harder. Whether it's a work project or simply parenting toddlers. If we allow ourselves to take a break, even briefly (seriously a 10-minute walk outside can do wonders!) we can come back fresh and ready to go again. It's so important to pay attention to our bodies and acknowledge that burn out is coming.
This is exactly why I played hooky last week and took my boys snowboarding (well that and the fact we had a gazillion feet of fresh snow!) I needed to get us all out of the house, I needed a break from some work projects, and I needed a day outside to clear my head. In other words, I stopped to sharpen the saw.
I hope over this busy next few weeks of Christmas and New Year's excitement you take some time to sharpen your saw if you need to.
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