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Start your day with a ‘six pack’
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In Stephen Covey’s masterpiece, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, the habit of “putting first things first” is listed as an essential trait of an effective and fulfilled life. Covey principally states the thing that matters most, must never be secondary to what matters less.
What should matter most? It all depends on our values or what we hold as important. If we adopt tried and true high-octane values, such as fairness, integrity, balance and family life, we will tend to choose actions that will lead to peace, energy and fulfillment. I ask the reader to examine his or her values and ask, “Will this value bring me fulfillment at the end of my life?”
Acknowledge your values
Study upon study affirms the true value of integrity, service and a strong family life. If our values are not based on a moral center, countless spiritual writers tell us we are destined to a life of perpetual discontent. Spend some quiet time and write down your values. Amend them, if necessary, so that they are ones that will “sustain, not drain.” That multimillion dollar bank account won’t matter on your death bed, but knowing your daughter will.
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Once we discern and acknowledge our values, we can then separate things that are urgent from those that truly matter. Not all urgent matters are truly important. For example, is the urgent add-on patient more important than your son’s school play?
Compile goals
After you have clarified your values, spend some quiet time and write your long-term goals. Frame your goals according to the important roles you have in life. These may include husband, father, surgeon and community servant. Ask, “Where do I see myself in 10 years?” with each of these roles. Ask, “Am I honoring my values in each of these roles?” Look at these goals often so you can start each day with your eye on the ball.
In compiling your goals, consider that relationships have been shown to determine 80% of one’s happiness. Therefore, endeavor to prioritize your relationships over nearly everything else. Matters of family, especially marriage, receive my highest priority. Communicate to your secretary the dates of important family events. Ask him or her to schedule them into your agenda as soon as possible. Develop an understanding with your secretary that these events are essentially untouchable and are not to be compromised short of a dire emergency.
First things first
My relationship with my higher power is important to me. Consequently, I devote 30 minutes nearly every morning to reading spiritual texts and engaging in meditation. Affirming my quiet time with my higher power first has resulted in an increased sense of well-being, productivity and clarity. I truly can tell when I have neglected my quiet time.
Fitness is also essential to well-being. I place great emphasis on my workouts and usually plan about four per week. My workout time is imperative for me in order to face the stressors of the week. The time invested in workouts is never wasted. In fact, studies show productivity increases for those who engage in regular exercise. Sleep is enhanced as well.
Another huge priority for me is rest. Humans are hardwired to perform best when adequately rested. A lack of sleep long-term will come back to bite you. Sleep deprivation has been associated with an increased risk of general illness including diabetes, obesity, hypertension and dementia.
By putting my relationships, quiet time, exercise and rest first, I am more able to embrace the challenges of call, difficult patients and long days in the office.
Prioritize
In any practice, there are always seemingly pressing matters. In order to prioritize my day, I received excellent advice from Dan Sinnott’s treatise on self mastery, The Commencement. In this handbook for effective living, Sinnott recommends to “start your day with a six pack.” That is, spend a few minutes at the beginning of your day and write down the six most important things to be accomplished that day. Consider what you wish to achieve this week in the context of your longer-term goals. List the tasks in declining order of importance. Sinnott further advises to be sure your calendar matches your priorities. “If not, cancel that meeting,” he writes.
This investment in yourself does take some time, but the yield is immense. Keep in mind your long-term goals and relationships when you compile the list. If you happen to not get to a task, carry it over to the next day.
We tend to subconsciously avoid the difficult tasks, only to indefinitely postpone them. Ironically, the most difficult action item is the one we most need to embrace. When we “put first things first” and tackle these challenging items, we will develop an increased sense of confidence, peace and accomplishment. When we face problems head on there is no extra energy siphoned through lingering worry and anxiety.
Self mastery
Remember, effective living truly requires a life predicated on solid core values, such as family, faith, integrity and wellness. When we can integrate these high-octane core values into the attainment of our goals, we will have begun to master our lives. When we dedicate our lives to prioritizing long-term effectiveness in each of our roles, we will be blessed with increased and sustained well-being.
Seemingly urgent matters must never receive primacy over what truly matters. We may at times not feel like doing the things required to attain balance and well-being. Most days, I don’t feel like working out. However, if we succeed in conquering these hard moments, our long-term effectiveness in the roles of our lives will be greatly enhanced. When we “put first things first” and say no to all that is not concordant with our goals, we are saying yes to the life that we have the capacity to create.
Now go ahead, start tomorrow with a six pack. The buzz you will get will be better than any Heineken.
- John D. Kelly IV, MD, is the editor of Your Practice/Your Life. He can be reached at University of Pennsylvania, Dept. of Sports Medicine, 235 S. 33rd St., Philadelphia, PA 19104-6322; 215-615-4400; email: johndkellyiv@aol.com.