Life can feel like a blurred rush sometimes.
With hundreds of commitments flying at your everyday it can be hard to make the time to do the things that really matter.
Your day job, the grocery shopping, chores around the house, a doctor’s appointment, replying to yet another email – these things are endless and they demand your immediate attention.
But what about your most important work? Where does that fit in? In the rush of your daily life you might find that there’s little time left to do the things that really matter. Busy days turn into busy weeks and all of a sudden the years are flowing past with little if any focus on doing something you love and care about.
Your most important work is something you hold close to your heart. It’s work that means something to you and that you’re personally invested in. It could be your art, your writing, your music, your inventions, your programming. It’s anything that you simply know you must do.
The problem is that amidst hundreds of other life commitments your most important work often gets pushed aside for more urgent things like appointments and emails. It’s time to change that.
There’s no better time to get started on your most important work than today. To help you get moving here’s five simple ways to get started right now.
1. Start today no matter what
Commit to taking one small step today to get started on your most important work. It might be as simple as writing the first page of a new novel, taking out your paints and brushes to set up your workspace or starting the outline of a new web app. Whatever it is take that one small step today.
2. Carve out a small amount of time every day and commit to it
No matter how busy you are I bet you have 30 minutes somewhere in your day that you can dedicate to doing something that matters. You might need to cut out some TV time, get up earlier or shuffle around your schedule but the time is there. Commit to a time and place and show up every single day to do your most important work.
3. Set yourself a goal to reach
Set yourself a small goal to strive towards. It might be completing one illustration per week or completing a full set of technical drawings for a new invention by the end of the month. Whatever it is set a small achievable goal to work towards, put it somewhere you can see it every day and check in regularly to see whether you’re making progress toward achieving it.
4. Buddy up to get accountable
Find a friend to buddy up with and get accountable. Tell them about your new commitment and ask them to follow up with you regularly to check in and keep you on track. If you’ve got someone on your back about doing your most important work you’re much more likely to get moving.
5. Learn from your mistakes
Don’t hold yourself to such high standards that you can never make a mistake. When you’re doing something that really matters you will make mistakes early on. Learn from these and grow from them. And most importantly, keep going no matter what early setbacks you face.
Get started now
If you find yourself rushing through your days with little time spent on things that really matter to you, it’s time for a change. When you do something that you truly love and care about life takes on a whole new deeper meaning. Make a start today and keep at it. All big things have small beginnings.
Do you struggle to get started on your most important work? What holds you back? And what one thing will you do today to get started?
 | Written on 1/26/2014 by Michaela Cristallo. Michaela inspires people to embrace happiness and live their best creative life every day. Join her at For the Creators to embrace your creativity and be the passionate and imaginative person you were born to be. |
Photo Credit: Norm Wright
