Knowing Your Rocks

Yesterday I choose to blow off work.

My sister-in-law came to Seattle for business and I picked her up from the airport and took her on a hike.

We even grabbed a beer and chips afterward.

On a weekday!

In a culture that values hard work and being busy, this could be viewed as irresponsible, but I don’t see it this way because I am crystal clear on my priorities.

So many of us feel that there isn’t time for everything, but what is it you are focused on?

This story, which you may have heard illustrates my point.

Let’s say you have a big glass jar, a pile of rocks, a bag of small pebbles, and a tub of sand. The rocks, pebbles, and sand can all fit into the jar IF you follow a specific order.

You first put the large rocks in the jar, it appears to be full, but if you pour in the small pebbles and shake them around they’ll find space around the rocks, and then if you add the sand it will fill in around the rocks and pebbles.

BUT if you started with the sand or the pebbles there would be no room for the rocks.

The jar represents your life.

The rocks are the top 3 to 5 priorities that have value in your life like your health, your family, your friendships, your marriage. They’ll be different for everyone, but these are your non-negotiables.

Identify what these are for you and be sure to schedule time for these FIRST. Hold them sacred. Without these your life becomes meaningless.

My top priorities right now are myself (and no this is not selfish even though it feels that way), my family (including my husband), my connection to friends and loved ones, and my business.

The pebbles are those things that matter, that give your life meaning, but aren’t permanent or essential. For example your job, your house, hobbies.

Finally, the sand is the small stuff. Material possessions, Netflix, social media, the news.

Unconsciously we can fill our jar with sand and pebbles leaving no room for what matters to us.

Taking a hike yesterday honored my ‘rocks’ of taking care of myself and connection, it was on my calendar, and I was ok with choosing that over other responsibilities.

What are your rocks? Does your calendar reflect them?