While traveling home from vacation I was able to process eblasts and found this great message from Seth Godin.

“Leave stones unturned.
If it’s the wrong stone, walk away.
Infinity is a trap.
The frenzied search for more is a distraction and a place to hide, all in one.
Pick the right stones and cherish them as you turn them over.
That’s enough.”

Then, I started reading Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World by Cal Newport and came across this line:

“Knowledge workers, I’m arguing, are tending toward increasingly visible busyness because they lack a better way to demonstrate their value.”

The fact that I saw the same concept from two different authors within 20 minutes was a flashing light!

It was time for me to look at the places in my life, business, and volunteer work where I’m in a frenzied search for more in the attempt to just stay busy so I feel valuable.

“Busyness” does NOT equal “business” . . . yet how often do we fall into the busyness trap?

So, instead of catching up on vacation email and to-dos when I arrived home, I chose to pick up the “right stones” and cherish them.

  • Went to a family breakfast at a local diner.
  • Hung out aimlessly (aimless downtime is WAY HARD for me!!) with the kids and grandkids.
  • Accepted a last-minute invitation to take in some of the MLB All-Star activities.

Answering email, sorting the mail, grocery shopping, and laundry . . . those all waited (and some are still waiting 😊).

I realize this is a very simple example. (Who doesn’t feel the pull to business when you return from vacation?) There is much more work to do but the first stone was moved (pun intended)!

Now it’s your turn!

Where are you using a frenzied search for more to feel important?

Want help figuring this out . . . and what to do about it?

Let’s talk about the Impact Time Collective. A new cohort is starting soon, and we focus on not just being efficient but also making sure we are effective! Identifying the stones to cherish is just one part.

Questions? Schedule a time to chat about it!

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