Perspective. Its important in all facets of life and I'm working on keeping some semblance of it and using it to guide my decisions, both big and small.
I keep asking myself "at the end of the day, will this matter?" With "end of the day" being shorthand for some near or distant point in the future. While I don't always take the time or energy to think things through,
its definitely a quick and easy exercise to keep me focused on longer
terms goals, whether in work or family life.
At the end of the day does it matter if we go to this 3-year old birthday party that is complicated to fit into our schedule? No
At the end of the day, will the last 15 minutes of my day be better spent returning a patient phone call (about normal lab results, which technically we have 48 hours to deal with) or filling in a few references on this paper? The phone call might actually lead to some relief for someone!
At the end of the day, do I want my boys to be neat and tidy? No, but I want them to be kind. Discipline for the hitting, not the messes.
At the end of the day, will skipping this workout (because I"m still sore from the last one), undermine my fitness goals? No. But injuring myself by running with poor form due to sore muscles might.
At the end of the day, do I really care if I do one extra chore than G, or he does one extra bedtime for the boys? No, it'll all even out in the end, though we try to keep it fair.
At the end of the day, is it better to get this data into a top-rate journal or get it out quickly? (in this instance) quickly, we've been sitting on it for too long
You get the point.
By the way, I know I've been drifting in and out of this space. I've been trying to keep to a regular posting schedule but I can't seem to make it happen. But, at the end of the day, does it really matter?
That all sounds great!
ReplyDeleteWe said no thank you to a 2 year old chuck e cheese party the other week, even though we had no real reason not to go other than chuck e cheese parties are horrific.
I'm also guilty of sitting on results for too long. :/
It matters to me! I like reading your posts!
ReplyDeleteAnd YES. I have to remind myself of these things all the time, mostly because there's so much I can't get to these days.
Awww, thanks! I love yours too, though I get a little PTSD thinking about residency...
DeleteThis really resonates with me. I am definitely in the too-focused-on-minutiae camp.
ReplyDeleteThis would be a good mantra for me!
I also like how you've tied it to larger goals. At the end of the day, is it better to spend this hour on email (which is never ending & definitely not urgent), or editing this manuscript which is long overdue. Somehow I always choose the former, even though the ms is what's really important...at the end of the day.
And as a fellow working mama, I really enjoy your posts too.
Oh yes, the email. I think its the instant gratification of sending off the email that makes it so addictive. And thanks, I really appreciate it!
Deleteat the end of the day will i care about all of the pumping (*$U@? (HOPEFULLY NOT!). however, i might care if all i remembered about c's babyhood was making myself miserable about it. SO, your point resonates with me as well.
ReplyDeleteI also wish i could blog on some sort of schedule but find it impossible. (and you're right, it doesn't matter!)