jbpics. With permission. Owner reserves all rights.
jbpics. With permission. Owner reserves all rights.
He had an intelligence and understanding almost spiritual in quality.
—From a Seabiscuit memorial.
My favorite time management book is Alan Lakein’s How to Get Control of Your Time and Your Life. Lakein’s emphasis isn’t on getting more and more things done, it’s on getting in touch with the things you really care about and devoting most of your time to them. He talks about prioritizing activities, of course, but the part I’ve integrated into my life is his famous question: What’s the best use of my time right now?
I thought of that question a lot last week as I spent hours on the web looking for pictures of Seabiscuit. Only my version of the question was: Is this really the best use of my time right now? It was an honest question, and the answer was always yes. I didn’t have to justify it, it just felt right so I continued until I was satisfied.
Why am I so enamored of Seabiscuit? I came across Hillenbrand’s history a few years ago in my local library and was taken by his personality and by the rapport between him and his trainer and jockey. Until I listened to the book (audio version) I hadn’t realized that he was one of the top ten news celebrities in 1938, along with Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Benito Mussolini and Adolph Hitler. I also hadn’t realized his triumph-over-adversity story gave hope to millions of people during the Great Depression. But it wasn’t the success story that resonated with me…it was what he was like and how he related to people. It’s the same reason that I’m touched by interacting with the dogs at the local shelter. It’s not about success and fame, it’s about the connection between living creatures.
I could go on and on about Seabiscuit…if you’d like to know more just ask! But this post is really about spending time on “unproductive” activities. I was partially looking for photos to use in the post, but I continued exploring long after I found the pictures I’ve used. I had slipped into sacred space. Looking at the pictures and remembering Seabiscuit was feeding my soul, it was connecting me to my deepest values. Was that really the best use of my time? Oh, yes.
I’m already grateful that I spent that time because
- It gave me courage when the news of the financial crisis broke later in the week. It didn’t keep me from being frightened, but that was all right, my inner core was still firmly connected to something deeper and more important.
- It gave me patience when I dealt with an insurance matter for the third time. I had believed the matter was resolved a couple of weeks ago, but no. So I phoned again and got a young fellow who didn’t know what he was doing. We must have spent an hour while he tried to figure out what was going on, putting me on hold, etc. He finally said he didn’t want to take any more of my time. He would talk to his supervisor, get it straightened out and phone me back. Which he did. It was a good experience because he was so sweet and was doing his best and I had a chance to practice my values…to make my little corner of the world a friendlier and more loving place. (In fact it hadn’t been a sacrifice for me because I sat at my computer writing yesterday’s post at Transforming Stress when I was on hold.)
As I said, when I was looking at the pictures of Seabiscuit earlier in the week I didn’t try to analyze why…it just felt right. By the end of the week I understood it better. Basically I had been meditating on love and getting that experience deep in my bones, to be drawn on when I needed it. Was that really the best use of my time? Oh, yes.
What about you? What activities are the best use of your time?
Those are probably the things that at that moment I would do again and again and again were I to live this live over eternally.
I feel most alive when I am writing, when I get deep into my writing and forget about all other things.
I find it hard to get motivated to start writing, then once I start, I find it difficult to get deep into it.
Davids last blog post..Life is Work
The time I spend on my computer is time I’m not getting my work done. Is this good use of my time? “Oh, yes.” Because it feels right.
You sure sounded very patient with the young fellow that took your call. I am not sure if I would have lasted that long on the phone.
I’ve been given this piece of advice by a Buddhist monk: the best use of my time is to be truly in the moment. If I am in a conversation, I listen attentively to the other party. If I am with my kids, I am to be totally there with my kids and having a great time. If I am out with someone, I do not wish that I am back home instead.
Koen,
🙂 That’s a great description.
David,
Once I have a topic I try to find a picture that represents it. It sometimes takes a long time to find one that feels right, but once I have it I’m already immersed in the subject and have a much better idea of what I want to say and how I can get started…my subconscious mind has been doing its work in the background. I’m also inspired by quotes, and I do the initial “writing” (i.e., putting the idea into words) lying in bed in the morning. It’s more like play. How does the process work for you?
bikehikebabe,
Selfishly speaking, I think your time at the computer is definitely the best use of your time. I love your comments and e-mails.
Evelyn,
I agree that being in the present is important. It’s interesting to see when we can manage it and what gets in our way when we can’t. That was the neat thing about interacting with the young fellow at the insurance company. I usually try to be patient with people in a situation like that, but I don’t usually feel grateful for the experience. Needless to say, I now have something to aim for and will explore how the process works.
I think the best use of my time is usually getting to the core of something: an idea, getting deep with a friend. Other times laughing myself silly (Note to others: if you haven’t read PG Wodehouse or seen the series Jeeves and Wooster, do it NOW).
Evans last blog post..Surprise!
I love this Jean. It reminds me that I should not always question why I am doing something – as long as it feels “right”. Even if I could make better use of my time doing something more productive. And that’s because, with some activities, we may not see it as adding value or being productive – when really it is. And possibly more so than anything else we could be doing.
For me, sometimes that’s just wandering around our yard. Taking it all in. Other times, it’s getting caught up in looking at old photographs we have. And both of these activities touch my soul.
Lances last blog post..Don’t Ever Give Up
Blogging wins hands down. Both posting and reading and commenting on other blogs.
rummusers last blog post..Terrorism.
Evan,
🙂 Thanks for reminding me about humor. My husband and I laugh a lot, so I tend to take it for granted.
Lance,
Our culture is so focused on productivity and achievement that it’s easy to lose touch with what’s really important.
rummuser,
I agree with you about blogging. I would write anyway because it’s such an important part of my life, but it means so much more to interact with other people.
The best use of my time is always about relationships, although it is tough not to get caught up in just stuff. By relationships, I mean connections with people, animals, and God. When I put these things first, the rest of my time sorts itself out.
SpaceAgeSage – Loris last blog post..Criticism’s dark and light sides
Lori,
I certainly agree with that!
Jean, what a great post and memory of Seabiscuit’s secrets from that terrific story- thanks. As I read your post I smiled because this week felt so relaxed and all was managed well time-wise until the very end of the week.
Then, late yesterday, demands flew in from everywhere – all with urgent tags on them it seemed. We raced around here at the MITA Center as if weekends were weekdays.
And then I read your refreshing post and relaxed once again. Thanks for allowing the “wonder” to surface so well – as inspiration to us all. I for one needed it today:-)
Ellen Webers last blog post..Greed, Wall Street, Diversity and Risk
Ellen,
🙂 I’m glad it helped.
I just read your last post and left a long comment. That’s what I love about blogging…the conversations. Thanks so much for coming by.
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To All of you,
I love Sea Biscuit too…
I think the question makes me anxious in a good way.
Lately, since I started using the computer its been about getting educated on certain subjects and then relating with others on it. I am really enjoying connecting here as new comer here. I love your areas of focus…
Places I love and enjoy and experience that right feeling are numurous so here is some….ART, looking at, reading the history about, teaching about and doing it. Nature all of it and that includes people…. being in it, caring for it, writing about it, connecting to it in new ways…I love being at the beach! Studying the mind and the body and the spirit!
Timelessness…feeling pracctises!
Self-nurturing practices so I can manage activities from a peaceful presence.
Diane,
I’d love to more details about your experiences. 🙂
Jean,
Horses have a special place in my heart. One in particular my first an ex show jumper thoroughbred. I was twelve and many things happened on that day as far deepness is concerned.
Horses just change people the interaction. Like many animals do of course.
Its that stay thing like in ET….
Its one of those unbreakable things….constant and timeless even as you may not remain in the present and physical.
When you now letting go is the right thing.
Lonny,
Thanks!
i love the way you say certain things.
like ‘slipping into sacred space.’ that has stayed with me since your post about staying up all night photgraphing snuggles.
maybe that’s the best way to find the sacred in life. we must slip into it. if we thrash around and worry and work at it, we lose it.
i went to the state fair by myself one year. i always go to the agricultural barns. our state is horse country. and there were many there that day. i love the smell of the horse barn. it was pretty much empty of people. i was lucky. i stood in front of a huge arabian. i swear he must have been 17 hands high. his color was pearl white and his muzzle black. but it was his eyes that captivated me. they were black. i saw myself in them. his face was close enough to me that i could feel his breath.
the fence between us was flimsy. if he’d wanted to, he could have been through it in an instant, plowing me down as he went. he and i simply stood there looking at each other. i finally said to him softly, very softly… “do you know how beautiful you are?” he said yes. i know.
i said “i love you. i don’t know you but i love you.”
he said i love you too.
and then i left.