Sunday, June 8, 2008

To Do Lists

I have been in school so long that my to-do list outside of school has long been limited to the most urgent things and only things I could do and no one else, with few exceptions. So much of my time has been swallowed up in school that when I did take some leisure time, it was to recharge my fried brain. In any case I am ready to take a break from the cognitively complex and move into the realm of the unskilled laborer.
For my to do list I have the following things:
Weed Flowerbeds.
Plant garden.
Clean house.
Fix cars
clean garage
and a few other things like that.

I have always wanted to find a profession where even when I am busy, I am always doing something that supports my family, or in other words, adds to the value of the Gardner family. When I speak of value, I speak of it int he terms that lean enterprises use it and that is something that supports or contributes to the value of something as defined by the customer. In this case, the customer is my family so the things in which i spend my time are those which add value to my family. Circular conversation? No. More like an upward spiral. If I wanted to see my efforts from the non-inertial frame of an outsider, it would be an upward spiral. Gradual slope at first but as I identify the "muda" or waste in my efforts, I can become more effective in my efforts. That effectiveness determines the slope of that upward spiral. If there is too much waste and my effectiveness is compromised the spiral turns downward instead. If I cut out all of the waste such as wasteful spending of money on things which add no value or time spent on things which add no value such as video games, that hurts the effort.
Lest anyone think me a budding Ebeneezer Scrooge and I am suggesting I become a tightwad with my money, time and that of others, I want to broaden the definition of value beyond the tangible and include, quality time spent with my wife and kids as well as time spent fulfilling my responsibilities in my many roles. A slowly increasing upward spiral whose slope is getting steeper and steeper but in all aspects of life, rich in all ways. Well-rounded and happy.
The last thing I want to add here is the most crucial point. The things that have the greatest impact on this are the things that have the least to do with the selfish "me" of our day. The more they have to do with others, the better. Selfless in a nutshell or as the Lord put it, he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it. Working for the things that others benefit from before myself if myself at all are the most effective.
So what is on my "to do" list? Write out yours based on the above criteria and share ti with me, and I will share mine with you.

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