Planning is good, priority is better

Well I had a plan. And I was finding a roll.

Then I had a busy day. And a day turned into days.

It’s easy to lose momentum. It can be difficult to get it back.

Habits and Routines are things that come up, really across all areas of my life at different times. Obviously there the things that just have to happen on a regular cadence. I’m more talking about the promise of benefit for implementing habits or routines across any number of life areas. My life of faith, within my family, part of work, the general interest I have in personal productivity systems and methods – there are ways all of these could “benefit” from new habits or routines being formed.

What I have struggled with in the past, and really is the crux of the thoughts here, is the thought of streaks for the sake of streaks. Routines are good, habits are good, even necessary. But whether they be habits or routines (or another articulation) the point shouldn’t be the repeating item for sake or the repeating item. Rather the point is the benefit that can and should come from it.

One of the things I’ve talked about before is the stress paralysis I can create for myself of having to have done something perfect in my head before even starting it.

A similar problem can arise when it comes to habits and/or routines. Rather than talk vaguely about habits or routines or streaks, I’ll just talk about the thing in front of me.

I’ve wanted writing to be a more regular part of my life. There are various forms writing can take. But one form I specifically want to occur more is writing here. So with NaNoWriMo as my inspiration I set forth to write here daily for the month of November. While a little outside my typical use of the words habit or routine, the sentiment holds.

On the first day of writing I missed I knew I had a full day ahead of me. The work calendar was stacked. I had an evening planned with two of my kids. But I had this intention of writing as well so I had it planned for in the course of the day.

Well the unplanned came up at work during the course of the day. Issues at the end of the day carried over past the time I planned to wrap up. Me and the kids left later than we had intended. With all the hectic of the day I hadn’t talked to Lisa much so I spent the time remaining with her before bed.

Day 4 came and went with no writing. And frankly I don’t mind a bit… on one hand. But on the other there is the guilt of having had a plan, of having wanted to create this routine and having failed to do so.

(An odd but absolutely related aside. I could have written other days since then, but I had a mental gate if you will that I “had” to write this specific entry before I wrote something else.)

At work we have Objectives we strive to complete each quarter. Each Team takes what has been asked for by our business partners, we evaluate our capacity and the effort required to complete the ask, and we create Objectives we intend to complete. Within that we have both committed and uncommitted. There are some items that really are non-negotiable and thus we commit to them. These things need to happen for business to continue on as usual. Then there are also things that have enough value and priority that are still within our capacity to complete that we commit to them as well. And then finally there are other items that still have value but perhaps their value is lower or our capacity isn’t uncertain that we will work to get them done, but we aren’t willing to commit to them.

Priority matters. And we can’t do everything.

Habits are valuable. Routines are valuable. Some of those habits, some things within those routines are necessary. Others bring significant value in a given day such that they need to be committed to. And then there are others that are beneficial, but also not worth worrying over.

After missing Day 4, what I wrestled with more over was the guilt of having broken the streak of writing every day rather than having missed the writing itself.

I needed to work that day. I needed to spend time with my family that day. I wanted to write that day.

Writing Day 4 – Not Complete

Writing Days After – Status Pending