It is summer and I have been spending a lot of time working on myself. Many people have years that run from January 1st to December 31st. As a teacher my year runs from September 1st to September 1st. Furthermore, I am not a big believer in waiting for what the research calls temporal landmarks to get started, but I am a big believer in commitment devices (but that is another topic). This summer I have been working on myself a lot and Steven Covey in his book The 7 Habits for Highly Effective Parents has a name for this, “Sharpening Your Saw.” There are quotes attributed to Abraham Lincoln suggesting that if he had time to chop down a tree he would spend most of the time sharpening his axe. I am not good at sharpening my ax.
I give my all in my work often at the expense of my own health. Megan posted about how Zumba saved her life and this summer I have started running. Now I should say, I hate running, but I want to be in better health so that I can be around for my children and grandchildren. Furthermore, exercise is one of the keystone habits that I haven’t done regularly.
Since I have started running, reading, and doing other things to sharpen my saw this summer I have been happy and productive. Like many teachers during summer I am taking classes and they are going pretty well. I am spending a lot of meaningful time with my children, and not just keeping them from fighting! My spouse and I are spending time together and communicating more. Overall, I am having a great summer.
I am looking to participate in some 5K races, including virtual races to celebrate the solar eclipse and 101 years of our National Parks. I am trying to reach out to people work on relationships that are important to me. I am sharpening my saw so that I can be effective at the things I need to do personally and professionally. How are you sharpening your saw?