|
It's About Time
Ruth Wong
|
Don’t delay; get moving right away
When was the last time you read or learned something new and acted on it?
I'm constantly impressed, encouraged and sometimes even discouraged at the feedback I get from those who read this column or attend my classes.
Lately, I've been more impressed and encouraged. Several months ago, I spoke to a group of caregivers on de-cluttering and simplifying their lives.
What a group of doers they were! Immediately after my presentation, one went straight to an office-supply store to buy a shredder. Others went to buy organizing containers. One got rid of a mass of old clothes. One wife said to her husband, "Thank you so much for de-cluttering!" So many acted on what they learned. Good for them!
I recently finished training sessions for a local firm. Here again, I've been so impressed with some of the attendees -- some went ahead and de-cluttered their desks and cleared piles from the floor. One got rid of more than 100 pounds of papers and unneeded things from his office. One went and bought slant pockets, an organizing tool I introduced at the sessions, and began using them immediately. Others began making to-do lists, instead of relying on memory, using a telephone log to record messages, containerizing loose papers and delegating more to their secretaries. Good for them!
I receive notes from Honolulu Star-Bulletin readers sharing what they've put into practice after reading my columns. Good for them!
But I also meet readers who are embarrassed to admit they regularly read but haven't acted yet. I can identify with both types, as there are times I act on new ideas and other times when I intend to but never do.
Why, I wondered, do we sometimes put into practice what we learn and other times don't? Is it a matter of motivation or focus? Of willpower or personality? Of time or priorities?
I think it's a combination of these factors, but the good news is that we don't have to be bound by them.
I've noticed that the law of diminishing returns applies here, for the longer the time lapse between what is learned and when it is put it into practice, the less likely it will ever be acted on.
I encourage you to identify something new and act on it promptly. Only by becoming doers can we reap the rewards of our actions.
See you in two weeks!
"It's About Time," by
Ruth Wong, owner of Organization Plus, runs the fourth Friday of each month. Contact her at "It's About Time," care of the Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, Honolulu 96813; or e-mail
features@starbulletin.com