The power of intentions in the face of change
I’ve had to shift some work commitments around this week, as my daughter had a scheduled surgery (nothing serious – just aligning her jaws), and is also at home recovering from the operation this week.
So, I’ve been pulled out of my routine, but it’s been quite OK.
Here’s what helped me respond to the change
💡Intentions
Being conscious about what is most important for me this week - taking into consideration both work demands and caring for my daughter. This helped me come up with realistic and achievable daily goals
🎯Focus
Four strategies that I’ve followed were
a) organising my to-dos in work blocks
b) limiting distractions (e.g. turning notifications off)
c) noticing the pull to be doing something else (ring a bell?) and trying my best to come back to the task on hand or taking a mini-break (always a good option)
d) remaining flexible and kind to myself, while noticing the pull of ‘needing to complete a task’
💕 Connection
I’ve made space during the day not only to care for my daughter but to also spend quality time with her, and this felt really good 😊 . I always like remembering Harvard’s 80-year ‚Study of Adult Development‘ concluding that a meaningful connection to others is the one key foundation for a happy life.
🌱 Resourcing
I have learnt to be conscious about engaging in activities that resource me and fill my cup .. especially important when confronted with change. So, I’ve continued with my morning yoga and meditation practice.
Has my week been productive?
Perhaps ‘productive’ is not the right word here .. as that strikes as being too task focused. A better question may be:
‘Have I aligned my day with the values that are most important to me?’
My answer is YES, measured against the intentions that I had for my week!
I would be feeling quite differently if I hadn’t been clear about my intentions this week .. especially considering this nagging pull to finish this and this and this, that often resurfaces (perhaps this rings a bell too?).
I generally find that being intentional about how I organise my day brings both direction and a sense of lightness and ease!
