The Benefits of Transition

It's a week of transition in my household as my three children return to school this week. We're enjoying the last  drops of summer laziness, even while filling a pitcher of preparedness for the new routine to come. And like every year, ever since I was a little girl, my heart has been going pitter-pat at the thought of a new school year. I've always approached back-to-school time with gleeful anticipation and with good reason: transition grows us. Here are some benefits I think we gain and which can boost our contentment as we go through transition of any kind:

1. Transition offers a new start with new opportunities. This is one of the things I've always liked best about fall and a new school year. The change in teachers and classmates seemed to offer up the chance for new relationships (or improved ones). And it meant the chance to learn new things. So how about you? As we head into fall and a new school year, even if you (or your children) aren't headed off to class, what new opportunities are presenting themselves? Is there a volunteer position you've been thinking about trying that starts up in fall? Will you be encountering new people during the course of your daily routine? Take the time to look at your routine with fresh eyes and search for the opportunities that might be there.
2. Transition creates a chance for careful consideration. At least I hope it does. It's common in American culture to think through life and make resolutions when we approach the New Year. But why not do the same during any transition and particularly prior to a new school year? Sure, it takes time to do this, but when you think of how streamlined your life can be when it's aligned to your priorities, it is well worth it. Can you find a two- to three-hour stretch of empty time (or even longer) where you can contemplate your dreams and purposes, and can evaluate your current activities and commitments against the grid of those dreams  and purposes? Do so, then resolve to make changes where activities don't fit.
3. Transition gives you an excuse to dump the bad stuff. Things are changing already, so why not take some control over that change yourself? In your time of contemplation, did you discover habits you've fallen into that sabotage your productivity? Make a vow to dump them and then change up the patterns that trigger those habits. I'm planning to chunk my activities during my work day in an effort to ditch the rabbit-trail mentality that leads me astray too often. But it doesn't just have to be habits. Anything that has been weighing you down, that you have the power to get away from, can be dumped as part of your transition - even unhealthy relationships.

Embrace the new season that's upon us. Look for other benefits that come from transition besides these. Purpose yourself to work within the transition toward a deeper level of contentment.

How to Fit It All in Your Schedule

Last year I surveyed a group of women about the biggest challenge they face in their everyday lives. The response was nearly unanimous: dealing with their schedules. But I don't think it's just women, I think everyone today - men, women, children - is faced with a dazzling array of options and opportunities so numerous that it gets paralyzing. We go, go, go and do, do, do. And at the end of the day when we flop in to bed exhausted, all we can think about is what we didn't get done or we missed out on doing.

How do we handle this? What do we do with the overload in our schedules and the frustration of never feeling caught up and always being tired? I think much of the answer lies in finding balance. And to find balance, we need to regularly visit our priorities and allow them to guide our decisions about our time.

Today I found a post over at Michael Hyatt's blog that offers a very practical tool for taking control of time issues. Being proactive in ways like this can take us a long way toward bringing balance to our daily lives. And balance is one of the keys to contentment with our schedules. Check out Creating an Annual Time Block and see what you think.