Sharpening the Saw

We’re getting ready to head to Nag’s Head after Easter service tomorrow. We’ll be there for a week with my family. It should be a good time. I’m actually looking to accomplish some very specific things during this trip.

First, I would like to finish up a website I’m working on. I don’t think I will need too much time for that, maybe 10 or 15 hours.

I also want to do a little bit of reading/studying. There are some professional development goals I have that I want to devote some time towards.

Of course, I will be spending time with my family, maybe playing some Settler’s of Catan.

However, the main thing I want to do is refocus my life on the only one worthy of my focus. I have been interested in The Power of a Focused Life teaching by Mike Bickle and I would really like to spend some time seeking a vision for my life.

It’s a simple premise, really. Basically, find out what you’re supposed to do and then plan your day doing things that support you in this endeavor. While I think this is a great teaching, I find it is similar to other principles of time management put out by Franklin Covey and others. I appreciate Bickle’s take on it, and his supporting scriptures.

I’ve been working from home for about 2 weeks now. It’s great, and I really enjoy being around the house and not worrying about driving or if I have any ironed shirts. Unfortunately, it seems to be easy to be unfocused throughout the day. I’m so used to going to the office for 8 hours, and only doing “work” stuff, and then coming home and doing “non-work” stuff. This actually isn’t my preferred method of working – often times I have an urge to do “work” stuff during “non-work” time and vice versa. With this new flexibility I have, I have a great opportunity to mix up my day between “work” and “non-work” stuff.

Of course, I want to make sure I get everything done I need to. I have more responsibilities at work, and I also have more responsibilities with my other projects. Unfortunately, I tend to let some things slip, and yet I also know that I have time during the day that I can “redeem”.

So I’m going to the beach with some goals. I have some broad categories: family, spiritual, ministry. Doesn’t it seem like I’m doing it backwards? How can I have goals before I know what my life vision is? Well, I think some things aren’t going to change. I will still have a family, and I still have obligations to people that I have committed to help in the short term. I’m confident that whatever God gives me for my life vision, it will not include dropping everything and moving to the hills and becoming a luddite hermit.

I’m curious to know if anyone else out there has come up with a “life vision” or something similar and goes through different aspects of their life every 6-12 months or so refocusing. Does it work for you? How long have you been doing it? What methodology do you follow?