I read an article by author, professor and theologian Don Whitney that listed 31 questions to consider for a new year. I decided that I will answer one question each day in January. Here is the twelfth question, and my answer.
What area of your life most needs simplifying, and what's one way you could simplify in that area? The area of my life that most needs simplifying is organization, and the best way to simplify in this areas is to handle things one time. I like to look at something, put it aside, think about it for a while, and then come back to it, sometimes repeating the process over and over. How many times have a picked up a professional journal, started to read it, put it away, and then picked it up again in a couple of months only to reread articles, etc? How many times do I move that bill from the mailbox, to the place where we store our mail which needs addressing, to my computer bag before paying the bill? Just pay the bill. How many times do I move an item from one room of the house to another rather than finding a permanent place for it? How many times do I wrestle with giving something away or throwing it out before I actually give it away or throw it out? In my professional life, how many times do I return to consider a decision I need to make instead of just making the decision? Patience in some matters is appropriate, but at times it would be far simpler and simplifying to deal with something once and move on. Will my desk be less cluttered? Will my inbox be smaller? Will my to-do list grow shorter? Will I feel less burden about making decisions because I have already made many decisions? Who knows, but it’s worth finding out.
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