What are your priorities? What things are most important to you? (I actually want you to answer those questions. Go ahead. I’ll wait.)

Now that you’ve identified your priorities, I want you to look at your calendar. Where do those priorities appear on it? All too often, the only things we actually put on the calendar are things that really aren’t all that important to us. Things that are necessary (like getting the car inspected or having our teeth cleaned), but that do not reflect our priorities.

Now, I’m not saying that we should take those things off the calendar. I want your car to be safe and dental health is very important for overall health. But I do want you to start physically scheduling time for your priorities. Are your kids a priority? Make a date to read together or play a board game or go for a walk. Actually put the date on the calendar. Is your faith important? Put Sunday Mass (or other services) on the calendar. Schedule a date with your significant other. Set aside time to communicate with friends who live far away. Is getting more rest important? Mark a few evenings/days as “off.”

I know. You have a lot to do already. But when you have these things on the calendar, you schedule other, less important things around them. When someone asks you to do something on those days, you can honestly say that you have a conflict.

All too often, we give the things we claim to care about the most the least priority on our time. What does your calendar say about what matters to you?