I just read a piece by Seth Godin (love him!), in which he talks about choosing what we do in our day-to-day existence. I preach something quite similar; just ask the people I teach at conferences. (Conferences…remember them?)

We are somehow hardwired to plan our days. The only days we don’t is when we take a vacation, and even then, I would bet most of us still have to “plan” the vacation time. But there is an art to planning our time, and a lot of it has to do with serious thought. Most of us forget that part.

All too often, we list everything we feel must be done, then jump into the list, beginning with those items most critical or have the nearest deadline. Procrastinators will often do the shorter tasks first, delaying those requiring more investment. Some start with those tasks that give the quickest positive results, because, after all, we love feeling good about our accomplishments. We often call it efficiency.

But what’s missing out of all of this so-called planning is the thought process of creating that list. What often gets omitted are the things that matter more in the long run.

Our dreams and causes.

All often we have so many wrong tasks on our list that we do not make room for the right ones.

What tasks touch your heart?
What tasks call upon your creativity instead of just your chore list?
What tasks help define you?
What tasks take steps toward serving the greater good?
What tasks lead down the path toward a dream?
What tasks would you like to be remembered for?
What tasks make you a better person?

These are the tasks we all too often postpone until the routine tasks are completed. The next time you ponder your to-do list for the day, plug in something that really matters in the long run. Writing tasks, charitable tasks, personal improvement tasks. Make room for them. Maybe even do them first and see how you feel at the end of the day. Making this a habit will soon reprioritize your mindset to the point to truly see what’s important in life.

After all, when you are ninety and in your rocker, reminiscing, what do you want to remember about how you spent your energies?