What is a priority for you? Completing a day of remote work without getting sidetracked by Netflix is important. Spending more time on meaningful projects in your community might be an essential activity for you on every Wednesday. How you schedule your day is an indicator of your priorities.
Between the Coronavirus, incidents of police brutality, an increase in lynching practices, and the senseless killings in the Black community, I have found myself paying more attention to how I use my time. I have been thinking a lot about my death. The time will come when my life has to end.
It’s important to me that I leave a legacy of love for my family and meaningful work that impacts global communities. I must use my gifts, talents, and skills during the time I am blessed with on this earth. This perspective of legacy influences how I schedule my days.
I don’t have much downtime.
Structure helps me to stay on top of my multiple roles and responsibilities. It does not restrict me from enjoying life. I am a husband, father, professor, capoeirista, writer, instructional designer, and entrepreneur. There are numerous tasks that I must complete every day to water these areas and see growth in my personal and professional life.
Do you follow a calendar? If not, I want to encourage you to try and create a schedule that can help you organize your time. Do it this weekend.
While many of my activities align with a great vision for my life, others are not. Despite their critical role in shaping well-being, I struggle with prioritizing friendships. I would rather work in solitude than spend time talking on the phone, texting, posting on social media, or visiting in person with someone.
How often do you talk with your friends?
Outside of social media, I don’t talk with my friends back in the States. We lost contact when I moved abroad in 2016. Priorities pushed us into different directions.
There are some locals who I have connected with, but outside of work or Capoeira we don't talk. I am not proud of my priorities in this arena of my life, and I am trying to make some changes. Relaxing with friends is important.
My desire to achieve more directs the actions I do in isolation that begin before sunrise. Quiet mornings are sacred treats in a household with three young children. I discipline myself to get in bed before 10 PM to consume the blessings of early morning solitude.
Are you an early riser? Discovering your chronotype will give you an insight into your morning or night preferences to work.
In Dr. Michael Breus’ book, The Power of When: Discover Your Chronotype and Learn- the Best Time to Eat Lunch, Ask for a Raise, Have Sex, Write a Novel, Take Your Meds and More. he argues that humans fall into three categories or chronotypes – dolphin, bear, or lion. These chronotypes determine optimal times for everything from waking up in the morning to working out, having sex, drinking coffee, and going to bed. Like my capoeira nickname Leão Preto which translates from Portuguese to English as Black Lion, I fit the lion chronotype.
You should make reading Breus’ book this month a priority. It can help with understanding the science behind having a productive day.
Do you have a morning routine? Most of us have set ways to how we brush our teeth, get dressed, eat a meal, or perform some other habitual behavior. It may not be a formal or written routine, but we tend to form habits around the activities we do every day.
On most mornings, I don't want to exercise. It's easier to climb back in the bed with my wife or do something else; however, because of my schedule, I don't often skip a workout.
My morning routine consists of spiritual, mental, and physical disciplines. I begin each day by giving thanks for another day to make progress aligned with a divine vision for my life. Then, I do a set of sixty push-ups, and bicycle ab kicks to get the blood flowing. Afterward, I read scripture and write in my journal. Lastly, except for Sunday, I head outdoors to train Capoeira.
Some mornings, I train inside the carport of my home. Other days, I jog to a local park or beach and put in some work. The guide provided within the Capoeira In-tune program helps me to prioritize different movements to work on each day.
What do you have in place to give you structure and facilitate growth? If you train Capoeira and are having a difficult time thinking about new workouts, join the Capoeira In-tune program. I restructured the design of this service to encourage you to move at your own pace.
Inside the program, you receive access to a training vault with over fifteen hours of content broken down into brief instructional videos. In addition to Capoeira, I am including videos that can help strengthen your mind and spirit to assist you in creating better life priorities. I add to the vault on the first Sunday of every month.
This blog, my books, the Capoeira In-tune program, my social media profiles are part of the tools that I am using to help people who might need an adjusment. Due to the current challenges of our communities, this is a difficult moment in history.
Let’s believe that we can get through this phase of our lives. Make getting clarity on your life's purpose a priority this week. If you train Capoeira, join the Capoeira In-tune program for support. Otherwise, subscribe to this blog for weekly posts and share it with a friend to help them get a handle on how they use their time.
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