Spend your engery on things that matter – Coshocton Tribune

Emily Marrison| Guest Columnist

I keep a small, blue booklet within arms reach of my desk. I have found it to be a valuable tool and inspiration in the work that I do. It was published in February 1922, yet has timeless wisdom.

T.J. Talbert of the Kansas State Agricultural College Division of College Extension penned The Extension Workers Code as a guide to excel in educational outreach efforts. Much of the advice is useful for anyone regardless of your calling in life.

This spring I was especially struck by the section titled Do the Things Which Will Count. Depending on our personalities we can be inclined to get sucked into things that waste precious time. Im not just talking about lazy habits like watching too much television or letting time evaporate while you are on the internet. We know those are time wasters, right?

Im also talking about the good things that still arent the best things. Talbert puts it this way, It is a great art to know what to leave undone, to know how to weed out the less important things, and to spend ones energies in doing the things which will count. He goes on to say, Once we have formulated a plan… we must stick to it regardless of our tendency to be sidetracked by other pressing duties and obligations. Otherwise, all our good resolution and work begun will amount to little or nothing.

I had adjusted quickly to working from home during 2020 and the beginning of 2021. At first it was strange to be less busy, but it was also incredibly freeing. As many workers have returned to in-person work in businesses and offices over the past few months, Ive heard more comments about feeling busy again.

In a quest to squelch this slow creep of the return to busyness, Ive also been reading a more modern bulletin from an Extension colleague in this century. Tim Tanner developed a time management curriculum for Extension professionals. He is an avid reader and researcher and found that American employees are at their best when they possess high levels of personal well-being. He also found that ancient and modern religious scholars have long noted that an orderly approach to daily life creates greater human joy.

Studies show time and time again that we humans are not created to be efficient multitaskers. MIT neuroscientistEarl Millersaysour brains focus on one thing at a time. When we attempt to multitask, we are actually switching back and forth very quickly between tasks and missing out on key observances.

The last thing we need is to climb back onto the hamster wheel many of us had escaped from. Here are three things I am doing to discipline myself to do the things which will count:

Today Ill leave you with this quote from William Carey. My husband keeps this quote near his planning calendar. For doers who like to stay busy, these are wise words to consider. Im not afraid of failure; Im afraid of succeeding at things that dont matter.

Emily Marrison is an OSU Extension Family & Consumer Sciences Educator and may be reached at 740-622-2265.

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Spend your engery on things that matter - Coshocton Tribune