Ranked priorities
Lately I have been thinking about the ranking of my priorities… and that it might be a bit warped.
My priorities
*This list is not all inclusive
- My happiness
- Exercise/Fitness
- Relationships (spouse, friends, family)
- Having fun
- Blogging
- My health
- Being social
- Travel
- Work
- My appearance
- My house’s appearance
- Any professional advancement in Architecture
The main concern is priority #2. I love to be active – it makes me feel fantastic, and directly meets priority #1. However, I sometimes worry that it gets in the way of priority #3. I try really hard to make sure I still account enough time in my schedule for my relationship with Steven, my friends, and family. I get up a few hours before Steven does to get workouts in. I double up social time with running. I try not to let it take over my life…
Yet, I know, based on how I act and think, that it it still too high of a priority for me. As happy as it makes me, for such a mediocre* athlete, I don’t need to spend as much time as I do thinking about exercise and exercising! I mean seriously, when I daydream? It’s about running. <— THAT IS NOT RIGHT.
What would be on your list of priorities and how would it be ranked? Do you need to do any shuffling in the ranking?
Ha ha ha. I think my list could have some more shuffling done to it besides moving #3 before #2. It could also have some things added to it, like volunteering , our finances, or reading the newspaper. But I am just keeping it real over here…
(And I write about this, but doubt I will change anything. Oops. <— still keeping it real.)
I have another post coming up for you at lunch time today! I read this article I just had to share!
*Not a dig at myself! Just the truth! It’s not like I am elite or even that speedy! I am just an exercise addict.
Themocracy
I tend to think that exercise influences all the aspects of my life because it is directly related to how I feel and how I’m doing emotionally and mentally. That being said, if I had to choose between running and Dave, I would pick Dave… but he would want me with the running, because he knows how good it is for me in ALL areas. (Does that make any sense?)
Yes, that totally makes sense! And I hope I didn’t make it seem like Steven does not want me to exercise! 😉 He is super supportive. I just want to be… present for him too. If THAT makes any sense! 😉
Very interesting! I think I may steal this idea to make a post of my own if you don’t mind!
Go for it chica! It’s an honor 😉
Interesting! I don’t know what my list would be in what order. I think my family and friends would be first, then fitness/health and then my happiness. But in my defense I am the kind of person that gets more happiness out of seeing others around me happy so I guess it sorta makes sense? I DON’T KNOW! DON’T ASK ME THESE HARD QUESTIONS!
LOL! That makes sense. Don’t worry, the question this afternoon will be much easier 😉
I’m the opposite, in that i put friends and family first, and my happiness is somewhere after job. I can totally relate to the direct connection between exercise and happiness though. I think thats why you see so few people that have totally figured out the career/family/health/happiness equation out!
Is Data included in #3? It’d be a little warped if not 🙂
I don’t really have a clear cut list, because I think a lot of those overlap. Like your first four of happiness, fitness, relationships and fun all seem to sort of roll into one overall goal for me, of just being happy and healthy.
I totally hear you on this one. Exercise and fitness takes way too much of a priority in my life. I can let pretty much anything else slide but I can’t skip working out. Like yesterday morning was the only morning all week that the BF and I got to wake up together. He wanted me to stay in bed for half and hour and drink coffee and snuggle. But I said I couldn’t miss kickboxing.
I guess my list would be:
1. Happiness
2. Exercise/Fitness
3. Relationships
4. Food
5. My house
6. Work
(Is it terrible that work is at the very bottom??)
We have the same problem – can’t relax because we are thinking about working out… and listing work VERRRRY low.
So. I think we are both normal. HEE HEE!
For me it is:
Work
Happiness
Exercise
Relationships
Fun/Social life
Food
House
Why work first? Without it, I wouldn’t have the house, food, social life or ability to maintain my active lifestyle.
Your list is very logical! I am more “work schmwerk, I’ll figure something out” 😉
I might be more like that, but I only have myself to depend on. 🙂
Love this post! I wonder about my priorities as well. My life definitely revolves around fitting in workouts whether it’s first thing in the morning or after work and I spend a lot of time creating my workout schedule/training plan, setting reminders, etc. Plus, my happiness is directly related to fitness and if I don’t get in a good workout, I’m usually a little bit upset about it (again NOT healthy!). Like you, I try to wake up before Ian to workout and then on Saturdays usually sleep in with him and workout later because he likes that but I’m not sure my priorities will change anytime soon…
It sounds like you guys have a good plan worked out for the two of you though. And you make time to be social! Do you feel like you are in a good place, minus those feelings of being upset when you don’t get a good workout in?
Yeah I think so. I definitely am bummed if I can’t get a workout in but such is life. I think most of the reason I get sad is because I enjoy it so much, not because I feel like I have to do x amount of cardio every day!
This is a pretty cool activity!
For me, good food (and drink?) and sleep would also be fairly high on the list – yes, I definitely prioritize that part of my life, or maybe I consider them an essential part of the “happiness” piece. I think that the relationships vs. exercise debate is an interesting one, and I feel that there is more tension there when I’m in ‘training mode’ and also when Michael is injured (like right now). There are a lot of physical activities that we normally can do together, which is great, but when we can’t, then I feel like exercise suddenly is bumped up because it becomes a “solo” venture rather than a shared experience.
I love that food, drink and sleep are the top of your list! I wanted to put sleep on mine. It NEEDS to be near the top!
Gosh! That would be intersting to think (hmm, or read about, hint hint) – when one partner can work out and the other can’t!
I am going through a period of major life/work changes, so my priorities change daily. I hope that they will settle at some point. For the time being, sorry I can’t really answer the question. I just wanted to comment to say that I love the nail polish you have on. Awesome! And of course that I love Data, but that’s old news 🙂
I think it’s good for them to shift over time!
Thanks! It’s OPI Ski Teal We Drop with OPI Pirouette My Whistle on top 🙂
What a tough question… problem is there’s never enough time or energy to do it all. I’m not sure where exactly my priorities lay, and they probably change day by day. I do know baby care, relationships and exercise are generally towards the top, and anything that looks like a chore is generally towards the bottom. Appearances are at the bottom of my list and I think that’s good.
But really I want to say – I love that pic!!!
Aww, thank you (re: the pic)!
I would love to hear more parent perspectives on this list! Because I feel like it could be really different. And yeah. Chores? MEH! 😉
Hmm this is tough. I definitely put exercising high on my list.
running/exercise
Husband/friends (these two are often reversible)
Hobbies (reading, cooking)
Social life (which includes running)
Work
I guess that’s it. I have three things in my life – running, work and husband/friends. They all kind of want that top priority stop just depends on the day.
Whenever I am at work I often think about what I have to do once I get out of work. I work to live, not live to work.
Ha ha. I like that you note Husband/friends are reversible, because I was going to list friends first… and decided that would look really bad 😉
Def a work to liver too 😉
During the week it it isn’t too hard for me to keep my priorities in line and do everything I want/need to do. During the weekends when I am visiting my family and/or Matt, I have a hard time balancing training with spending time with them. On one hand, I signed up for a race that is important to me, but I only have a limited time with my family. I guess I don’t always know which priority should come first.
Ahh, you bring up a really intersting topic. I know some family does not understand why I want to still workout when I am there, and I do sometimes have a hard time leaving to do it! But it really makes me feel good… and helps me balance all the crazy eating I do around them!
Hmmmm, I think my priorities are:
1. Meal planning and grocery shopping
2. Getting in a workout
3. Spending time with my husband
4. Spending time with my friends (although, to be honest, 3&4 could be flipped)
5. Blogging
6. Other household stuff (cleaning, laundry, etc)
7. Work
Some weeks, though, like the end of last week and the beginning of this week my priorities got all shifted around and it made me feel a little out of control. I actually had to take a day off work to get some of the house stuff taken care of so that I could feel less anxious!
Ahh! That blows my mind that meal planning is #1. Not because it shouldn’t be. But you know how I am about meal planning and cooking.
Your 3 and 4 get flipped for me too 😉
Yeah, I definitely think about workouts and my health/fitness a lot too. When I can fit them into my schedule, what workout is next, what I should or shouldn’t eat… It takes up a lot of my time. But running and going to the gym makes me happy, so I think its ok. I probably could be better about not worrying or thinking about it all the time if I planned ahead a bit more. I am trying to be better about this because I have realized I don’t spend a lot of time with friends or family and that makes me happy so I should do more of it. It’s definitely tough to balance it all.