We often think that we are too busy. That there are commitments, be they work, family or otherwise that don't allow us time to exercise.
Indeed often there are times where urgency or emergency require us to prioritize other things over exercise.
But is this a real and valid excuse to put off this aspect of our lives for more than a day or so?
In his excellent book "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People", Stephen Covey helps expose our behaviour with a simple fable.
He shares a story about coming across someone in the woods feverishly trying to saw down a tree.
"What are you doing?" you ask.
"Can't you see I'm sawing down this tree" they reply.
"You look exhausted" you comment, "How long have you been at it?"
"Over five hours, and I'm beat. This is hard work"
"Well why don't you have a break for a few minutes and sharpen the saw?" you suggest, "I'm sure it'll cut a lot faster."
"I don't have time to sharpen the saw" the person replies, "I'm too busy."
Covey explains his time management matrix, where he categorizes daily activities into either urgent or not urgent and then as either important or unimportant.
This creates four different categories, or quadrants
I. Urgent and Important
II. Not Urgent but Important
III. Urgent but Not Important
IV. Not Urgent and Not Important
Individuals who spend most of their time in Quadrant I tend to find themselves engaged in :
Stress
Burnout
Crisis Management
Putting out fires
Individuals predominantly engaging in Quadrant III type activities usually :
Feel victimized and out of control
See goals and plans as worthless
Have short term focus
Are involved in Crisis management activities
People who spend most of their time involved in Quadrants III and IV essentially lead irresponsible lives.
Quadrant II provides effective personal management and results in :
Vision and perspective
Balance
Discipline
Control
Few crises
Isn't that the place we all want to be in?
Covey speaks about "P", Production, "PC" Production capacity, and the P/PC balance.
P represents Production, the ability to produce, to get things done.
PC represents Production Capacity, the ability to continue to be able to produce and the capacity to expand and meet the future demands of "P", Production.
The P/PC balance represents the basic definition of effectiveness, that is, a focus on both Production and Production Capacity...which he refers to as "Sharpening the Saw"
Personal PC is preserving and enhancing your greatest asset, YOU, physically, spiritually, mentally and socially.
It's about taking the time to address the things that will have real benefit. That is those priority activities that have real and meaningful effect and allow you to continue to produce.
These factors bring about two key points consider in relation to effective exercise:
- Ignoring Quadrant II activities, (of which exercise is one), which are effectively PC activities, an individual will eventually have to address health crisis issues (obesity, diabetes, falls, osteoporosis, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, etc). This will curtail or interrupt Production (the work you perceive as so important) until you can bring these crises back under management.
- The benefits of investing time into exercise will help you achieve more. Short term benefits such as enhanced concentration, stress release and control, clarity of thought, physical invigoration, and a general sense of feeling good, assist one to work more effectively and efficiently.
So shouldn't you spend a little time each week Sharpening the Saw?
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