Blog post by: Jennifer Downes
“Time is what we want most, but what we use worst.” — William Penn, Fruits of Solitude
Time is such a funny thing. When you’re a child, you can’t wait to be older to do all the ‘adult’ things that seem so unique and fun. Yet, when you become an adult, time moves faster than you can keep up with, to the point I feel bullied by it sometimes.
I used to constantly look at the clock throughout the day and feel the weight of my task list bullying me into feeling that I’m not fast enough, productive enough, responding quickly enough, and so on. So much so, it ultimately made me feel like I’m not enough as an employee, a mother, and a wife. Until one day, I decided to change my mindset and remind myself that I AM ENOUGH! I know my work ethic is strong, and so is my love of being a mom and wife, so I took a stand and put a stop to allowing time and my mind to control me throughout my day.
In order to take back control, I had to analyze everything I was balancing and determine which are my “glass balls” versus my “plastic balls.” Glass balls are my immediate needs that have to be accomplished today. Whether it’s speaking with a donor, writing an appeal letter, and/or completing a project I have on my list of immediate priorities. Sprinkled throughout my glass balls are the plastic ones. The plastic balls are ones that if I have to drop, it’s ok, because it won’t shatter into a million pieces. The lower priority plastic balls will bounce back up and I’ll pick it up at a later time. Even though it might feel like it at times, not everything is glass. Even when you are being pulled in a billion different directions, there are things that CAN wait.
Fundraising isn’t for the faint of heart, as it requires consistent follow up, engagement, organization, leadership, and communication. Don’t let your task list overwhelm you anymore. Determine what are your glass balls vs your plastic balls to help organize your day/week/month. Is there truly a perfect solution? No. But hopefully this perspective will allow you to reset your mindset and priorities.
“The easiest way to increase happiness is to control your use of time.” – Daniel Kahneman