Last Lecture

Once again my business classes are much more engaging and exciting than any other class.  This reconfirms my desire to continue with the major of Business Management.  Over the last few months I’ve focused on a Life Plan vs a Business Plan.

My biggest life plan is to focus on balance.  I have some regrets in how I lived my earlier years in that I didn’t take advantage of school and work opportunities as I should have.  I’ve learned though recently that I can’t just go back and do it the way I should have.  Instead I need to focus on moving forward in the present.  I do that by having balance and using the time I do have now wisely. 

After a good 7 hours of sleep each night I have 1020 “Productivity Points” or minutes left each day.  I get to decide how I want to use those and how they will help me be the most successful in the end.  My life plan means that I have a big picture approach to things and not just a short term, what’s fun now outlook.

It’s not always easy to see and execute that plan though.  For instance this next semester I’ve decided to take it pretty much off, I’ll only be taking one religion class.  Even though I want to be done with school, my family and I need to spend a little time together and focus on what’s really important.  Now if I just spend all this time in front of the X-box, then it would be a waste of time.  Instead my plan is to attend sporting events and scout outings with my boys.  I’m currently on a trip to my parents with just my daughter.  It’s this kind of family time that shows I get the bigger picture.  I’m also going to spend it focused on me.  I scheduled a 5K to help me exercise, I am taking a religion class so that I get back on track with my scriptures.  I also have planned a few dates with my wife.

School has taken up so much of my life the past few years and it will again for a couple more, but this break the next 5 months or so will help my family in the long run.  We are an eternal family after all and just like everyone we need to keep our eye on the bigger picture when we consider our “Life Plan.”

Reprioritizing

This was a big week for me.  I’m at a point in my education where I’ve been going to school for quite a while.  Unfortunately, I still have about 2 years to go because of all the other demands on my time it’s taken quite a while to get to this point and I’m beginning to feel burnt out.  This time of year I get very restless because I want to spend time with my family or even just out in the garden working.

A thought hit me like a ton of bricks the other day, what if I take a semester off?  I’ve never done this before.  I do always take the summer off, but at BYU-I, the summer is only a few short weeks and still about 4 months away.  I looked into it and with the help of my wife made a decision to “mostly” take the semester off.  I’ll actually still be taking one religion class, because religion and specifically daily scripture study is one thing I need to be better at.

I still wasn’t completely confident of my decision until I watched a video by Stan Christensen.  He said two things that hit me pretty hard.  He said, “Don’t do things because it’s what other people want you to do” and “You get to make your own story.”

I know not everyone will think it’s a good idea to tap the breaks at this point in my education.  I have a clear plan though and this doesn’t change my plan, in fact it reinforces my need for a balanced life that is primarily focused on my family.  For a number of years now I’ve had school as a priority, at least for the next 5-6 months, school will get to play second fiddle.