I’m intrigued by things that promise to make me a better person.  I usually find out that it just isn’t that easy and that I have a long way to go.

I read an interesting article about the daily routines of geniuses.  Someone did a study of astounding minds and what their days looked like.  Sounded like something I wanted to know.  After reading the article, I decided there were some things I could incorporate into my life, and maybe, just maybe, I would get smarter along the way.  One can dream, can’t one?

In the spirit of the new year and the goals and resolutions we tend to make and break, here are some activities I might try to incorporate into my day.

Minimize distractions.  I need this badly.  I am like a butterfly too often flitting from one thing to the next without completing the project I am currently working on.  Getting sidetracked.  My mantra sometimes is “stay focused” until I can finish and move to the next thing.

Distractions come in the form of disorganization, clutter, too many things on the list for one day, papers scattered on my desk.  I can start taking some control over these areas and remind myself to do one thing at a time.

A daily walk.  This should be easy, except when it’s ten degrees here in Kentucky.  But hey, tomorrow it might be 40 degrees and the walk not so intimidatingly frigid.  I do enjoy walking and always feel better afterwards.  Just the view of the world, quiet time to pray for my neighbors, thinking time is good for my brain.  And my body.

Accountability metrics.  It’s a bit of a confusing phrase but basically means determine a set amount of time to stay on the project.  Maybe only 20 minutes will accomplish it.  Maybe it will take several hours. Too often I expect a job to take less time than is reality so I get rushed and frustrated.  I need not expect I can build Rome in a day.

Determine important work versus busy work.  Do we all struggled with this occasionally, spending way too much time on things that don’t really matter?  It’s the difference between the temporal and the eternal.  Is what I’m doing really going to make a difference in eternity?  Sure, I understand that I need to wash the dishes and make up the bed in order for our home to be clean and pleasant, but sacrificing time with someone who needs me over busy work is not worth the exchange.

Stop when I’m on a roll.  This seems hard.  When I’m moving forward on a project, I’m supposed to stop before I’m done?  Seems counterproductive, but apparently it worked for those geniuses.  Perhaps it’s a matter of the creative juices flowing for just so long and when I’m tired it’s OK to quit and come back to it another day.

At this season of my life I’m not sure I have enough time to become a genius, but maybe I can just keep learning until the very end.  I think that would be a noble ambition.  Keep learning.  Keep trying.  Never give up.  Growing older is not an option but how I do it has a lot to do with my choices.

I will seek God’s wisdom.  He is the fountain of wisdom and gives it generously to His children who ask for it.  And I believe this is the greatest brilliance of all.