Making Time For What's Most Important

As I write this, I'm creating my plan for 2009. I'm tearing out each month of the calendar and posting them on the wall by my desk. It's amazing to see all the days of the year and all the possibilities.

My goal is to make sure I make time for the most important activities in my life and career. Key areas I'm planning for include:
--Commitments I've made for radio, workshops and speaking
--New teleclasses and webinars I'll be delivering in 2009 and
--Inspirational cabaret shows I'll be putting on throughout the year.

Of course I'm also planning time off to rest and recharge! I used to feel stifled when planning my schedule in advance. I thought that if everything was set up, I couldn't be spontaneous. Over the years, I've realized the opposite is true.

By making sure the most important items are in my schedule, I have freedom to say yes or no to other interesting things that come along. I've actually left room for them as well. In the past, I felt compelled to say yes to everything only to end up worn out. This year will be different.

If you need to make time for what's important check out Cheryl Richardson's book Take Time for Your Life and click here for other helpful resources I recommend.

What are the most important items for your calendar in 2009? What experiences, goals, events, do you want to make sure you have time for in this New Year?