While the former regulator in me wants exactness, consistency, and stability – the reality is that I have never been one to gravitate to New Year’s Resolutions, which could provide all of those things. I’m more content marching to the beat of my own drum and really love the occasional unplanned and carefree moments in life. However, something I’ve incorporated into my life is taking unscheduled PRPs – what I call a Pause, Reflect, and Prioritize (PRP) moment.
How do you know you need a PRP moment? If you are ever that person who is too often late for meetings, running around in a frenzy, you might want to think about it. Or maybe it’s when a family member says, “I miss spending time together”. In my case, my latest PRP moment came when I noticed a stack of books piling up on a shelf in my living room bookcase. I resisted the urge to sort them into my color-coded system because I knew the stack was a sign of something more than just organization – it was a sign of something greater. It was a sign that I needed a PRP moment.
The stack included unread book club books, gifted books (the enjoyable fault of having a retired English literature friend), and books to read while on vacation or when I have a moment to myself. I initiated my PRP moment to examine where I was spending my time, how, and where I needed to put some extra focus. As a result, I have plowed through several of those books, plus I’ve had the added benefit of my kids joining me in the same room for reading time (okay admittedly my oldest is reading the words on his video game with headphones on).
For now, I’m holding steady until the need for my next Pause, Reflect, Prioritize moment – but until then I’ll be reading a bit more and helping my daughter build a book reading nook in her bedroom.
