Consider the Day Ahead
I considered what the day was going to be like and made adjustments accordingly.
Every morning, after my exercise routine, I take some time to think and journal. The first thing I usually think about is the day that's ahead of me. I can have some very busy days. It's a worthwhile exercise to consider what the day will look like, take stalk of it, and prepare for what's to come. I try to imagine the different things that will happen—meetings with people, family arrangements, work obligations, appointments, etc. I take a moment to lift each of these activities to God in my thoughts. I also try to anticipate where I will need to make adjustments so that I can accomplish all the important things in the day. This really helps so that I don't get frustrated later when things get too busy and I'm pressed for time. I expected it. I made plans for it.
The other day, my wife and I had an appointment to go to. Although the appointment itself wasn't going to be lengthy, the travel time would be. The place we were going to was some distance away from where we live. An appointment like this will take up several hours of time and consume the whole morning. I anticipated this during my thinking and journaling time. I knew I wouldn't have most of the morning to do what I normally do. Therefore, time will be pressed for everything else. I prepared myself for this eventuality. Here are examples of how I prepared for it:
I prepared myself to write in the afternoon. I usually like to write in the mornings. Obviously, on this particular day, I wouldn't be able to do so. I settled on writing in the afternoon instead.
I still wanted to spend about 3 hours in prayer, Scripture, worship, and contemplation. I considered different times during the day where I could squeeze this in. Could I spend extra time in prayer before everybody else wakes up? Could I read Scripture in the car while waiting at a parking lot?
I had to forgo some activities. I chose not to do certain things to give me extra time for the more important stuff. On this particular day, I decided not to read. I also decided not to tend the backyard of my house. I had to prioritize the more important things due to the limited time available.
I knew I was going to have a busier day than usual. And so, during my time of contemplation, I considered what the day was going to be like and made adjustments accordingly. Although unexpected things may still occur during the day, I will still be prepared for most of it as best as I could. Take a moment in the mornings to consider the day ahead and prepare yourself accordingly for what's to come.
Barnabas the Monastic
Servant of Christ. Husband. Dad. Modern Monastic. I have a wild ambition in life: get as close to the Lord Jesus Christ as I can while on earth. I explore and integrate ancient Christian monk wisdom in modern everyday life. Lives in Canada.
