Making Room for What Matters Most

Now that I have added "part-time student" to my list of activities, I have had to cut down on some of the other things I have been doing.  I have to make room for required readings, writing papers, and studying.

I have been a subscriber to many blogs, Google alerts, websites, news feeds (like Huffington Post), etc. and I have fully enjoyed reading all the things that have been coming my way.  It's amazing how these things can pile up.  It's much like acquiring "things".  Before you know it, you look around and say, "Holy Cow!  Look at all this stuff!".

Unfortunately, I was finding the number of emails I was getting to be overwhelming.  I heard my professor say last week, "The best way to reach me is by email.  I hardly ever check my voice mail anymore.  But sometimes there are too many emails and they don't all get read, either".

I want to make sure the emails I am getting I have time for.  I want to make sure that I receive only the most important emails.  I want to be able to read and respond to them in a timely manner.

Most, if not all, of the subscriptions and feeds I belong to have an option at the very bottom of the message that says - "Unsubscribe".  It's usually a very simple process.  I click on the "Unsubscribe" link, and it may take one or two more steps, and it's done. I have been unsubscribing a lot in the last couple of days.  Sometimes the message says, "Sorry to see you go".  Or they ask, "Why are you unsubscribing?" and I feel a bit guilty.  I know I can always "subscribe" again in the future or if I feel I just can't live without that "Get it Dunn" newsletter.  Or I am curious about what "Weighty Matters" is all about for that day (and I may miss that Friday Funny video more than I know).

Bottom line is, sometimes in life priorities change.  Making room for more important things takes change and letting go.  It's not to say I'll never go back to subscribing to those blogs, alerts and news feeds.  I am just making a slight change in the way I spend my time.  Family, friends, studies and work.  That's what matters most now.

Cheers,
Angela Gentile