What Is the Eisenhower Matrix?
I was today-old when I learned this quadrant of ways to prioritize tasks is as old as  (and attributed to!) President Dwight D. Eisenhower! According to James Clear, this method of organizing tasks to maximize your productivity is what made Eisenhower so successful as a five-star general, President of the United States, and more. It's a great story. I simply knew it as "that four-quadrant system for important/urgent tasks." 



Does It Really Work? 
I've been playing with it recently and am impressed so far, but it's not easy - not gonna lie. When you consider we each make at least 35,000 decisions daily, no wonder we're tired at the end of the day! There are some matters that are purely routine in my day (wake up, shower, brush teeth, eat breakfast). The decision's been made in my book, so we move on. There have to be ways to drop that 35,000 down to something reasonable! 

Where Were You When...
There's been a lot of talk this week about the past four years. Where were you when - the world seemed to come to a sudden stop. What did you do during the COVID-19 lockdown? There's life before COVID - and life after COVID. It was one of those "flashbulb memory" events, like where were you on 9-11, when President Kennedy was killed, when Elvis died, and when the space shuttle Challenger went down.

How Did You Spend Your Days?
Home. We were all home! It was a crazy time. Just as so many wish for time at home, forced time at home was a different matter! We were all suddenly "toddlers," going stir crazy, not sure how to occupy ourselves, raging against the world for "having" to stay home. I was actually grateful for the radical shift in time.

• I had infinite time home with my family - such a blessing!
• We baked, had fire pits/camp fires in our back yard. 
• We read, played games, talked, baked - lots of baking and cooking!
• We learned how to do school at home on computers with two high school students. 
• Husband's job became a week home/a week in the office as staff "distanced." 
• We learned how to be "social" on our computers and phones to connect with friends and family.

What Changed?
We're not going to touch on good, bad, or indifferent. Simply - different. A lot changed.

• Seeing folks wear masks in public is not unusual or without reason now.
• There's hopefully a bit more caution with cold and flu symptoms, washing hands a bit more, staying home when under the weather.
• "Zoom" and online meeting platforms continue. 
• Attitudes about work changed. I went from being a hospital physical therapist to becoming an entrepreneur.
• "Work life balance" and "self care" became important words. I know I strive for better balance than life before COVID.
• We got far more sensitive to mental health concerns. Isolation was difficult for many.
  
• We discovered a lot of cracks in many of our large institutions including education and healthcare.

Change Is the Only Constant
This was one of those events that tested all of us in a number of ways. Some lost family members, health, jobs, careers, and a way of life. Change tests us and demands flexibility and adaptability. Change is as constant as Time. To change is to grow. It may not be everyone's favorite thing to do, especially in the moment, but it undeniably brings growth if you let it. It tests and creates "grit." 

​How Do YOU Deal with Change?

• Is change easy for you? Do you flex and float and roll with the waves? 
• Is it hard? Do you fight it tooth and nail?
• Do you put your head down and dig deeper to aim for better?

If change is the only constant, what have you been changing? Are you growing? Maybe developing grit? Love to hear how you handle change!

And "where were you when the world stopped turning..." for an equally stunning "flashbulb memory." (thank you, Alan Jackson!)

Nonprofit Focus
February was a whirlwind of focus on event preparation to support a favorite nonprofit. Children of the American Revolution has groups at local and state levels across the country and even a few internationally. Children learn about their heritage through genealogy, American history, and patriotism. It's a combination of history lessons and community service while teaching meeting processes, officer skills, and public speaking. Membership is for those birth to 22 years old.

Service in Action
My role is as the adult leader for the state. I mentor and supervise the State President and local societies through the state. We host two events each year, and February was our State Conference to celebrate the successes of projects and societies. This involves working with children and adult leaders to prepare reports and certificates for the meeting; prepare script, program, and registration for the meeting; prepare a project the children can work on at the meeting; as well as facility and food preparation. Lots of Reading, Writing, and Engaging!

Value of Volunteering
Volunteering is good for the soul. It feels good. You support your community. It's an amazing learning opportunity with many skills developed. You connect with others IRL (In Real Life). It's a fabulous networking opportunity. It's great for your health as confirmed in research. 

Mayo Clinic has an article reminding us of the benefits of volunteering:

• Improves physical and mental health
• Provides a sense of purpose and teaches valuable skills
• Nurture new and existing relationships

So it was a busy February, but I'm glad to be back! I'm grateful for friends and fellow adult leaders who make it possible to serve and grow these children.

What were your successes in February? Do you track your wins to remind yourself at the end of the year? I'd love to hear what you do beyond your business and family efforts - Let's Chat!