A few weeks ago I went for a personal retreat, something I have been doing for a couple of years now, where every three months I find hide out to be by myself. Then all I do is “sharpen my saw”. This “Sharpen the saw” is a term I picked from Stephen Covey. It basically entails looking through your dreams or aspirations, tracking progress and setting new milestones. It also includes taking a good rest to recharge and renew the mind. These retreats are usually very refreshing and many times they force me to come face to face with myself, my shortcomings or limitations. I find it easier to track and measure how I am doing in the five pillars of my life .i.e
- Spiritual
- Mental
- Social/Emotional
- Physical
- Financial/Career
There is a lot I have learned over the years and I like to share my journey freely. And here is one of my greatest take out in this past retreat; Install a “Shutdown ritual“. Many times I leave work but unfortunately the work leaves with me, you get what I am saying right? Carl Newport, in his book Deep Work, says this ritual aims to review all your incomplete tasks and either create a plan for their completion at a later date or capture them to review in the future when the time is right. The ritual aims to complete all in-progress tasks, combatting the Zeigarnik effect. That way, your mind can leave work to find rest, rejuvenation and build productivity.
At times I wonder “How much knowledge and skill is enough for a fine life?” As one of the wise men said “So I set out to learn everything from wisdom to madness and folly. But I learned firsthand that pursuing all this is like chasing the wind.” It is in such solitude that I have ended up agreeing to this wiseman’s sayings; Success is a journey, it is achieved daily and success is not success if it does not fulfill a purpose that is bigger than you. So I keep asking myself what impact should I have on my wife, children, family, friends and the community(world) and since life is finite, am I utlising the time God has given wisely or am I squandering it?
Our minds are our greatest assets and we should treat them with great care. Keep sharpening the mind. There is no end to it.
By Eric Gitonga, 25th May 2023
