Whenever I get some space, I try to do something productive so I don’t feel it has been wasted. Having said that, I do count ‘down time’ as productive.
The same as an athlete would count their rest days as productive.
However, I am not an athlete and do have bouts of forced ‘rest’ to my health and fitness regime, so I do try to use some spare time to get going! Last Saturday I was contemplating going for a bike ride but I’d had a couple of beers the night before and was searching for excuses not to go.
It’s really easy to make excuses for not exercising but the weather was great, I had time and no resistance from any of my family members, who were either sleeping or at work, but I still ‘mooched’ about – dragging my heels.
After my second cup of coffee, my Son appeared (10 years old) and said “Dad I am going running, can I borrow your Fitbit?” I looked at him, ready to go with trainers just being laced up, handed him my Fitbit and said “Enjoy your run, stay on the path and watch the traffic”
No sooner as he had left, I went upstairs got my cycling kit on, got my bike ready and waited for Eddie to return. When he returned, I went out for a cycle!
My 10 year old Son inspired me to get out. He stopped me procrastinating and motivated me to do what I knew I should do.
If you are a parent then you probably think it’s your job to motivate your kids to do things like, tidy their rooms, wash up, do their homework, and I would agree, but, I think they can teach us so much as well. With no excuses, reasons or ‘things’ to get in the way, they just do things.
I think that we often forget the impact we can have on others, especially people that we spend a lot of time with. The messages we give to others, through our actions, can be influential to others. I get motivated by seeing someone doing things, that I put off or use as an excuse, and it makes me bite the bullet at times. (This does not apply to DIY or gardening though!)
What do your actions tell everyone about you? Are you leading the way forward, solution orientated or are you reactive and part of the problem? Are you optimistic or pessimistic? Driven or laid back? Hard working or getting by? Determined or comfortable?
Eddie was my inspiration just by getting out to exercise, while I was trying to make excuses.
I loved it and I wonder if I may actually be his mentor, which is why he went running in the first place – who knows?
Sometimes we need to stop thinking and just get on with it!