Sometimes life brings us mundane experiences that profoundly shift the way we think about things.  Today I burned the oatmeal…

But let me step back: my family will tell you that I am pretty obsessed with my email.  I get a lot and I send a lot.  It’s my primary means of connection with many personal and business associates.  It gets the better of me.  I get restless if I have not “worked on” email and I often spend time on it to the detriment of other things.

I know this email habit is the equivalent of busy work.  It’s important to stay in touch, yes, but I could be a lot more effective with it.  I say “effective” instead of “efficient” because I’ve been listening to Tim Ferriss’ book, The Four Hour Work Week on CD this week.   He has many interesting perspectives but one that really hit home for me is the distinction between being “effective” — that is doing the important stuff that really makes an impact — versus being “efficient” which is doing things well/quickly.  The catch is: doing unimportant things efficiently doesn’t make them important.

So here I am obsessed with a lot of unimportant email work, but feeling…needed? …busy? …like I’m working???

The other morning while making pancakes for my daughter I kept running back to my computer (while the suckers were on the griddle) and managed to burn 2 of 3 batches.  On the 4th batch, my daughter spied me back at the computer and said, Mommy you are NOT supposed to be here. The pancakes will burn!  It takes a 3 year old to tell me that!

I did it again this morning.  Typing away I smell the sour smell of burning oatmeal. Uhhgg!  As I rushed across the room to the pan, I remember what Ferriss says about Effectiveness.  Am I doing the things that matter?  As I read messages and peruse email newsletters, am I letting the important tasks (in life and business) burn away unattended?

I think maybe I am. 

Now programed on my computer is reminder that will pop up several times a day. A gentle reminder to check in with what is most important to do right now, it says:  IS THE OATMEAL BURNING?

Question:  Is YOUR oatmeal burning?