I hope I am not the only one who allows life to quickly get out of control.  One day I just realized that there were a lot of things that needed to change, a feeling that can be overwhelming.  I quickly determined some things that I knew I could change and set my focus on things that I could control.

Low Information Diet

I realized that my news habit was becoming a problem.  Simply stated, the news was adding unnecessary stress to my life.  The glut of 24-hour news channels has forced the industry into a frenzied pace.  In an effort to remain relevant, news outlets more and more rely on sensationalism and sketchy reporting.  There are still good journalists out there, but even they feel the pressure in this ultra-competitive field.

So I told myself, “Focus on what you CAN control.”  I don’t have to watch the news.  In the last few weeks I have watched, read, or listened to approximately 30 minutes of news total.  That’s a huge change for me.  I used to consume about an hour of news content a day.  Let me be candid here, being uninformed has been downright delightful. I really couldn’t tell you what the latest scandal is in Washington or about the most recent tragedy that has happened here in town.  Some may be able to deal with this knowledge with great ease, but I realized this was an area of my life where I could take control.

I also simplified my iPhone.  More specifically I deleted all the news related apps and even deleted Facebook from my phone.  I used to use my phone so much in reading the news and Facebook that I needed to plug it in during the day to keep it from going dead.  Now I can go a few days without charging my phone.  I have turned off all the beeping and buzzing notifications for my phone that indicate new messages and other updates.  I have even setup quiet hours for my phone between noon and 2pm every weekday…the ‘do not disturb’ feature is great!

When our younger daughter would hear my phone beep, ring or buzz, she would say, “Uh Oh Daddy.  Phone!!!”  And I have to admit I used to feel the same way.  With these changes in place I feel like my phone is a tool instead of a burden and a distraction.

This week I am focusing on bringing a bit more control to my work day.  I tend to keep two distracting tabs open on my computer – Facebook and Twitter.  I wonder how much time I have burned with those two sites.  I don’t see any reason to stop looking at Facebook and Twitter during the day, but I am going to try keeping the tabs closed so it is a purposed effort to get to those sites.

My Actual Diet

“I have been eating crap, and I feel like crap.”  That was the statement I made to my wife a few weeks ago while we were on a stroll.  I don’t particularly care for that word but there was no better way to describe the food I had been consuming.  My low information diet had caused me to take another look at my actual diet.

My eating habits can get out of whack in the blink of an eye.  I credit my treadmill desk as being the only reason I have not ballooned up in size.  Our bodies and our brains are quiet similar, in that they react to what we feed them.  I have been focusing on the things that I can easily control when it comes to diet: cutting back on the Dr. Pepper, taking lunch to the office, having meal ingredients on hand, and cooking meals with my girls.

What I am doing isn’t rocket science.  I simply looked at my choices and applied the principle – “Focus on what you CAN control.”  Sure we have a busy evening schedule which means eating some meals on the go.  And there are fun events this time of year where I will be eating all sorts of unhealthy things.  But I can control many of my day to day meals and this makes a big impact on my end goals…and the waist line.

Money Worries

We are blessed to not be living paycheck to paycheck or really have major concerns about money, but this doesn’t stop me from worrying about money.  This time of year always triggers worries in my mind about money.  Even though our Christmas fund is fully stocked and the big payments (insurance and property tax…we don’t escrow) are on track for savings, I still worry about finances.  I think it is just the fatherly, head of the household thing to do.  And this time of year with some major cash outflows tends to be a big trigger.

This year I have been focusing on what I CAN control and have been padding the emergency fund with some extra cash.  I have actively been selling items on Craigslist.  Making a good sell on CL definitely gives me a little bump for the day.  The dollar amount varies from week to week but dollars in and clutter out is always a good feeling.

How About You?

What could you do with the adage, “Focus on what you CAN control.”  I’d be interested to hear your ideas in the comments below.