Just How Much Can You Manage?

Recently, I've been pondering the "how much can I manage?" question. Due to some circumstances, an increase in work and the press of the upcoming holiday season, I find that I have already started looking for shortcuts and what I can eliminate from my plate.

One of my recent musings concerns the number of actual items in my home, or any home for that matter. Think about it:

• If it lives in my home, I have to manage it on some level.
• If it lives in my home, it requires space.
• If it lives in my home, it probably requires some maintenance or care, possibly even repair or constant upgrading.
• If it lives in my home, I have to move it, label it, remember it, know how to find it in a pinch and hopefully avoid buying another one when I can't find it.

The statistic I've heard is that the average American household which has a married couple, one child and one pet contains 1 million items. ONE MILLION ITEMS. I don't like it when I have 3 appointments in one day. It makes me shudder to even imagine managing 1 million items.

If you desire to live an intentional life, a meaningful life, spending yourself on what is truly important to you, the less you have to manage, the better.

I don't scrapbook because I take photos instead. I can manage photos. I don't want to manage all it would require for me to scrapbook.

I don't want a pet right now. What is important to me now is getting my stepdaughters through school. Giving attention to a pet is more than I have to give right now. So when I DO have time for paying attention to a pooch, I will be at the animal shelter in a heartbeat.

Know what you can manage. Intentionally position yourself to be a success.

(c) 2009 Sheri Smith Bertolini