In this year I became a father, and first and foremost it is a wonderful thing. I do not know of any other feeling, or responsibility I have ever had so intensely and taken so seriously. However, I am a father, a husband and a provider. In these roles, I feel the need to spend a significant amount of time with the two people I love the most in the world, my wife and son, and the rest of my time is often spent at work, or working, or thinking about work...or yeah. So, that being stated, the time I have put in to work on my dissertation-minimal, and the time I have put in for exercise of the mind and body-non-existent. It is not a bad thing, or a right or wrong thing, but it just is.
This is where discipline comes in. There are enough hours in the day, to do a little bit of everything. It doesn't always feel like it, but there are. You just have to manage your day better...I have to manage MY day better-maybe I should say it aloud a hundred times. It really does not give a lot of time to just chill, or watch mindless TV or lie in the bed for hours on the weekend. But it is what it will take to reach all the goals I initially set for myself. It is easy to talk about too; to say I will start tomorrow...and not do so. But why? Why is being disciplined so hard? Do I not want to be in great shape, and complete my studies and be a successful person...more successful? Do I not want to be a shining example of hard work and diligence to my son and my family?
The answers to these questions is "I do", and I think others who have this problem with discipline do as well. They, like I, are not always capable of maintaining or rather exercising discipline in their daily lives for a few reasons:
1. I deserve time to "VEG" out-this is my most common excuse for not exercising discipline in a multitude of areas. I work hard all day, and then put in time with the family so it is only natural that I take a few minutes to do nothing. The problem is, there is a stress associated with doing nothing when there is definitely something else that could be accomplished during this time...so vegging out ain't as comfortable as it may seem on the surface.
2. Not enough hours in the day-this is the lack of serious time management in your life. Yes, there are only 24 hours in a day, and when you should sleep for 8 to 10 of those, that leaves at max 16 hours to get it done. Still, 16 hours a day is a significant amount of time. The hard part about discipline in regards to specific activities is that because you may not be able to dedicate the time you want to an activity, you just don't dedicate any time. You claim that is not discipline, but lack of time. However, a disciplined approach manages time differently-where as you may have 45 minutes to work out and that time is scheduled into your day. You would like to work out for 2 hours, but 45 minutes is all that can happen so you exercise at the same time everyday for JUST enough time, where getting showered and dressed keeps you in your 45 minute window. It is not exactly what you want...but it is more than nothing using a disciplined approach.
3. I am disciplined when I need to be-this is the notion that I can turn on discipline when I need it. An example for me has been I get to work between 8 and 9 everyday, but I like to get there before 8. Now I can, if I have a meeting or something that is pertinent, get to the office in the 7am hour, but it ain't happening daily. My rationale is it can happen when I need it too-but why not all the time? True discipline is setting standard for yourself that you do not deviate from.
So obviously I have it all figured out huh...well, exercising discipline is a lot easier than drafting this blog. It has to be a mindset-change from what is in order to head to what "can be". So, the goal is to read this entry as often as necessary to reaffirm that which I already know. I can be better, do more, achieve success and maintain balance if I try. I must try...
