There are two reasons to manage your time or increase your productivity. 

One is so you can spend less time doing the things you have to so you can spend time on what you want to. 

The other is so you can do more in the same time.  

Depending on the time of year, I switch between these two reasons.  

I schedule my social media time as part of my high productivity/time management practice. You will usually only find me on social media once a day. 

During one of those scheduled social media visits, I found a Facebook post I loved.  

I saved it to share with you.  

I have no idea why this post came across my feed. The person who posted is not my friend, but I am glad it did.  

The Post

I want to give credit where credit is due. So this is where the post came from:  https://www.facebook.com/amybettersmidtvedthidingintheclosetwithcoffee

It was posted on April 26, 2023 (and if I knew how to share the actual post with you, I would).  

Here is what she posted: 

“I watched as the two students noticed I was walking toward them and both stealthily slid their math homework under their writing notebooks and pretended to be totally engaged in thinking of their next writing idea.

I, of course, was not fooled.

I came up behind them, crouched low and whispered, “I want to tell you both something. It’s what I would tell my own kids if they were sitting in your seats. It is so important for you to learn to be where your feet are.”

They looked at me confused. Probably partially because they thought they were going to be in trouble and also a little bit because they didn’t think this crazy teacher was making much sense.

“Be where your feet are,” I repeated. “That means if your feet are in writing then BE in writing. Do the work, listen to the teacher, learn writing things, put down words. When you are in math BE in math, do the problems and ask the questions and do math things. If your feet are in writing and you are doing math you are only kind of doing your math and kind of doing your writing, your attention is split and you can’t do your best at anything. Be where your feet are kiddos, OK? Trust me it’s a whole life lesson.”

They nodded and smiled, so did I. Were they humoring me and happy to not be in any sort of trouble? Who knows. But I hope I planted a little seed they will think of now and then.

Don’t we all need the reminder to be where our feet are?

Especially during this crazy busy life?

When my feet are at home, in my family room I am tempted to also be working online instead of listening to my kids or talking to my husband.

When my feet are in the kitchen making dinner I am tempted to also be making lists of things left undone or looking at my phone to see what I am missing out in the world.

{Let’s face it our phones always want us to be anywhere but where our feet are.}

When my feet are in the car I am running through lists of things I still need to do at work instead of grabbing a few minutes of silence or relaxing music that would get me ready for the next place my feet will be.

When my feet are at work I am thinking about all of the things I need to do when I get home or trying to use my lunch to get a few more deals from Amazon instead of chatting with a colleague or going for a walk.

It is so darn hard to be where your feet are.

Even during the special times, the concerts and parades and dinners and celebrations we can find ourselves wondering about the next thing we need to do or rushing our people on so we can get home to do some other thing that apparently needs doing.

But we work the best when our brains stay where our feet are.

When we live in the moments, right in them, even if they are really hard and even if they are really wonderful.

When we are honestly and truly present to the people around us.

It is so very hard, but so very life changing to even try to be where our feet are.

And so worth trying.

So let’s all put our math homework in our backpacks for homework time and listen carefully and intently in writing class.

Let’s work really hard at work during the day and then leave that place behind us at night.

Let’s look into our children’s joy filled eyes when we are baking cookies with them and not try and rush us all through so we can sit on the couch.

Let’s take a minute to linger as we drive home, have dessert together after dinner, read just one more story at night, and stop always thinking about the next thing, the next thing, and the next.

Let’s be where our feet are my friends.

That can be the best gift we all give our people.

Amy”

Sound Advice

If you go to Amy’s page and follow her links, you will find that she sells merchandise with the saying, “Be where your feet are.” 

I loved it so much that I’m adding it to my favorite quote list and writing it on top of my focus list (more on this another day).    

Last week, in my blog about summer productivity, one strategy I use was to unplug and be present. So this saying is perfect. 

I struggle to be present at times.   It’s easy to get distracted when my phone is always close by, or my email is just a click away when I’m in an online meeting.  

To help myself stay focused/present, some of the things I do is: 

• Leave my phone in my purse when I’m with friends
• Turn my phone on silent
• Keep all notifications turned off  
• Close apps and websites I don’t need now (like email and social media).  

My husband has gone even further and deleted all social media apps from his phone. 

One of my practices this summer will be to put the phone (and other devices) away while I am outside enjoying the backyard. This means I’ve returned to paperbacks for pleasure reading (versus an ebook). 

How will you help yourself “be where your feet are”?  

Be present in all things. Be thankful for all things.

Maya Angelou

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