NEVER WASTED TIME

Have you ever heard the saying, "Preparation time is NEVER WASTED TIME?"

Think about it.....

• You study for the test
• You train for the race
• You get your meals ready for the week

There is something about the success of the endeavor that STARTS with preparation.

PREPARATION TIME IS NEVER WASTED TIME.

I started thinking about this today as our area is forecasted to have ice, snow and strong winds hit us early in the morning continuing to noon.

MANY people are preparing for the storm.

Schools have already canceled.

Businesses are planning on a late open.

Grocery stores are really busy (first hand experience as I went to the store today and WOW it was busy).

So, when it's not calling for bad weather (blizzard; ice; hurricane; etc), what are ways that you can prepare for LIFE?

Depending on the scenario, here are a few tips:

• START EARLY
• Do your best to stay away from the "cram for the test" mentality.  In life, you'll do better if you don't always "pull an all nighter."
• This also includes making a list of things to do or items to get.
• REVIEW PAST EXPERIENCES
• What did you learn from similar activities that you have been through in the past?  "Study" these like you did in school when you looked over your notes before an exam
• MANAGE YOUR TIME
• President Abe Lincoln has been credited with saying, "Give me 6 hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe."
• Managing your time will help you stay away from the "all nighter" mentality
• GET HELP
• IF you need help, it's ok to ask for help.  Remember, "many hands make light work!"  
• One thing, don't ask for help just because you don't want to do it.  
• NOTHING NEW ON RACE DAY (concept)
• A few years ago, I picked up this concept when training for marathons.  
• You don't want to go into the race not having tested out your shoes; watch; music; hydration; nutrition and on and on.  You want to have some "test runs" when you make sure it will work for you.  The last thing you want is for those new socks you picked up at the race expo the day before, that you were sure were going to provide the right amount of cushion, only to find out they slip on your feet and cause you "quitting pain."
• This concept can work with anything that you have to do, primarily in pubic; like a work presentation using different forms of technology

So as you go to chop down that proverbial tree (or a literal tree), don't neglect the time spent to "sharpen your axe!"

PREPARATION TIME IS NEVER WASTED TIME!