Weipa was his choice, not mine; but I came along for the ride. I care little about going fishing or four-wheel driving, but the sunrise and sunsets are divine. The early morning boat ride was glorious. The water mirrored the horizon, and the mangroves that clawed the creek’s bank were not as stinky as I thought. Even the sandflies and midgies stayed in bed as we cruised up and down the estuary, chasing fish, that mostly escaped. My phone was able to capture some of the moments, but mobile coverage is definitely dim. This was an added bonus, which meant being in the present, and conversation was on the table again. I napped like a nanna afterwards; waking in time for dinner at six. I had no problem with falling asleep again, dreaming deeply in the cabin’s bed.
I marvel that just one week away from the hustle of home and responsibilities can be so aligning. Instead of reacting to every interruption, its refreshing to reflect on what is central. Away from unnecessary routines and even more, the expectations of others; I found the space to reflect on core values and priorities. For those that speak the language of orienteering, this is the time to get rid of magnetic interference, and recalibrate true north.
My true north is Jesus, and spending time at his feet. My values are reflected accordingly. Just being instead of doing allows my soul to catch up with myself; and what a relief! We only have to be one degree off true north, and before we know it, we can be all at sea. For me, the rhythm of recalibration seems to be quarterly. I am thankful for a fishing trip to Weipa, that gave me this pause and release.
A long time ago, I read Stephen Covey’s Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. He drew four quadrants with two axes that explained time management; one for urgency and the other of importance. In my mind, recalibration involves aligning with what is most important, and kicking to the curb the non-urgent. Instead of living constantly alert in the urgent, I make choices to stay on course with the important. This is my true north. It is not that the urgent is abolished; not at all! But, sometimes, by focusing on what’s most important, I can resist the unhelpful disruptions.
In assessing the critical, in the quadrant of urgent and important, I discover a list of deadlines that can’t be missed. My stress levels rise. While I cannot cross these off as inconsequential, I realise that perhaps I need to consider if they should even be mine. That may mean delegation, or simply establishing my boundary lines.
In assessing the urgent but not important, I recognise places of poor planning, along with troubling distractions and interruptions that have been wearing me down to the grain. By reflecting and unpacking this dilemma, I was able to develop a strategy to relieve some of the strain.
And then there’s the non-urgent and non-important; the timewasters that do little to build success. How can I ignore these or bounce them back to their sender, unless I am clear on what’s best? Again, I go back to my true north, and remind myself what’s most important of all.
Last but not least, is the important and non-urgent. If I constantly live with stress, this quadrant often feels an anticlimax, and not where my efforts should be spent. Once I recognised this hurdle, I set in motion my next three months of important, before I schedule another rest. This next time will be in the new year, and one more opportunity to recalibrate my true north.
Not to be confused with traveling to Weipa again! 😊
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