Flickr: Image by Royalty-Free/Corbis
No, this is not another Madonna/Justin Timberlake lead single and super fun dance track—that one is currently playing on my Songza: ‘A Justin Timberlake Dance Party’! It is, however, a timely reality check for me and for many of us in Student Affairs.
Residence students moved in yesterday, Orientation Week begins today, and classes begin in one week. These are the hallmarks of a new year at Brescia. With this realization I have been thinking a lot about moments and how to spend them with real purpose in the coming year; all 322,560 of them to be exact.
I’ve asked myself, “How do I make my time matter most?”; “What do I want to spend my time doing?”; “What can I do this year that will make real a difference?” The context for me has been around my work with students, campus partners, and our Student Life initiatives.
For you, it may be around doing well academically, maintaining your balance & wellness, doing things you are passionate about & interested in, exploring your career possibilities further, giving time to your close relationships…
As we embark on a new year, I remember how easy it is to get distracted with the busyness of every day and before we know it, another year is done. As much as we may not realize it, our minutes add up quickly and are spent in the blink of an eye.
To me, the difference I make in my world—and with my 322,560 minutes this academic year—can be fulfilled in three big (yet small) ways:
- Identifying what is important
- Knowing where my presence matters most
- Being engaged in whatever I am doing, wherever I am
Such seemingly small actions can make tremendous differences.
Eight months can sometimes seem like an insignificant amount of time to do significant things…but trust me, it is more than enough to make an impact.
I believe impact or success in anything has one fundamental aspect—effort. I like to think small efforts in the right places, repeated day in and day out influence our success and our impact. By noticing, paying attention, and taking action—consistently each day—every one of us can make a real difference with our 322,560 minutes.
Happy New Year! What do you hope to do with your 322,560 minutes?
By: Courtney McDonald