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Written by Ms. Thornton, 10/14/2024
The theory of relativity applies (loosely - don’t come for me physics and TOK) to how we approach the things in our lives that demand our attention and energy.
We CANNOT give 110% effort on all things all the time.
At the beginning of each day we are given a finite amount of energy to do all the things we need to do. The amount of energy that we have access to is determined by how well we have taken care of ourselves the day before ie. eating nutritious food, getting enough sleep, drinking water etc. Therefore the energy that we have access to changes.
With this in mind we have to apply the “rule of thirds” (see below) to our expectations of ourselves and our output on the daily. We are not going to be 100% all the time everyday and we need to give ourselves allowance for that reality.
In order to build in that “allowance,” we need to “triage,” which is a medical term that refers to the, “preliminary assessment of a patient to determine the urgency of their need for treatment and the nature of treatment required,” to assess the “urgency” and “nature of treatment” demanded by the tasks and the people in our lives.
For example, when you look at the work that you need to do on a given evening or weekend, things for marks or lead to marks should take up more of your time and energy. Things that lead to your goals or give your energy towards meeting your goals should be privileged. They are things of relative importance...
If you are “triaging” effectively it should reveal that not all work or things require 100% of your effort. There are assignments, or readings, or people who should receive 50% or less of your energy and attention. There are also things and people that deserve a “hard NO!’ to your energy and attention.
If you can apply this “theory of relativity” to your life then you really will be working, “smarter and not harder.”
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