Urgent vs. Important

The end of the month is always a very busy time for me with work. I find myself hunkered down in front of my computer following what my team is doing and adding up the totals of their sales, closing last minute parties, getting recognition out to my team members who met goals, and doing our family budget all while the kids beg for my attention. It is the most exciting time of the month, but also the most stressful. I imagine these are the weeks when my children wonder if I love my work more than I love them. I am constantly saying "not now, mommy's busy".
This week was no different except for the fact that it was 80 degrees and sunny! At the end of March in Central Illinois that is very rare! I wanted to take advantage of it, so I (like any workaholic overachiever would do) took my laptop outside while the kids played. Addison would say "Mommy will you push me". I would reply "In a little bit." I felt guilty the entire time! I know that she is more important, but I couldn't take myself away from replying to all my "urgent" emails. So the next day before I got out of bed, I decided to pray about my day. I asked God to really help me focus on my family instead of my work and he reminded me about something I had learned in February when Jill Savage came to speak at my team meeting. She talked about the "Urgent" vs the "Important". Urgent things are those that call loudly like the telephone ringing, voicemails, emails, Facebook messages, doorbells ringing, work that has to be done, kitchens that need to be cleaned etc. They are things that if ignored aren't going to really cause any major problems in your life. Important things are those like children who need help with homework, husbands who need to be greeted at the door, children who want to tell you a story, and babies who want to be tickled and played with. It is inevitable that when you are tending to the important, something "urgent" will pop up. It's important to know when to ignore the urgent!
I am really trying to step away from my computer when my children want to tell me a story even when it is 15 minutes long about bakugaun or princesses. I have noticed that I am still able to tend to the urgent because the important are not at my feet begging for my attention. I think this is going to be a struggle for me for the rest of my life, as it is with every mother. Case and point being that I started this blog on Thursday and it is now Monday and I am just finishing it! It's really interesting that when you actually take a step away from the computer to push your daughter on the swing, you realize she only really needed your attention for 5 minutes and after that 5 minutes she feels so loved! What could be more important than that!?