The view from 39,000 feet

Because I travel often I have the joy of negotiating numerous airports around the globe. From the time I get to the airport I want just one thing - to be at 39,000 feet. By then, I will have negotiated the lines, crowds, security checks (sometimes two or three) the hot waiting room and pushy people. There is a world of difference between the airport and 39,000 feet.


That is one of the reasons that I regularly take a day or even half a day by myself to take a 39,000 foot look at my life. In our organization we call it a "Personal Retreat Day," or PRD. It is a time to get out of the crowds, activity, stress and deadlines to literally "get above it all" for a time to evaluate how well we are doing in the midst of our activity.


Our activity and our pace of life often mitigate against thoughtful analysis of how we are spending our time, where we are missing something vital, strategies for being more productive or just time to stop, think, pray, meditate and listen to the still small voice that will not compete with the din of our daily lives.

Here are the kinds of things I evaluate on my PRD:
-My marriage and family
-My spiritual life
-My personal and work priorities
-My calendar and invitations that affect my calendar
-The team I lead and the team I am on
-Relationships

In other words, the PRD is an opportunity to get above the fray and take a holistic view of life from a 39,000 foot perspective in order to ensure that when I land again I am living intentionally rather than accidentally. It gives me a time when I can reprioritize my time and energy when they have gotten off track. It gives me time to talk to the Father about issues I am struggling with.
Without the perspective and peace of 39,000 feet, I cannot be as productive as I need to be at ground level.

What is your 39,000 foot strategy?