Frequently, I hear myself saying things like: “I’m sorry, I can’t have dinner with you on Thursday.” And when I say it, it sounds true enough. But with a bit of reflection, I realize what I actually mean is: “I’m sorry, I could have dinner with you on Thursday, but I’ll be doing ______ instead, which I’ve decided is more important.”

And, at some level, that’s absolutely fine. Life, after all, is a process of constant prioritization – there are inevitably (at least occasionally) more demands on our time than we can possibly simultaneously accommodate. Really, it only becomes a problem when we forget we’re the one making those choices, that, whatever our intentions, our actions are what demonstrate where our priorities really lie. Perhaps that PowerPoint presentation really is more important than your friend’s birthday party; but make that choice consciously. Don’t simply chug ahead doing what you believe you “need” to do, occasionally pausing to lament how little time you have for the meaningful things in your life.