Fiddle Faddle and Time Management

Lincoln Snacks puts out a great product called Fiddle Faddle. It is a popcorn treat with that "right combination of perfectly popped popcorn mixed with scrumptious ingredients," like caramel and butter toffee that comes in a box.

But "Fiddle Faddle" can also describe a number of things that we do to fill up our performance with "acts" that don't necessarily lead to productivity. These are activities that keep us busy but don't help us accomplish our purpose-a.k.a. time robbers and time wasters. There are no shortages of acts to fill our circus. That is why it is so important to continually define our purpose and review it on a regular basis.

Thomas Carlyle put it very well when he said, "A person with a clear purpose will make progress on even the toughest road. A person with no purpose will make no progress on even the smoothest road." Look hard at your activities and determine which ones have nutritional value and which ones are just filling. Like Ernest Hemingway said, "Never mistake motion for action."