Saw the Wood

Consider the advice of a man who didn’t complete the fifth grade and owned a ranch in Oklahoma.

“Son, saw the wood in front of you and when the sun goes down your work will be done.”

— James “Jack” Neeld

Jack was my grandfather and he (along with my grandmother) raised me on a cattle ranch in Oklahoma. Jack’s approach to life was rather simple: wake up early, do each chore in turn until each is complete, and then go to sleep when the sun goes down. Let’s take Jack’s advice into practice today:

1. Wake up Early. When was the last time you worked without pressure or distraction from anyone or thing? Yeah, I couldn’t think of an answer either. If you get up early, you can enjoy something. You can enjoy making the perfect cup of coffee, actually read the paper (or my articles) or simply focus on what you believe is a priority. Paul Dejoe hit the nail on the head with this article at fastcompany.com on this topic. Also, see Kevin Purdy’s fastcompany.com article for further reading. Protip: do not check your email for the first hour you wake up.

2. Do Each Chore in Turn. Making a list is simply expressing your priorities on paper. If you express your priorities on paper, you are much more likely to complete the tasks. The following books can back up that thesis with the proper data: Getting Things Done by David Allen or Do It Tomorrow by Mark Forster. This is not exactly brain surgery. If you write it down, the task has a greater chance of being accomplished.

3. Go to Sleep when the Sun Goes Down. I suspect a few readers will take exception to Jack’s advice here. There are several examples of successful people who were notorious night owls — Thomas Edison, Kate White (Cosmo editor-in-chief), Patrick Allen with Groopt. I find one consistent comment throughout, however: night is for regeneration. I am personally a night owl, finding my rest from three girls with the solace of dark. I seldom do “real work” late at night. I write (this article, for example, was written at 11:26 PM) or do things that are hobbies or that I find relaxing. Remember the old economic maxim of “pay yourself first”? Do this with your time in the evening. Pay (or reward) yourself with regeneration activities, whatever those may be.

Jack didn’t get past the fifth grade but he had a lifetime of experience that can apply to all of our lives. He was a really, really good man who worked for one company (Mobile) his entire life prior to turning into a rancher in his retirement. I find myself applying his folksy, common-sense advice in many aspects of my professional life.