Primal Primer 15 (Mentality)
The first known calendar used by humans dates back to ancient times, with earliest evidence from 10,000 year ago. Before the modern calendar, many proxies were used in efforts of tracking time and staying organized.
- Sun Dial – Dating back 3,500 years ago in Egypt, the shadow clock consists of a vertical stick or obelisk, casting shadow upon ground. By tracking movement of this shadow, one can estimate times of day.
- Lunar Calendar – Hunter & gatherers create the first lunar calendar in Scotland 10,000 years ago. Consisting of a series of pits alined with the phases of the moon; a structure indicating day, week, month, and seasonal tracking.
- Solar Calendar – Ancient Egyptians developed one of the first solar calendars 4,500 years ago, based on the annual rising of the star Sirius. Consisting of 12 months of 30 days with additional five days at the end of the year, totaling 365 days.
- Star Positions – The position of stars and constellations is another method for tracking time, particularly over longer periods. The long cycle of earth’s precession (earth is tilted and wobbles conically) takes 26,000 years to complete; with our sun shifting through each of the 12 zodiac constellations every 2,160 years (1 degree every 72 years). Many global monolithic structures were built commemorating zodiacs of its time, imprinting time stamps.
- Solstices & Equinoxes – Observations of the sun’s position at specific times of the year (marking the longest and shortest days annually) forecasted changes of season while signaling important activities of planting, gathering, hunting, and migration.
- Plant & Animal Cycles – Migration, pattern of hunted prey, and flowering / fruiting of flora serve as natural calendars, directing seasonal hunting and gathering activities.
Technology has long since taken over as time keeper; no longer do we use shadow, star, or follow the patterns of animals in efforts of directing action. Time keeping and cues for action were taken very seriously and a central theme in the most impressive monolithic structures created by our ancestors; it is mission critical that we honor this instinct and organize time in metaphorical season again.
Live By Calendar
Commit all important non negotiable daily activities to the calendar. Live the mantra: If it isn’t on calendar, then it isn’t happening. Sapiens are inherently busy; days not marked by leisure, but marathons of productivity and provision. Intention and planning are systemically essential in achieving any substantive long term goal personally or organizationally.
~Cave Implementation~
Become versed in calendar of choice: Google, Outlook, paper / pen, or stone and chisel. Schedule out all re-occurring events with accompanying 15 minute prior automatic reminders. Do this with workouts, mastermind meetings (more on this to come), deadlines, and family functions (birthdays, anniversaries, or historic day-marks). When accosted with impromptu tasks, set up calendar locks. For larger requests from co-workers, ask them to reference your time based viewable calendar availability and request a 45 minute block of time (outlook permissions whereby visibility of busy & free times are allowed). Meetings should never be over 45 minutes: hard stop. Keep your phone on silent, and only answer voice mails or return calls when you look at your phone; not when it demands it through ringer.
The first step in taking control of your life is by creating habits of responsibility that are unavoidably and systematically noticed; keeping your priority events in view, uninterrupted, and with the best focus forward.
If It Isn’t On Calendar, It Isn’t Happening.
