Time... So much to give, not enough to keep...!
Have you ever wondered with Time being in such abundance why we never have enough of it?
I think the answer to that question is quite simple! It all comes down to the way we use this precious fourth dimension.
Thinking about how much Time is in existence goes far beyond what is possible for mere mortal man to measure, but this shouldn’t limit the way we make use of this immeasurable domain.
With so many activities to do in your daily life and countless things that continuously demand your undivided attention, it’s no wonder there always seems to be that strange sense of Time running out.
Having too many things to do can mean you become Time conscientious and always thinking that you’re lacking with the Time you have in one life. This is especially so these days when everything is moving so fast and an average day feels less like 24 hours and more like 5 hours. These days’ people are constantly having to make sacrifices when it comes to choosing what to give their precious Time and attention to.
Because of this point of view, your commitments can be limited, meaningless and unfulfilled; especially if you don’t manage your Time in a productive way.
With life being so unpredictable at the best of times, it can be very difficult to account for those unforeseen circumstances where things suddenly crop up and take away a huge amount of your attention, and can either delay or prevent you from completing the tasks that are truly essential for you to do.
Sometimes all you have to do is plan wisely; this means plan as far ahead as possible. From the moment you wake up start planning your day, if you’re already doing that, great, then why not plan your week? Whenever you have the opportunity to sit down and plan your day, try to make that day your regular scheduling day for planning the rest of the week.
Take a moment to consider how long it should take to complete a given task as well as how long you’ll need for any variations to the plan.
If you’re the type of person who’s always on the go, spontaneous and never has enough Time to spare, perhaps you should acquire some sort of digital assistance such as a mobile app. You’ll be able to set up reminders and alerts for all your upcoming events, and this way when you get a minute you can schedule your activities on the move.
But, for all those who are happy to keep their responsibilities logged in the in-built filing facility in their head here are some tips you can put into practice right away that will instantly help reshape your entire daily scheduling habits.
Tips to think about…
- Organise all important responsibilities by date; e.g. pay the same bill on the same date each month.
- How much time do you lose to unnecessary procrastination? Try to cut it out altogether. (don’t confuse this with Time to rest)
- How long does it usually take to go through all the tasks in your day effortlessly? Observe yourself, then remember your patterns and repeat.
- How often do mishaps happen in a year? Count them; afterwards try to figure out why they happen.
- Who’s involved in delaying or assisting your day; make them a part of your plan too, even the delaying part.
In essence all you need is an understanding of how long it takes to do a particular task, and then it’s up to you to evaluate how long it will take to get everything else done.
Not everybody will complete a task at the same pace, different people achieve things at different rates, so it’s down to you to acknowledge how long it will actually take you to achieve a given task.
Most of us are terrible at planning and have to make huge sacrifices to ensure we at least achieve the important tasks.
On the other hand, if you’re very meticulous about how you do things it is going to take you much longer to complete your objectives. This isn’t a problem, just be aware that you’ll need to be super quick at what you do so you are actually able to meet your deadlines.
Leaving tasks unfinished or abandoning them because it’s Time consuming, also doesn’t help with achieving your desired goals. Managing your Time wisely will give you a better advantage over how many things you accomplish at the end of the day.
It’s like every now and then when you’re in a rush or going somewhere special or you’re travelling somewhere you need to be prompt, why does something always tend to go wrong? How many Times have you planned your day and things just don’t go the way you’ve planned it?
It definitely helps when you know your own momentum, what is your current pace? Consider all the factors surrounding your given Time and determine how efficiently you can execute your activities and that’s it, let go.
You should never be stressed nor overly rushing around like a headless chicken, if that is happening then it’s only going to cause you to become burnt-out.
Instead just take things as they come, plan where necessary and where possible let the order of the day take its course.
Whether or not you like to, carefully planning things can mean you’re not rushing through your day which will ultimately give you back more of your Time.
At the end of the day it’s all about getting the most out of the Time you have.
Remember, you always have Time in abundance, but in order to make great use of it, use it wisely, plan wisely.
You should never have to worry about Time escaping you because being mindful of your activities and planning your day effectively will fundamentally help you accomplish all your daily activities on time – with a smile and little to no stress.
DEE MAHONEY
Virtually My Office
