Time management
Ever think there are not enough hours in the day? Of course, who doesn’t? Ever think it would be great if you could create the 8 day week and wonder how to get more time off or time for yourself? Of course!
Well from time to time we all need to take a step back, evaluate our time and re-energise ourselves in order to be more effective. Many people try to do more and more, me included. But often more is less. In actual fact doing more sometimes results in being less productive, not concentrating on what’s most important and the result being lots of tasks at different levels of completion, ultimately un-finished. Do you waste time like me, doing, doing, and doing? Not allowing enough time for just being and listening to either one’s inner self or God. Oh my gosh, did she say God? Does God speak to people? Now there’s a thought, a discussion for another day perhaps.
But without enough time off stress levels rise, your health suffers, and eventually one will reach a crisis point where you’re forced to take even more time off. Yes?
Apart from the horrendous time wasters which we cannot avoid, such as standing in the queue for the rental car at Malaga airport for nearly 2 hours! Yes I did last week, what a patience teaser that was. And if that is March I can’t imagine what mid-summer vacation will be like. So what can we do to get more time? Well quite a lot actually as I have discovered, by saying No and being more disciplined definitely works. I know we all hate to say no and feel guilty but, how often do we do things for others that actually we should not be doing.
· We have a car and end up going miles out of our way to pick people up and drop them off because they don’t drive. Yes I know it’s nice to be kind but every time?
· We are having the grandchildren again. Of course we love to have them but we have been there and done that. Balance in all things.
· A day aside to work at home but I’ll just bob here and bob there first. Stop bobbing. It eats into your time and before you know it the day has gone.
· I’m not watching the TV I’ve too much to do but I’ll just put the news on and see what’s going on in the world. What! How many times have you tried that one and two hours later, Uhm?
· How about a complete day without TV and not answering the phone. Now there’s a thought! But what if it’s an urgent call? Then they will ring again and again and again until they get you. Chances are it is something that could have waited or will have been dealt with by the time the caller finally catches up with you.
· One of the most fatal time wasters for me is when I don’t plan to go into the office but just think I’ll bob in quickly to pick up those papers. Firstly there I go bobbing again! Once in I’m scuppered and getting involved and, may be if I pretended that I didn’t live so near the office it might help. Re-condition the mind and such.
And so the list goes on. So this is my suggestion;-
For one week keep a time log. It doesn’t have to be elaborate but just a simple record of what you do and how often. Treat it as a little ‘fun to do’ exercise. Yes it will take a little time so before you say, oh I haven’t time to do that, make time. You may just surprise yourself and afterwards make some real lifestyle changes as you will gain awareness of the patterns and behaviours that are preventing you from having more of that precious time.
This could be the first step towards gaining control over time, instead of allowing time to control you.
Go for it and have a fun week.
Anna
