Douglas: Welcome to the Unleash Your Potential Blog, what question can I answer for you today?
VirtueVision: What techniques can help me manage my time more effectively?
Douglas: When I began the 100-day blog project, I just asked the AI to generate 100 questions. Looking back, perhaps I should have as for 100 unique questions. There seem to have been a lot of time management questions phrased slightly differently. Then again, time management is a struggle many people encounter and they aren’t all likely to ask about it in the same way. Similarly, they should not each get cookie-cutter responses. I suppose this process will allow me to practice being original each time a challenge is presented. With that said, here we go.
When I get asked questions about how to manage time more effectively, I am always curious about what is driving that question. More often than not, when we feel we are managing our time correctly it is because there is something we want to be doing that we cannot do. The something can be recreational, spiritual, familial, personal, or career. But there is always something we are not addressing. Conversely, we feel we have effective time management when every facet of life is getting the attention we feel it deserves.
In light of that, my first technique is to spend time figuring out what matters to you right now. Life is made up of seasons. Today, you are in a particular season and you need to balance your time in such a way that honors all that is going on in your present season. But just like you don’t wear the clothes you would wear in summer during the winter, neither can you manage your time in this season using the balance from last season. The conditions have changed.
For example, all summer (the alignment with actual seasons in this example is just a coincidence), I have had the luxury of time to work on my coaching business and spiritual discernment (and a little bit of golf). However, in just a few weeks I am going to start the fall semester at the university and my priorities will need to change to allow me to be successful in that season. While I still want to spend time on all the things that matter, I cannot use the formula that was working from May through August to apply to Sept through April. If I do, I will feel that I am not managing my time effectively. I need to make adjustments.
What season are you in right now? What are the things that you want to take up your attention? What things will you decide to give up to make that happen? It's important to notice how I phrased those questions. This is all about choice. Sometimes the questions are phrased, what things are you required to do? I think that saying required takes the responsibility out of your hands. There are very few things you are truly required to do. Most everything is a choice.
You may be thinking, “What do you mean, I have to go to work even if I don’t want to?” I will counter that by stating, you don’t have to go to work. You can choose not to go to work so long as you accept that by not working you will not have income and will not be able to live the lifestyle you are currently living. If you are okay with that then, by all means, don’t go to work.
The larger point is that everything you do in a day is a choice. You have the power every morning to determine the path of your journey. You are completely in control of determining what matters to you and how much time to spend on it. When you are feeling like you aren’t managing your time effectively, it is because you are choosing to let things that don’t matter as much take the place of things that do. The downside is that it is your choice, but that is also the upside, you get to CHOOSE.
I ask you again, what season are you in? What is most important to you today? Schedule your day around that which is most important. Is health really important today? Make time to do something to attend to your health, even if it is only a 10-minute walk around the block. The point, recognize that you are in control of your time and only spend it on the stuff that counts. I know that I tend to allow scrolling on social media to take up a far too important role in my day. I need to put the phone down (or close the window) and focus on the things I want to accomplish. I get to choose!
Take some time today and DECIDE what matters. Once you make those decisions, you will start to adjust your time accordingly. While you are doing that, give yourself permission to let go of the things that don’t matter as much right now.
I hope my answer sheds some light on your question. If you want to dig into this concept further, I encourage you to reach out and set up a conversation. In the meantime, check back tomorrow for the next question in the Unleash Your Potential Series!
Be Well!
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