Give Yourself More Time
By Julie Fuimano
Your day starts in a rush and continues on pretty
much at the same pace until the end of the day when you collapse on your bed and
have to struggle to quiet your mind chatter so you can get some sleep and do it
all over again. Does this sound familiar?
How would it feel to have more time to do the things
you love doing and to feel more at peace as you go through your day? It is
possible. Ever know anyone who seemed to get it all done effortlessly? They seem
to be so graceful in their approach to life and appear to be almost problem-free
zones. And yet, they have the same 24 hours a day as everyone else; what's their
secret?
Here are 10 ways to Give Yourself More Time.
1. Eliminate redundant activities and things that do
not add value to who you are or what you do.
Limit the amount of TV, electronic games and other
such activities to 5 hours a week. These types of mind-numbing activities should
be used sparingly. Eliminate anything that does not contribute to your personal
or professional development. Ask yourself whether the information is
nice-to-know versus need-to-know. Eliminate redundant activities such as
watching TV news, listening to KYW 1060 and reading the newspaper. This will
free up valuable time for more enjoyable activities.
2. Stop putting up with stuff.
Start recognizing where you settle for less than
what you want and request excellence. Learn to say no to things that don't make
you feel good. Expect the best of yourself and others. When you stop putting up
with stuff, you are redefining your self and raising your standards. There
is great power in choice. When you choose to no longer put up with stuff, you
have more energy and time to focus on the things that matter.
3. Value your time.
Don't let others steal your time with unnecessary
interruptions or long conversations. If others come to you with gossip, stop it.
If you value your time, others will. Time equals life. How you spend each
minute/hour/day of your life is your choice.
4. Eliminate the "rush".
If you are someone who constantly runs late, drives
too fast, procrastinates or avoids things, you may be an adrenaline addict. Stop
the triggering behavior and avoid crisis mode. Arrive 15 minutes early for every
appointment. Drive slower - you have the time. Eliminate procrastinating from
your life, just get it done and you will increase your energy reserve and
decrease your stress. Under- promise and over-deliver. Slowing down, doing less
and taking care of yourself physically will actually give you MORE energy.
5. Organize.
Eliminating the mental and physical clutter in your
life will allow you to focus more on getting things accomplished. Only touch a
piece of material once and deal with it using the 3D model - Do it, Delegate it
or Dump it. Resolve personal issues and issues that hold you back.
6. Do less. Simplify everything.
Stop doing things that are not a good use of your
time. Learn to delegate. Automate anything and everything you can. Learn to say
no to things that are not the best use of your time. Eliminate 50% of your
projects. Stay involved in only 3 associations, volunteer organizations or
Boards of Directors. Boredom is the gatekeeper to peace. Once you have
simplified enough to bring boredom, you can fill the space with things you
really enjoy. Do less; you will have more.
7. Identify your priorities. Live by them.
If you value spending time with your kids and you
are working late every night, you are not living by your own values. Have your
actions reflect your values. Stop comparing yourself to others and create your
own standards. Identify and eliminate anything that gets in the way of living by
your priorities.
8. Realize that you are already perfect - perfectly
human. Perfectionism is a great time-waster and energy-drainer. It doesn't work.
Don't take life so seriously. Mistakes are our way of inviting lessons. These
lessons are perfect for our growth. Be abundantly human and know that we are all
perfect in our humanness; what is not perfect is our definition of perfect.
9. Take care of yourself.
Regular maintenance is necessary for your car and
computer to run in perfect order. Your body, mind and soul need regular
maintenance and fueling to run smoothly as well. Regular doses of exercise,
meditation (15 minutes of quite time daily) and soul food (music, dancing,
touch, etc.) rejuvenates and energizes you. This is necessary to maintain your
engine in perfect working condition. If you are calm and at peace, you are in
better condition to be productive.
10. Focus on Being rather than Doing.
If you rush through life you avoid being yourself.
Give yourself permission to be a human being rather than a human doing. In
school we are taught to think but no one ever teaches us how to feel our
feelings and express them appropriately. Feelings are so important in
decision-making, problem solving and goal setting. Give yourself time to reflect
and experience your feelings. When you experience your feelings, you save time
and energy by addressing the underlying issue right away. Learn to just be with
yourself. When you have time to breathe and reflect, you let the creative juices
to flow and you are able to synthesize the information and ideas that surface.
When we are too busy doing, there is no time to consider the possibilities.
The joy you seek in life can be found in living
every day to its fullest. It's the little things that we often gloss over that
mean the most in our lives if we take the time to notice them. Make the effort
to be fully present and experience the moments in each day. When you do, you
find that your life has more meaning and richness to it.
Julie Fuimano, MBA, BSN, RN is a personal and
professional development consultant and author of "101 Tips For Developing The
Leader In You!" Her passion is coaching executives, managers, entrepreneurs and
professionals to manage their time, set priorities and stay focused so they can
grow their business, develop their teams, make more money and experience greater
personal fulfillment in their lives and career. For your free consultation,
visit Julie at
http://www.nurturingyoursuccess.com, write to her at
mailto:Julie@nurturingyoursuccess.com or call her directly at (484)
530-5024.