Issue #1:
Creating Time for What We Want
I am always curious when people tell me they do not have enough time. What do they really mean? We all have the same 24 hours, yet we each spend our time differently. When I work with people who are seeking to change careers, write a book, achieve a goal, or have more 'balance,' the initial reason for these things not happening is that there is "no time."
When we say we do not have time, do we mean we did not make something a priority? Were we not willing to say "no" to one thing so we could do another? Do we mean that someone else is controlling our time? Or is it that the demands of life are "taking over our time"? Is it that we have scheduled so many things to do, even things we like, that we have "run out of time"? It's obvious that we have time for some things, but not for others. As a coach, I often hear people say, "I should make time for that." Does that mean they will go out and find the time somewhere?
Is having no time an excuse for not doing those things we want to do, but may be afraid to do? Is it possible that we keep ourselves busy because that's easier than facing some harder decisions about what we want from life?
I suggest that we all have the same amount of time. It's looking at how we think about time and how we use time that will make the difference in whether we follow-through on what we say we want to do. For a few people this has to do with basic time management skills. However, what most people need is to see that where we actually spend our time is a reflection of what is important to us. If we say we want to spend more time with our family yet never do, what are we really saying?
I appreciate that we all have obligations; we need to work, we need to go food shopping, we need to take care of children or parents, and the list goes on. The question is this: how do we turn those 'needs' into what has meaning and priority for us? How can we eliminate or get help with those things we really do not care about?
Time is not what stops us from doing what we say we want to do. What stops us is all of the reasons we tell ourselves about not having time. Once we take a stand for what we want to accomplish we will make choices that reflect our real priorities. Having time is about making choices. How are you choosing to spend your time?
Once we decide to put energy into our goals there are some practical things we can do to "free up time." What follows are some tips from my clients. These are good places to start.
Tips from Clients
- Identify your priorities in terms of where you want to spend your time
- Break down activities into smaller increments, and spend ten or twenty minutes a day on them
- Find 2 days a week to leave work at 5:00 pm
- Watch one hour less of TV each evening, or a couple of evenings per week.
- Telecommute once a week if you can
- Ask friends to babysit for your kids on a Saturday afternoon once a month
- Combine exercise with socializing or doing errands
- If you can afford it, get a housekeeper
- Say "no, thanks" at least once a week
- Block out hours in your calendar that are for working on your goal
- Negotiate some time off at work
Books of Interest
Coming Up for Air: How to Build a Balanced Life in a Workaholic World. Beth Sawi (Hyperion, 2000)
The 7 Systems of Balance: A Natural Prescription for Healthy Living in a Hectic World. Paul J. Sorgi, M.D. (HCI, 2002)
COPYRIGHT AND PUBLISHER INFORMATION
ALIGNING WHO YOU ARE WITH WHAT YOU DO is ©2004 Carole Rehbock. All rights reserved worldwide. No part of this publication may be reproduced without express written permission from the publisher.
Carole Rehbock is a career and life coach, and consultant, who specializes in helping people align who they are with what they do in life. Learn more at http://www.rehbocksolutions.com or give her a call at 510-843-6417.
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