Who’s Got the Time? Five Ways to Save Hours in Less Than a Minute
By: Christine Louise Hohlbaum
Time is a democratic commodity. Everyone has the same amount of it. Yet most people you talk to will tell you they don’t have any. Don’t buy it. Everyone has twenty-four hours a day. What your boss, spouse, neighbor, teacher, contractor or vendor is really telling you is something completely different. They are telling you they have other priorities: such as servicing another client, watching the latest episode of Grey’s Anatomy or attending their child’s soccer game. It just sounds nicer to say you are out of time than that you are out of luck.
If you’ve fallen into the trap of saying you have no time, you’re not alone. Most Americans value their time more than their retirement funds. The question is what is time for?
Most would answer by closely linking their quality of life with how they spend their time. The real question is how much time do we actually spend doing the things we love? Goal-setting is integral to answering that question. To paraphrase Jack Canfield in The Success Principles, knowing where you want to go will get you there faster than if you don’t. Oftentimes we waste our time, however, on things that do not serve our ultimate needs and desires.
Juggling our commitments in this fast-paced world is not easy. It warrants, however, taking a step back to review how we might apply better use of our time. Test these five time-saving techniques on your own. You may find yourself saying yes to actions that will ultimately give you what you want out of life.
1.) Get a calendar. You might use an electronic or paper one. It does not matter as long as it contains the right amount of days in a month. Map out your must-dos first. Your child’s orthodontist appointment or that annual pap smear apply. Dedicate one day a month to scheduling important doctor’s appointments. Plan one day to scheduling “me timeâ€. It needn’t be all day, but a little time invested in yourself will yield more time overall.
2.) Have several baby or petsitters on back-up. You’re planning to go out of town and your planned sitter has canceled last-minute. Hang up flyers in your local library or resource center beforehand. Interview five solid candidates in case of emergency to have within reach when you need them most.
3.) Cancel your cable. Sound harsh? Set a timer each night for a week while you sit in front of the tube. If you spend an average of three hours a night watching television, you are wasting precious time when you could be pursuing the things that truly make you happy. According to Dr. Martin Seligman’s book Authentic Happiness, watching TV puts people in a mildly depressed state of mind. Try setting priorities in that mindframe! So ditch the cable and gain back over 21 hours a week!
4.) Stretch in the morning. Starting the day off right by doing a few morning stretches will activate your mind more quickly than any cup of java could. Exercise in general has been proven to contribute to longevity in the elderly. You’re not only saving time by becoming more alert more quickly; you’re also tacking on a few good years to your lifetime.
5.) Keep a journal. Writing is an extremely cathartic activity. Note how you are feeling before you go to bed at night. Jot down keywords or sentences to download your day. It does not have to be Pulitzer Prize-winning journalism. The more honest you are the better. It will help put you in the right frame of mind for a great night’s sleep and, ultimately, give you a higher quality of life.
Getting a handle on your relationship to time can improve your life greatly. What will you do with those twenty-four hours for the rest of your life?
Article Source: http://www.thewahmshack.com/articledirectory
About The Author: Christine Louise Hohlbaum, author of DIARY OF A MOTHER and SAHM I Am: TALES OF A STAY-AT-HOME MOM IN EUROPE, is a parenting humorist, motivational speaker and overall curious person who can’t stop asking questions of other people and the Universe. Subscribe to her newsletter at www.diaryofamother.com.
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