TIME: Friend or Enemy
- Kristie Berzansky
- Apr 10, 2022
- 2 min read
We often hear phrases like "Time is Precious" or "Enjoy, because time goes by so fast". Other times, perhaps when we are suffering, time seems to stand still. When we have too many things on our plate we say "I don't have time" or "If I only had more time, then I could...". The reality is that we can't stop, slow down, speed up or extend time. Time is a precious resource. How do you want to spend your time?
Step 1: Identify what is important to you. This can be a bit overwhelming. You could take a holistic view of your life and how much time you are spending in every area of your life but the reality is that there is probably one or two things that immediately pop into your mind, so start there.
Step 2: Start small and pick one thing. Identify the goal. For anyone who doesn't like to set goals, just identify broadly what you want to achieve (spend time on tasks that will have a bigger impact, eat healthier, spend more time with family, etc.).
Step 3: Build systems and habits. Once you identify a goal, challenge yourself to break it down even further. Go smaller! You can always do more but we often think about this one goal in isolation and when we integrate this new goal with our daily, crazy, unpredictable lives, we realize our plan was best case and not based on reality.
Step 4: Think differently. No system or new habit works right off the bat. Experiment to identify what works for you and then iterate. Here are some different ways to challenge your thinking:
Delegate - Is this the best use of my time?
Zap it - Does this have to be done at all?
Move it - Do I have to do this now?
Simplify - Can this task be broken down?
Automate - Can I make this task easier in the future?
Step 5: Plan. Think about this new goal like you would a project at work.
When will I do this task? - Block off your calendar
What will I do during this time? - Plan ahead for how you will use your time
What obstacles could get in the way? - Mitigate potential challenges upfront
Are there tasks or resources that are needed in order for you to do your work? - Align those tasks to your timeline.
Step 6: Celebrate and Iterate Rarely do our plans work out perfectly the first time so congratulate yourself for taking action and then identify if there is anything that you would like to tweak about your plan.
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