I don't know about you but I NEVER seem to have enough time. Time to do the things I need to do let alone time to do the things I want to do. Time to clean. Time to rest. Time to work. Time to love. Time to self-care. Did somebody say self-care? Learning to take back your time is self-care! So lets celebrate Take Back Your Time Awareness Week happening now!!
What steals your time away?
take back your time
I've been thinking a lot about that and here's what I've come up with:
To-do Lists
Problem: I'm a believer in lists but huge overwhelming to-do lists are a giant time sucker. I get so lost in the lines of smudged lead, vanishing ink and scraps of paper that I lose track of what I actually need to get done.
Solution: Just have one ongoing things to-do list in a notebook or in an app it doesn't matter but choose only three tasks a day that you're willing to commit to actually getting completed. If you complete those three, then by all means challenge yourself to do more but the feeling of accomplishment will feel great by crossing those three completed tasks off your daily calendar. Take back your time and check this out for some more time-saving ideas!
Anxiety
Problem: We get so lost in the alphabet list of things to get done and no time to do them in frame of mind that the anxiety kicks in!
Solution: I think I talk about this everyday but being mindful and in this present moment is a huge help when feeling overwhelmed and lost in the proverbial shuffle of life. Anxiety is another giant time sucker! Take a second to ground yourself. Next, take a mental note of what you have control over and focus on that specifically. Finally, take back your time and create a plan of action and prioritize needs and wants. Add them to your primary to-do list described above.
Got structure?
Problem: Lack of structure is a huge time sucker. Time is a commodity that once spent it's gone forever. Many times I look up and see I've utilized and spent hours doing--well I don't really know.
Solution: Many of my friends laugh at me but I put EVERYTHING on my electronic calendar. I like to utilize Google but there's lots out there. If it's on my calendar then it's real and it exists and almost always gets done. Structure is necessary for there to be productivity. This is a good place to schedule your self-care too!! Take back your time and organize your day.
Self-talk
Problem: Looking at life through smudged lenses makes everything morph into unrecognizable shapes that we just can't see for what they truly are. In other words, be realistic!! You're not perfect! I know that's a newsflash but none of us are--so stop trying.
Solution: Stop expecting perfection. It's so simple. My mom in her younger days used to have these fantasies about all of the millions of things she could get done in a single day of 24 hours. She's bipolar and in her mania, would try and conquer the world. Of course she came close lots of times but it came with a great cost (that's another blog) but most of the time she was unsuccessful. She passed that mindset on to me and it's not only been a time sucker but also a huge manifestation of my own anxiety. Know your self-talk and combat it with reasonable expectations. Take back your time and be kind to yourself in the process.
Well that's it!! I encourage you to really begin to analyze what takes your time and how you can get that control back. Empower yourself with self-exploration. Educate yourself with information. Evolve into the best version of you. I’m always available for a 30-minute complimentary consultation to throw some of these ideas around!
Check back later for more information on time and self-care!!
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