Moving way to fast for me. Every week is just flying by. So much to do and so little time. So much time taken up on things we do not want to spend time on. Being stuck in traffic, waiting in line at a store, another meeting, another conference call, another powerpoint presentation, getting to the airport one hour early, waiting for you luggage, dealing with yet another incompetent customer service rep, having to do something over because the person you asked to do it did not get it done properly or just doing it yourself instead so that you know it would be done right. (I think we all do this). Waiting for that follow-up call from your job interview. Networking on Linked In, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, StumbleUpon, Words with Friends, Apps, News, You Tube, Bloomberg, Google, Yahoo, ESPN and more. There are only 24 hours in the day, do we really have the time to spend on all this stuff that adds no real value to anything or anyone.
Some insight from Pink Floyd to start your morning. Back to my point shortly.
Ticking away the moments that make up a dull day
You fritter and waste the hours in an offhand way.
Kicking around on a piece of ground in your home town
Waiting for someone or something to show you the way.
Tired of lying in the sunshine staying home to watch the rain.
You are young and life is long and there is time to kill today.
And then one day you find ten years have got behind you.
No one told you when to run, you missed the starting gun.
So you run and you run to catch up with the sun but it’s sinking
Racing around to come up behind you again.
The sun is the same in a relative way but you’re older,
Shorter of breath and one day closer to death.
Every year is getting shorter never seem to find the time.
Plans that either come to naught or half a page of scribbled lines
Hanging on in quiet desperation is the English way
The time is gone, the song is over,
Thought I’d something more to say.
Time – Dark Side of the Moon – Pink Floyd
Time management is really difficult and yet it is so important. How many times have you thought “what the hell did I get done today?” If is wasn’t for that stupid meeting I would have executed my plan. Why did I even attend that meeting? I just spent 3 hours watching a movie I have seen 4 times. Should I really be watching the SVU marathon? How many times have I seen this episode of Chopped or Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. (I am getting in a little dig for one of my daughters here 🙂 )
Here is the headline for you. Take control of your time. Stop blaming everyone else for your lack of time. Eliminate the following sentence from your vocabulary “I did not have enough time.” You do have enough time if you plan it properly. Many years ago I learned a technique called Stop, Start and Continue. List the things that you spend time on everyday both at work and at home. That is a long list isn’t it? Now focus on how much time you are spending on things that you really want to do. Hmm, not enough of that time is there? No because most of our time is spent on the wrong stuff. Put your list into the three buckets of what you should Stop doing, what you should Start doing and what you should Continue doing. Now be really hard on yourself, stop a lot of stuff and try to free up just 1 hour per day. Not easy is it? May not be easy but find it and start doing something you want to do with that hour. Awesome isn’t it? You just took control. Well done!
Use this technique on a regular basis as new stuff you should not be doing will always creep into your day. Start with setting aside that one hour per day for you. Try to make it 1 1/2 hours next week. Take control of your time and stop making excuses. You always have enough time if you use it properly.
Start today -Time is on your side, yes it is – Mick Jagger and the Rolling Stones.
Enjoy your time.
Webman
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