Making Time for What Truly Matters

What is there never enough time for in your life? Time to play with the kids? Time to have coffee with friends? Time to exercise and eat right? Time to read? Time for a regular date night with your spouse or significant other? Time to simply relax and do nothing?

Everyone’s aware that money is a limited resource, but what about our time and energy? When we use our resources wisely and on what aligns with our values, we live a contented and fulfilling life. Squandering our time and energy can have major consequences such as physical illness, resentment, and depression. As you use up your energy, are you taking the time to restore it by doing things that nurture and refresh you?

Think about this for a minute and jot down the things that are missing in your life because you're always busy. Then try these tips to regain some lost time.

Limit what you commit yourself to.

Women particularly feel that they should say “Yes” to everything they’re asked to do or be involved with. Honor yourself by not taking on too much or over-booking your time. Only say Yes to what truly matters to you, and remember that there are other people in the world who are just as capable as you!

Delegate what you can.

We’re certainly not meant to be good at everything or to enjoy doing everything. Is there someone else you can ask to do things you’d rather not? Is it worth the time and energy you’d save to hire a housecleaner every week or two? Can you hire someone to watch the kids on a regular basis while you get out and have some fun? Can you ask or pay your driving teen or a neighbor’s teen to run those errands for you? Find ways to exchange services with a friend or neighbor. Think about the time-money-energy balance; it may be worth paying money to save time and energy.

Take the time to prioritize your tasks.

All of your little daily maintenance tasks will take up the entire day if you let them. Do the things that will move you forward in your life or work first. The maintenance items will wait for you.

Make "appointments with yourself"

Give urgency to the important things that otherwise have no urgency by blocking out time on your schedule to relax, take a bubble bath, get a pedicure, meet with a friend, or whatever you need to replenish your energy.

Combat perfectionism 

Being a perfectionist doesn’t mean that you do anything perfectly. It means that your desire to do things “just right” keeps you from starting, continuing, or completing a task or project. There are very few things in life that actually need to be done that well, but some of us have grown up with the phrase, “Do it right, or don’t do it at all”. Replace that phrase with one of these: “Done is better than perfect”, or “Good enough is good enough”. Say these mantras to yourself out loud repeatedly while you’re working. We aren't meant to be perfect!

Give yourself credit!!!!

It’s our natural tendency to focus on what’s left to do and not on what we’ve completed, so much so that when we get something done, we don’t even acknowledge it – we simply move on to the next thing. Take the time to cross a finished task off your list and pat yourself on the back for getting it done! Some of my clients like to make a “Done” list to accompany their To Do list, and track their accomplishments for the day. Celebrate what you’ve accomplished, and you’ll be less critical of yourself and find it easier to tackle your responsibilities.

Copyright 2011 by Cara Kinning, ORGANIZED FOR LIFE

Please contact me for reprint permission.

Organized for Life      www.organizedforlifeonline.com     (804) 330-0997