"I Don't Have Time"
I hear it all the time. "I wish I had time" or "I don't have time". What that really means is "I'm not prioritizing my ACTIONS during my day".
It's cliché, but we all really do have the same 24hrs in a day. We all have the same 7 days in a week and so on. You must create and dedicate time to the actions that enrich your life and make it better. Whether that is going to the gym, meal prepping, writing a book, creating a website, or going back to school, TIME must be given to it for you to be successful.
Actions Create Output
Your mindset must be that your time is a finite resource that should only be spent on inputs that give you the maximum output. "Actions" versus "activities". For example. What do you get out of binge watching shows on Netflix? A little escape from reality and some entertainment. Did watching those shows get you any closer to any of your goals? No, but it was prioritized over other options.
So how do you recognize what are actions and what are activities? It can be difficult at first. Anything you spend your time on that creates no output or that does not get you closer to a goal, is an activity. Actions are things you spend your time on that create output or get you closer to your goals.
There is a third item that takes your time as well. Obligations. These are things like work, drive time, social engagements, doctor's appointments, picking up your kids from school, etc... These things you may "have to do" or may not. More on this later.
How to "Create" Time
Ok, here is the meat and potatoes. This is how you will create more time.
Get a piece of paper and journal your days for a week. Write down everything that you did that required time or that you spent time doing day by day. Take note on the times and duration of each item the best you can. Now grab a calendar. Preferably one that shows a week view with time slots by day. I use Outlook calendar like this.....
Starting with the first day you journaled, start to fill out the calendar, Continue doing this with each day. This will give you a visual representation of your time spent. It's very eye opening!
The next step is to eliminate anything that would be considered an "activity". Delete it or cross it out if you are using paper. Next is to look at your obligations and delete or cross out anything you possibly can. Do you really need to go to lunch with Janet? Are beers with the boys that important right now? This step is usually the hardest as we do not want to disengage from social activities. However, sacrifices will need to made.
Once you have eliminated all activities and obligations that are not "must do", you will now get a visual representation of your "free time". These blocks of time are where you will fill in ACTIONS. Prioritize the actions that are the most important to you and your goals. Put them in the calendar! Even if you only have 15 minutes free, dedicate that time!
Ideas for ACTION items that produce and output:
Reading
Writing
Meditating
Physical activities
Working on your business (career or side hustle)
Learning a new language
School work (I went back to collage at 36 years old)
You may not like the times. For example when I did this, I realized that I stayed up too late watching needless shit on the Internet. Cutting that out helped me go to sleep much earlier creating time in the morning before I went to work. I was never a "morning person" but this was the time I had free so it was the time I had to use.
Put this method to use and I guarantee you will be shocked at how much time you actually have available!
תגובות