Photo credit: melisa launay

“All great achievements require time.”– Maya Angelou

Do you have enough time? Are you always trying to manage your schedule so you can squeeze a little more juice out of the few extra minutes and hours in a day? Do you feel like your schedule is driven by the demands of others, or worse, unrealistic expectations you hold for yourself? Do you have the need to know all of the answers NOW?

In thinking about writing about time, I considered sharing with you time management techniques, yet I decided organization is only part of the problem. As a Life Coach, I often hear about my clients’ frustrations over not having enough moments to do the things they really want to do because they have so many other obligations and demands. They are in a hurry to do more, be more, achieve more. They have fewer occasions to do it and they engage in more distractions than ever. They want to find the answers quickly to resolve problems, to understand each other and to know outcomes; yet, many people do not understand how time can work for them, not against them. Does this sound like you?

I focus on helping people understand that time really is on their side. Hours can not be added to your day, but you can make better choices on how to use time and see it as an asset. By accepting a more natural flow to your life, learning to prioritize what is most important to you and being patient with the outcomes, you can learn to trust in the rhythm of nature and discover that there is perfect timing in all areas of your life.

Time is on your side, so breathe and relax into your life. Discover what is most essential to you and then use your time to create more peace and harmony, more space to do the things you really want and more connection to the people you love and care about. Here are some suggestions for developing a new way to honor and manage your time…

Four Timely Habits to Instill into Your Routine

1. Create “Real-time” Expectations 

Be realistic and learn to break down greater undertakings into smaller increments. Don’t delay starting projects because you think you need a large block of time. Expectations and worrying about how much time something will take can eat up a large chunk of your day or even week. Every year I fret about gathering my tax information, thinking it will take many hours to compile, when actually, it only takes a couple of hours. So, get started and just do the tasks, one step at a time.

Exercise to try: Take a task or chore and devote only 15 minutes per day to do it, no more, and see much you can accomplish. Review your cumulative progress in a week or month. 

2. Trust Your Internal Clock 

Listen to your own intuition and be in charge of your time. Stop letting your watch drive you, and relearn how to let life flow naturally and easily. Not having electricity for several days after a storm outage allowed me to reset my body clock. I went to bed when it was dark and arose when the sun came out, and I felt extremely rested. Trust that you will know what to do and when to do it.

Exercise to try: Give up your watch for the day and trust your internal clock to get you wherever you need to be. Start on the weekend if that is easier

3. Develop Discernment with Your Time 

What is it you are REALLY trying to accomplish? Are you doing the things you want to do, or are you following a long list of things you think you should be doing? Be wise with you time and consider who you give your time to and for what reasons. I allow laundry to pile up if it means I can spend time with a friend.

Exercise to try: Create a “Yes, No and Maybe” list. Decide who and what you will say yes, and to who and what you will say no. 

4. Understand Divine Timing 

Over time, the missing piece of the puzzle or the right person will always be revealed. If you push for something when the timing is not right, then you might miss out on something better than what you had wanted in the first place. Practice patience and allow for everything to work out perfectly. My business grew when I was ready to accept the responsibility.

Exercise to try: Create a “God Box.” Write down your questions and put these into a special container and let go of the stressful thoughts. Allow God, the Universe or your particular belief system take over. You can refer back to it after a designated period of time to see if anything has been revealed to you.

Carl Sandberg said, “Time is a great teacher.” Don’t miss the opportunity to learn the important life lessons, and let each moment in time be part of your growth, reflection and inspiration. Time is on your side, so start making the most of it today.

Coaching Questions to Reclaim Your Time:

1. What would you do with more time?

2. With whom do you spend your time? Do they give you energy or take it away?

3. Is your deadline real, or did you make it up? Or is there something on your list that can be moved to another day?

4. Describe your perfect day, week or month.

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