Not having the time is the number one excuse we all use when we aren’t getting the results we want. I won’t argue with the fact that our lives are jammed packed with activity. For many of my clients it’s work, kids, house chores, and bed.
The difference between my clients who get what they want and the ones who don’t is time management. You can’t delete your job or time with your kids, but you can manage it differently.
Many of my clients are creative types: they write, paint, dance, and sing. They enjoy doing what they love. So they make the time wherever they can and they put it on their schedule. Whether it’s a Friday afternoon when the kids are at a friend’s house or it’s after the kids are asleep, they make the time. Does it get done every single day or even week? Of course not, life gets messy at times and they know you can’t make time perfect. However, the intention is set and the momentum is there so it becomes a part of their lives.
The same thing goes for your job. You may be in a situation right now that you can’t change. You may need the benefits or the hours are good for your family’s schedule. That doesn’t mean you can’t start making the change you want now. You can do it by setting small weekly goals. As small as spending 15 minutes a week to research other careers.
Then you can look into the future and see how your small goals can become larger goals. Can you carve out a few hours a week to take a class? Can you start putting a certain amount of money aside to start your own business? These may seem big at first, but when you understand that everything starts from one small act and grows over time, you’ll see that what seems impossible now is actually doable.
It’s all about giving yourself the freedom of choice. When you realize you have the choice you can then make a commitment to making the time for it or not. It doesn’t have to be a perfect scenario to get what you want, which is simply the feeling of joy you get from engaging in what makes your soul feel alive.
Here are some things to think about.
- How can you create more choices in your life?
- Where can you find the time to start creating what you want?
- Start by making a schedule of how you use your time everyday. Include everything. Look at tasks that you could change. Can you ask the kids to help you clean?
- Can you ask your partner to watch the kids to give you two hours of uninterrupted time to focus on you want?
- Could you simply watch 1 or 2 hours less of TV each week?
The more you examine what you do with your time the more you’ll realize there are little spaces of time throughout the day that you can use to work towards your dreams.
I’d love to hear what you’ve come up with!
0
0
0
0
0
0
I constantly battle with my music students about making time to practice and I ALWAYS ask them the last question on your bullet list: “Could you watch 1 or 2 hours less of TV each week?” It’s always interesting to me to see the astounded looks on their faces as the question finishes coming out of my mouth.
I usually have them find accountability partners and check each other in check to get their stuff done and it usually works pretty well!
Here’s to making time!
Hey Susana!
Yep it’s pretty surprising how people respond when you suggest they watch a few hours less of tv per week! I love your idea of accountability partners. Having someone to be accountable to, who understands the importance of your goals, is crucial for taking the big step of actually making the time to achieve your goals! Thanks for sharing:)
Laura