Thoughts on taking your time

At the start of a new year, motivation and inspiration lead us to set goals, make plans and of course, create deadlines.

But a month or two in? The reality of last year’s time limits begins to cloud the dreamy haze of the new year. We may feel just as rushed and pressed as ever, with no additional room for our new intentions. Is it that our duties and obligations are so fixed that any flexibility is elusive? Where did we think all the space for our new dreams would come from, anyway? Is it our own fault for not finishing all the projects of the previous year before the new?

Not quite so fast.

Perhaps there are other ways of looking at the time we do have?

Instead of burdening ourselves with all that we feel we must do and the limitations of the time we have to do it in, why don’t we consider how much time we have beyond what is fixed?

Most full-time workers in Canada officially work 37.5-40 hours a week. What about second jobs, overtime, side hustles, evening emails and the commute, you ask? Even if you work a full 60-80 hours a week, you have 88-108 hours a week remaining. The average American sleeps 6.8 hours per night (47.6 hours/week), leaving more than 60 hours per week. What would you do with your 60+ hours? Laundry, shower, cook and clean? Sure, but 60 hours? What about a walk, a documentary, an extended dinner, yoga, (many!) podcasts, and a visit with a friend? A new language, plan a trip? All doable! The key is to realize that you have more unscheduled time than you think. In fact, you have more unscheduled time than scheduled time.

To fully appreciate this paradigm shift, consider the following:

• There is more time ‘leftover’ than ‘used’ in any given week
• Consider planning by the week, rather than by the day. This works especially well in our personal lives, when energy levels, fatigue, and other hurdles can set us back, only to be compensated the next day by a great night’s sleep, an encouraging piece of news, or a personal “win”. You may find that keeping a running to-do list for the week helps alleviate the sense that you’re not getting everything done each day. Some tasks will get done, some will roll over each day, but the week still has more days in front of us to catch up.
• The three D’s: delete a task (a whole other post!), delegate a task or do (with delight if you can!).
• Time can feel elastic. Some days we are uber-productive, sailing through life with confidence, energy and verve. Other days not so much…but those days of flow can make up for times of sluggishness, frustration and unexpected delays. Think about the last time you felt in sync, in flow, or time seemed to expand in the moment. Remember how much you got done, and even enjoyed the day?
• Re-evaluate the messages you give yourself about time. Do you consider time a ‘restraint’ or a generous resource? ‘Time limits’? or ‘time freedom’?
• Focus on the present and the quality of the experience, not the time it takes.
• How we spend (some of) our time ultimately comes down to choice. We have the opportunity to live life with a time-expansive mindset, even with external demands. Choose your activities with intention, allow for moments of spontaneity, and remember, tomorrow is another day.

“Life, if well-lived, is long enough”. – Seneca