"I'm sorry, but I don't have time."
"Just let me finish this first."
"Can you do it?"
"Not now!"
"I have work to do."
"Can I watch you later?"
Have any of these words come out of your mouth as you were talking to your child? Do you have children that you are not able to spend as much time with as you would like? Today is the day to start putting some things in place to be ready for June 21st!
Hug Your Kids Day
Hug Your Kids Day is June 21s. The day was started by Michelle Nichols. Her family lost their son unexpectedly when he was just 8-years-old. No one is ever ready to lose a loved one. All we can do is make the most of the time we have. That is the spirit of the special focus for June 21.
Applies With or Without Children
It is so easy to put off people that are important to us. I see it often with the people that I work with. Life takes hold and before you know it, your schedule is filled with things that take up your time, but are not really priority areas in life.
Marianne Williamson said (and Nelson Madela made famous):
"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure... We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you NOT to be? There is nothing enlightening about shrinking so that other people won't feel unsure around you. As we let our own Light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same."
What You Can Do
Start today to manage your time differently! Here are a few tips to try to get you on your way to ready for June 21...
Be Ruthless with Time, But Be Gracious with People
Be polite but firm about what you can and what you cannot do. Stay focused on the task at hand and what you need to do to complete it, including managing your interactions with others.
Be Careful To Not Overestimate a Simple Task
How do we do live in the present moment? Be efficient and focus your efforts on one thing at a time. When you don't know how long a task will take, you may either over or underestimate the amount of time needed. Keep in mind; small tasks may take less time than you think. Here is a list of everyday tasks and how long they take to complete if you focus your energy on that one task:
Answer the average e-mail - 1 minute
Change roll of toilet paper - 6 seconds
Hand-write a check & record it in a check register - 1 minute
Fill car gas tank - 5 minutes
Take one vitamin pill - 15 seconds
Empty dishwasher - 5 minutes
Take out the garbage - 1 minute
Make the bed - 1 minute
Make a 2-quart container of instant iced tea - 30 seconds
Fill the ice cube tray - 6 seconds
Fill the ice cube tray and put it back in the freezer - 13 seconds
Put milk carton back in the refrigerator - 7 seconds
Refill liquid soap dispenser - 30 seconds
Replace lid on peanut butter jar - 4 seconds
Pick up a shirt off the floor, place on hanger and hang in closet - 9 seconds
Start up a laptop computer - 2 ½ minutes
Sign, address, add return address & stamp a card for mailing - 1 minute 40 seconds
Water 1 plant - 25 seconds
Saying "No" is Not Always a Bad Thing
We say "yes" to others because we want to please them. But when we can't continue, we let them down and we feel guilty. Both parties suffer. Recognize that a desire to please often prevents us from saying no. Make sure you understand exactly what is being asked of you before you respond. Perhaps the task is more time consuming than you thought. On the other hand, it may not take much effort at all. Excel at just a few things, rather than being just average at many. Don't try to do everything. Be polite, but firm in saying no. You only build false hopes with wishy-washy responses. For instance, the phrase "I'll try to be there" in response to a party invitation is giving yourself an excuse to avoid a commitment. It doesn't do anyone any favors.
Time and Life Management
Quit organizations that aren't contributing to your advancement, your network or your fun.
Voice mail as a Time Saving Tool
Use your voice mail or answering machine to your advantage. If you are in the middle of a project and you can put your phone on do not disturb, do it. If the call is important, they will leave a message.
What Do You Think?
Do you spend time on the things that are important with you? How do you make time for things that you want to spend time on? Have you tried any of these techniques? Tell us about how it is for you! You can comment by going to the bottom of this posting on my blog.
To your success!
