Do you wonder where your time went at the end of a busy day or week? How about trying to remember what yesterday’s meeting was about? And then, ope, you’ve got another activity or obligation you need to attend. Life is sometimes like the tail wagging the dog and we feel like the flea holding on by a thread.
There’s a better way to shape the direction of life and holding moments by the horns is no way to get there.
What if you decided to track every minute, or every hour, of your day to see where your time was being spent? Most money management starts out tracking where your money is going and time management is no different. The distinction between money and time is that some people have more money but with time, everybody has the same.
It’s not a matter about how much time we don’t have, it’s about the priority we place on the moments we use.
I have an internal road map to determine the direction of how I spend my time. That helps me have direction towards my moments before I even try to arrange them.
First of all, who is my priority? What relationships are most important to me? Second, what do I need to do to ensure a stable and thriving quality of life? Third, in my work, what is my “why” and my main audience(s)? Fourth, when my work is done, how strong are my boundaries so that I keep work/home/church/life separated to a healthy extent? And finally, fifth, which actually could be first, or better yet, the completion of a cycle, is this the direction I really want my life to go?
Here are some principles to help you move in the right direction.
Steward time with integrity.
This means giving to your employer what belongs to your employer, to your family what belongs to your family, to God what belongs to God, and to yourself what belongs to you. For me, the importance usually follows this order, God, family, my health, and employer. The quantity of time usually reflects employer, family, me, and then God. Quantity of time does not always reflect quality of importance. But intent with the time you use, is what moves the needle towards the life you want.
How am I making the most of the moments I have in each category?
How do I keep my priorities straight during busy seasons, or slower moments?
Manage your indicators.
What are you feeling about the things you do? Are you energized, drained, irritated, or happy? Pay attention to what you feel and find the root of where those feelings are coming from. Your indicators will help you shape the direction of your life based on your response to the things you do.
Is this really where I want my life to go?
Do these moments affirm my purpose or sidetrack it?
Go through the mucky muck.
No one gets to do the things they want to do 100% of the time. But, you can give 100% of your effort no matter what you do if you have the right attitude for it.
Attitude is nothing more than equipping your emotions with the outerwear needed to protect yourself from the elements of the circumstances. No season is permanent and you won’t have to wear that internal parka forever during the season of bitter winter. But, if you don’t put on the right attitude, you probably won’t make it in the season you’re in.
Am I honoring my core values even when I’ve been mistreated in various circumstances?
Do I give 100% during the moments that don’t seem as significant as others?
Always work on your vision.
Do the thing you think you want to do. Build the platform you think you want to operate on. Take the classes, read the books, go to the conferences that speak to the vision inside of you. Just don’t do this on someone else’s time. (see Steward Time with Integrity). If anything, sacrifice the “me time” of selfishness into the “purpose time” of selflessness. What you do can help change the future of other people’s lives.
Does my vision line up with my priorities in relationships, my “why”, my boundaries, and my motivation?
Align your mindset to be all in during the moment.
If you have a faith walk, this is helpful. If you can get to the point of trusting God with your life, the pressure is off for you to make something of it. All you have to do is follow the plan God is building for you. Be present in the moments, don’t worry about tomorrow, you can address those problems then.
Does my faith and conviction carry me to a purpose greater than my life?
Am I operating in selflessness over selfishness and will my life help others succeed?
Here’s a simple call to action. Download the time brackets and see where your time is going. You might be surprised to see you’re on the right track of shaping the purpose of your life. If not, no worries, now you know where your time is wasting, and what you need to fix!
Talking Donkey Press has created The Vision Planner to help you shape the direction of your life. Go beyond just managing your minutes. Shape your priorities by writing them down, reflect on your moments, and intentionally collaborate with others to multiply your impact.
You can find The Vision Planner in 9 different covers, and you can start in any month with blank-inside calendaring. You fill in the date, you fill in the appointments, you shape the direction of your life.
Buy The Vision Planner today.