Time: We all need more.

“Out of time” is when the clock has run down and there is no longer an opportunity to complete what is needed to be completed. Once time has gone you can’t get it back.

I love to leave things until the last minute. In fact, often these blogs are completed on the day I post them. This seems crazy right, yet I always manage to meet the deadline I put on myself to deliver something to publish. However, this often comes at the cost of working late, pushing something else out or missing out on other activities.  

Contrary to this, I like to allow enough time when I’m travelling somewhere, I don’t like the thought of leaving it to the last minute to go somewhere and then be late to an appointment.  

“We are out of time when we are out of time”

Our attitudes to time can be based on many things but fundamentally there are 3 key motivations to how you think about your time and how you use it. They are:

·         Emotions:

·         How you feel

·         Expectations:

·         What others think

·         Priorities:

·         What is important

All three things are at play when we are validating how we use our time. None are wrong, rather circumstances will determine how time is utilised. Generally, just one will drive the weight of motivation. A good example of this is gift buying: If the person we are buying for is a loved one, how we feel about that person will determine the need and urgency to prioritise time to buy the gift.

If the situation is like a family Christmas, you may end up buying a gift for someone you may not typically buy for because a person is coming to your place and will be driven by the expectation of what others think and what others will think of us.

If someone really helped you in a one-off situation, you could feel compelled to buy them a thank you gift. This would be something that is a little more transactional but considered as a priority.

Time works at its best when you are intentional with how you use it. The irony is that time is universal and relative, so how you deem it’s best used is based on who you are and what is important to you.

This is best explained by the Eisenhower Matrix:

If you follow this model, you will:

·         Utilise your time better

·         Feel empowered and in control

·         Change how others dictate your time

 My 5 Learnings:

·       My time priorities can be circumstantial

·         How I feel can motivate how I prioritise my time

·       I can let others determine my priorities

·       I need to prioritise important tasks that require immediate action

·      I am becoming more intentional with setting goals

Think about how you are using your time and what you need to change. Identify if there are motivators that are determining how you are using your time.

My 3 Questions for you:

·       Who is dictating how you use your time?

·       Are you often running out of time?

·       Are you always prioritising based on how you feel?

“The key is in not spending time, but in investing it.” — Stephen R. Covey

 If you need help with how you utilise your time, or if you have questions, please talk to me. I would be happy to chat with you and help.

 Remember daily to, “Find value in your influence”

Written By: Paul Fawcett.