I Don't Have Time ...

This is a statement I often hear.

Others that are similar include "There aren't enough hours in a day" and "I'm time poor".

People no longer have time to attend their children's concert or watch them play sport.

They no longer have time to meet socially or get the important work completed.

They have to work longer hours as there is not enough hours in a day to get the jobs done.

‘A lack of time' is the common reason given for why something is not done or not done on time.

Are you time deficient?
Are you always running late?
Do you have too much to do and no time to do it?

If you are, you are not alone. It appears more and more people are cramming so much into their day that they are running out of time.

Why, as time progresses, do we appear to have less time?

Is it technology's fault?

We now have Personal Digital Assistants (PDA's), mobile (cell) phones, computers (emails and surfing the web) and other electronic devices that have us "on call" 24/7.

With the introduction of all these gadgets, there is more to do. More emails to answer, more jokes to read, more people to contact and more things to look at on the net.

Work never stops. Instead of working their eight hour day and then going home and relaxing with their family, they are now on call 24/7.

The problem soon becomes, your brain will push you to do what you think is urgent or pleasurable over what's not.

Pleasure can include surfing the net, phoning (texting) people and playing electronic games.

Urgent is simply having to answer a mobile (cell) phone every time it rings. You are now contactable everywhere you go at any time.

To add all this to your day, something has to give. You will need to find more time, do less of something or try and cram the whole lot into the time you have. Result: major stress.

Many suggest the number one cause of stress today is a lack of time. It can cause anxiety, depression, tension, arguments and even divorce.

When you have two or more tasks to perform, your brain weighs up which will give you the most pleasure. Do I go for a walk or surf the net? For most, surfing the net is more pleasurable so they will do this and then say they don't feel motivated to go for a walk.

Not getting the things done that should be done leads to you feeling more stressed so, to counteract this, you go for the things that give you pleasure.

A Solution

What is important in your life?

Is it spending time with family, exercise, study or work?

At work, what is important?

Make a list and rate them from the most important to the least important.

Put specific times to each of these to ensure they are a part of your day and they are completed. For example, work 9 to 5. Walk with family 5:30pm to 6:30pm.

Put aside a specified time (like an hour) to return phone calls, read emails, surf the net, texting and other things that create pleasure for you.

Turn your mobile (cell) phone off after-hours or let it go through to message bank or monitor who is calling.

Give yourself a break.

In summary, do what's important first and then fit the 'urgent'/pleasurable things in.

Many are letting the 'urgent'/pleasurable things override the important things.

Work Smarter

It is imperative to have a good work/life balance.

If you are looking to find time, you may well be disappointed. There is only 24 hours in a day, 7 days in week and 52 weeks in a year. No matter what you think or do, this is it. It is important to work with what you have.

Maybe you have to delegate - whether it be at work or at home.

I consult with many parents - especially single Mums - who believe it is their role to do everything for their children. What does this teach them?

Bosses who do everything because staff wouldn't do it as well. What do the staff learn from this?

Importantly ...

Make Time For You

This should be your Number One priority.

Happy you means happy family, happy work, happy life.

Learn to say "No" to the things that are going to drain you of energy and time.

If you had 3 months to live, what would you be doing in the next 3 months?

Would you spend all day on the computer/phone or would you be spending it with your loved ones, going on a holiday and having some fun?

With 3 months to live, would you be short of time?

Live life like you have a finite time to live - because the reality is, your days are numbered!

As one clever book title by Richard Carlson says "Don't Sweat The Small Stuff ... And It's All Small Stuff".

Want To Get Results?

We're now into 2010 and, if you are like most people, you will have decided on some New Year Resolutions. If this is the case, there is also a great chance you have already broken them or failed to continue with them.

One of the reasons this occurs is people fail to take the necessary action.

When it comes to creating action to perform a task, there are two types of thinkers: the "Gunna's" and the "Doer's".

Let us start with the "Gunna's". These are the people who are "going to" do something. They always put things off until tomorrow.

They are often heard to say "I'm gunna ... (lose some weight, get fit, get this job completed)". The word "Gunna" can also be replaced with words like:

I would like to ... (get this job completed).
I want to ... (get this job completed).
I need to ... (get this job completed).
I must ... (get this job completed).

Two important points:
(i) The greater the need to do something, the more likely you are to do it. If you hear yourself saying "I would like to ..." or "I want to ...", there is a great chance you won't do it.

The statement "I must get this job completed" has more urgency than "I want to get this job completed". The more urgency, the more chance you have of doing it.

(ii) Action speaks louder than words. While you may say you want to do something, the proof is in you doing it. Saying you want to or you must do something is not going to get it done. They are only words and are planned for the future.

Your actions show how keen you are.

Have you ever heard a person say they must do a task yet they never get around to it? What they are really saying is ... the task is not important.

Now, take this a step further and ...

Become a "Do'er"

Begin doing the things that need to be done, NOW.

To quote a saying:

There are those who make things happen.
There are those who watch things happen.
There are those who hope things happen.
There are those who wait for things to happen.
And then there are those who wonder what happened.

Which one are you - especially when it comes to your health, relationships, self and work?

Most people fall into the "hope" it happens category. When it doesn't, they "wonder" why!

Only one achieves a result - the maker. This person is in control and determines the outcome.

Your thinking determines whether you choose to do something or not. When the needs and/or the benefits are great enough, you will create the action and do it.

A great example is someone who is feeling sick and needs to go to the doctor. They don't go until they are on ‘death's door' and there is a big need to get the problem fixed.

Set your goals for 2010 and make things happen. Make them important and achievable.

Good luck.