Did your mom ever scold you when you were a kid for having eyes that were bigger than your stomach? That’s how I feel when I think about all the things I’d love to have done today, this week, this month. So much I’d like to get done, and sometimes I get frustrated or impatient as I’m sure you do, too. I also know that if I try to take it all on, I’ll end up with cold unappealing leftovers on my plate or I’ll burn myself out and be no use to anyone. Even people who strike a good balance here most of the time sometimes fall prey to miscalculation, denial, or idealism and bite off more than they can chew at times.
There is no magic bullet for this one; the laws of physics set up constraints on time and space that are rather hard to fight. Addressing this dilemma with grace takes making choices and doing work.
Paring down can be a key element of successful time managment, and make you happier, more effective and less stressed out. Here are some principles to keep your body, rather bound to the limitations and joys of this time and space, in line with your wishful heart and ambitious head:
- Commit to less, and make wise choices about your commitments.
- Use the energy of your excitement strategically.
- Choose empowering perspectives.
- Be efficient in what you do, and invest in your effiency itself.
- Track separately the things you may be ready to commit to later.
- Let go with an easy heart.
- Take care of yourself, too. Dare I say, take care of yourself, first.
I am experimenting with a new format for this blog. A series of posts each Tuesday will explore these ideas and other time management ideas for the next little while, while I will be reserving Thursday for handy little tips and Sundays for a glimpse into my own personal projects and systems. Stay tuned!
Another bullet could be chose experiences over things. People often tie happiness or security to possessions, and yet we get more joy from our experiences with other people, and our possession can often take possession of us. I freely admit that I love having space, and I have possessions that I get enjoyment from, and I have things from my late parents that let me feel that they are still a part of my life. Still, I have spent the past decade choosing smaller spaces every time I’ve moved, and parring down my possessions every time. I got that more space by living in houses, and those houses ate up time and money that could have been spent on new experiences. Now, as I pare down, I find myself more free.
That definitely makes a lot of sense, and sounds like a powerful approach. I’m also focusing on paring down when it comes to how you use time. Stuff takes up room in our lives, but so do time commitments and activities. It can be temping to have a to-do list as long as my arm and a brimming-over social calendar, but that can create a lot stress and result in guilt at stuff that’s undone, unnecessary stress, and not truly taking the time to do many things *well* instead of just quickly.
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