The best advice I’ve ever received was to “respect your day and value your time.” This advice applies to all regardless of age, career, or lifestyle. Please note that in this post I have posted links to products that have helped me organize my time. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.”
Respect your day.
Today is your day so fill it with your goals, your personal meetings and achievements, from nutrition and self-care to errands and hobbies. Your time and how you use it is a valuable gift and worthy of your full attention. YOU are worthy of your full attention! Schedule your time and address all of the important aspects of your life.
Value Others and Yourself
We all want to feel valued by the people we love and perhaps, even more importantly, we must value ourselves. This means valuing your time. Being productive means organizing our time and consciously thinking about what we want to achieve. Organize and schedule your day. Think about what you will feed your family during the week and plan that out. Schedule your nutrition, exercise, and chores. Schedule your joy. In my case, I find joy in writing, in nature, and in my friends and family. Guess what has gone to the wayside lately because I didn’t take control of my days? My joy.
Lack of Time Management
I was letting my lack of time management contribute to serious dysfunction. Oftentimes, I miss workouts because the dishes pile up or I have to meander around the house to do laundry. To be honest, I let my own lack of organization control my days instead of seizing each and every day. This straightforward advice that my friend gave me was exactly what I needed.
Schedule your success.
Respect your day and schedule your success. Reschedule chores if you need to fill your valuable time with joy. Sometimes that walk or that phone call is more important than the state of your house. I promise you that the mess will be there tomorrow. I’m not the best at planning anything so this is a very tough exercise in discipline for me. Perhaps I am going a bit far at the moment but today I’ve managed to eat healthy, walk the dogs, talk with friends, schedule, and meet with the repair technician. I’ve even finished writing. Currently, I’m experimenting with different tools, from my online calendar to a weekly family planner that I have received as a gift. I feel pretty darn good. I’m respecting my day and myself.
Time Management Tools
The first tool I’m going to mention is the Pomodoro Technique. This method helped my son who has ADHD accomplish his homework goals. Remember that eliminating distractions is also very important. The Pomodoro Technique breaks down tasks into short intervals. Pomodoro is also a tomato and the creator of the technique, named it after the timers used in Italy that were shaped like tomatoes!
The second tool is to be conscious about what you want to accomplish. Think about your day the night before, and be aware of how you want to use and value your time. Use a planner. I have found that college planners are really effective and give you more room for your days. You can of course use your digital planners, such as Google Calendar or your phone calendar. It’s about creating a habit!
What Do I Do When I Don’t Want to Start?
I use the Five Second Rule. It’s such a simple tactic, taken from Mel Robbins’ book “The Five Second Rule.” “From the moment that you have the idea, you’ve only got five seconds to take action, otherwise it’s gone. Write it down, schedule it, send an email to yourself, or make the request,” she suggests. “The moment you feel yourself wanting to give into distraction, you’re going to use the rule again.”
Value Your Time
I hope this advice strikes a chord with you as well. Try to look at your calendar tonight. See if you can schedule “work” and your self-care and joy, even if you manage to squeeze in one day. I would love to hear back on what works for you!
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