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I assured her that she still had plenty of time to meet whatever deadline she faced. We chatted for a few more minutes and then she left. But traces of that experience have lingered in mind.
Time. . . it's the great equalizer. Each of us has the same amount of time in a 24-hour period. One week is the same length of time for the rich and the poor, the healthy and the sick, celebrities and people like us. What we do with our time is our decision. How we manage our time is our decision.
I've noticed that oftentimes I let time manage me. I like schedules and I like to know when things are going to occur. I always plan to arrive at an appointment or event at least 10 minutes early. To me being "on time" is late.
But I've noticed other people act differently in regard to time. Some people don't seem to consider it at all. They classify time by adding an "-ish" to the end, like I'll see you at 10-ish. They may arrive early, but more than likely they will arrive late because something else distracted them. They act like there is always time to get things done and never seem to panic when a deadline looms. Sometimes they don't seem to take time seriously and laugh when others become angry or frustrated with them. Sometimes they don't even seem to care how their irresponsibility impacts others.
Some people seem to think time belongs to them. These are the people who use time to their benefit. They accomplish a great deal in their 24 hours each day. But these people won't hesitate to interrupt your day with their crisis and then expect you to deal with it immediately. They own their time and try to own other people's time too.
There are also people who are on time all the time. They plan their days to meet any deadline or arrive at an appointment at precisely the right moment. But these people may also resist scheduling too many specific activities so that there are few commitments they must keep. But once they've made a commitment, they keep it.
Each of these time-managing practices has its benefits. If we can learn how to use each method occasionally we should be able to be more productive and more relaxed in our lives. But most of us tend to stay with one form that fits our personality and our own needs best. This would be the time management practice, or lack of, that feels natural and comfortable.
But when we remember that we only have 24 hours each day, the same 24 hours that everyone else has, we can change the way we view time and start to use it differently.
For instance, if you hold tight to your rigid calendar and schedule everything you want or need to accomplish, you will be extremely productive. But when a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity or a carefree, casual afternoon of spontaneity is offered to you, you may turn it down because it doesn't fit into your schedule. Learning to be flexible with your time will help you experience things that you would otherwise miss.
If you are so casual with your time that days slip away without your accomplishing some minor or major steps toward your life mission, then you are squandering a precious gift from God. You can never regain the days you've wasted. Making a commitment to put enough order into your schedule so that you can set aside time for important people or projects will help you live a life of fewer regrets. You will be able to have fun and be spontaneous while also being somewhat productive.
If you control your time based on what you need at the moment, you will keep busy and look like you are accomplishing a great deal. But your lack of planning and respect for the time commitments of others may leave you spinning your wheels as you wait for information someone else has. Planning and communicating your need for information or action before the deadline will help you perform more efficiently. You will have all the pieces to your puzzle before you start to put it together rather than scrambling around trying to find them all at the moment the puzzle should be completed. This will free up blocks of time that you can use to accomplish even more.
If you rarely schedule appointments or make firm commitments of your time, you may be missing out on opportunities to grow and develop. The self-discipline you develop from being involved and making commitments can be useful in relationships, careers, and the community. While more people would benefit from a clutter-free calendar, your lack of commitment may be working against you.
Every day you have 1,440 minutes to spend on the things you must do, want to do, and perhaps should do. The choices you make will determine whether you live a rich, fulfilling life, or one that may be filled with regrets. As you look back over the past year, do you wish you had achieved more? Do you wish you had spent more time with loved ones? Do you wish you had read that book on the best-seller list? Are you using your time wisely?
Do you ever say that you are "spending time" doing this or that. Do you put the same value on time as you do your hard-earned dollars and cents? Or do you squander your time as freely as a child putting quarters into a gum ball machine at the grocery store? Money is something that we can gain more of if we are willing to work more for it, if we get lucky and win a lottery, or if we are good at borrowing money from the people around us. Time is something you cannot collect more of, borrow, or put in a bank account for future use.
Every day you have 24 hours to use as you see fit. You must sleep, work, play, laugh, cry, eat, exercise, and do every other thing you do within that time period. What you don't do today may get pushed off until the next day, and then the next until you feel like you can never catch up on all that must be done. Today you have 86,400 seconds to use as you see fit. Are you using them to your greatest advantage? Are you making time and then taking time to meet your spiritual, physical, emotional, and financial wants and needs? Isn't it time you did?
~~~
Copyright 2002 by Donna Doyon. All rights reserved. You are free to
use material from the A Swan's Song eZine in whole or in part,
as long as you include complete attribution, including live web
site link. Please also notify me where the material will appear.
The attribution should read:
"By Donna Doyon. Please visit Donna's
web site at http://www.donnadoyon.com for additional stories and articles on improving relationships with yourself, your family and the other people in your world."
"Carefree Woman" artwork by Ann Boyajian
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