Time seemed to have taken on a new pace. As Steve drove home, he wondered what his family was eating for dinner and why he never ate dinner with his kids anymore. He knew the answers... More and more people were commuting from the suburbs and it took longer to get home than it used to. His days were longer--longer to the point where it felt like they never ended. He worked at home before he left for work and again at night; and then there was that blasted phone which rang even when he took a few private moments! Steve felt like he was lost in a closed cycle which focused around work.
He had no doubt about needing the phone, the emails and constant contact with his staff and the board... but did it have to be 24/7? Where was HIS time?
When he looked at where he was spending his time, on what tasks and when, he realized he could change things somewhat. He started to respond to emails 3 times a day, unless they were urgent. While he usually paid bills at night, he chose two days when he paid his bills on the train and instead of reading and responding to emails on his way home, he saved this task for the morning train ride and started reading a book on the way home or talking to fellow commuters most nights. This way, he was more relaxed when he got home and had a way to transition before he got there.
He took a serious look at where his time was used by monitoring it over a two-week period. Then, he looked at what he could delegate or eliminate and at how he could group things together more, e.g., responding to email less often during the day, He reflected on what was missing in his life... time with his family, quiet time, an occasional quiet dinner with his wife... He opened up his calendar and filled in (where he could) times with his family and wife. This was not something he had ever done before and it brought him some relief. He even blocked off Christmas and some pre- and post-holiday time, then added in a little exercise time. His world changed! Instead of waiting for a few free moments to open up for personal issues, he blocked time for them. It wasn't the free-flowing way he remembered life being in the past... the distant past.... But it was a solution which created space for him. It raised his spirits and he felt more in charge of how he spent his time. Do you have time for yourself? ...time for what is important to you? If not, what can you do to ensure you make the time available? What steps do you need to take that work best for you? Do you need to check your calendar and start blocking off some time to ensure time for what is important to you? What better time to start than now?
Best wishes for a wonderful holiday, Sandy! |
