Last week I shared one way to free up time, possibly up to 90 minutes a day, that can then be redirected to getting things done in your business that are otherwise not getting done.
Today I’ll share my experience of making such a change and then give a few more options for you to consider when you’re time stressed and not yet experiencing the results you want in your business.
We’re all busy. It’s our default story in the western world.
“How are you doing today? Busy, things are really busy!” The standard, automatic response all to often, right? I know, I say it too.
We’ve only got 24 hours in a day and 7 days in a week to use to live our lives. That, of course, means our whole lives in every area ranging from work to family to recreation to social time to sport to household maintenance to taking care of our health and fitness and to sleep.
If you’re effectively operating in all life areas that are important to you and running your business at the level that you want then all I can say is… well done! Keep at it!
Many are not able to achieve this and it adds stress to an already stressful existence. As I mentioned last week we each have embedded in our daily routine one or more activities that we probably do out of habit that do not really serve our vision of our ideal lives or the goals we have for the growth of our businesses.
If you’re not living your ideal life right now or elements of your business are not getting done limiting it’s results then it’s time to stop everything and find those unessential, non-helpful, time-wasting activities and make some changes.
So what was the activity I described in the last post?
Eliminating or diminishing consumption of the daily news, whether on TV, online, or in a newspaper.
If you missed the post and want to see what I had to say click here!
My experience was interesting. At the times I would automatically turn on the TV to watch the news I found the urge to do that. I resisted. When my wife wanted to watch I made myself leave the room to do something else. It got easier as the week went by.
I also found people in my world naturally shared news with me so I actually kept up to date in a fraction of the time.
Also, I was able to re-direct my “found” time and energy onto a number of different things that served my ideal life and my business better.
One was breakfast on our veranda in the sunshine as I became grounded in preparing for my day. Another was for research that usually got bumped due to lack of time. There were other things but the point is using time effectively versus spending it either mindlessly or with something that may not really matter that much.
Now, it was pointed out that for some the daily news or specific segments of the news are vital to their businesses. Then that, of course would not be something to minimize in their daily lives. Another point came up related to eliminating news due to the general negative tone of most stories and the choice to see the world in a positive light. While I do agree that much of the daily news is negatively framed and would not be missed if eliminated I certainly also agree that building a positive frame of reference towards life, including the news, will serve us well.
The point of eliminating news is not to avoid the negative. It is to find time to be focused on something we deem a higher priority so that we can live more ideally, more positively, and more effectively (when it comes to our business).
Will I never watch news again? No, I know I will, however I will be more conscious in consuming segments that are meaningful to me. More importantly is that I will do my best to avoid the slide back into old habits that waste my time in ways that do not serve me.
So if it’s not the news then what might that activity be in your day to day life that you could eliminate or diminish and consciously use the “found” time more effectively?
Here are a few suggestions to consider? Please share your suggestions!
- TV watching – especially summer repeats or reality TV
- Non-essential meetings at work
- Video gaming – online, XBox, Wii, etc.
- Non-business related social media like Facebook or Twitter
- Lying on the couch immediately after dinner for an hour or so
- Over planning, list writing, and more planning instead of doing
What will you do with your “found” time?
Pick one thing. Only one so you don’t overwhelm your system.
Commit to change for one week.
Evaluate at the end of the week and then do more.
FREEDOM of time and energy will be yours!
Remember…
“Life is meant to be embraced, enjoyed and fully lived, not merely endured!”
To your success,
Brent
Be an advocate of Entrepreneurial Freedom. Please share this with anyone you feel would enjoy the content. I appreciate your support in growing our community of entrepreneurs!
Beginning with a degree in exercise science and kinesiology, Brent Haydey has evolved over thirty years as an entrepreneur; building four businesses, and as a health, executive, and life coach.