Inner Diva Dilemma: You never have enough time. And it’s not for a lack of attempt at time management. You’ve tried Schedule A, System Z and every theory in between. The next person to recommend another time management book to you may very well find the book being thrown at them.
What There Is For You To Know:You can’t manage time. Time is a river. The old adage is true. And a river that’s been dammed or boxed in by human hands will inevitably someday break the artificial boundaries and run exactly where it most naturally runs. Your schedule is the same. Appointments run over time. You lose internet connection and can’t do email when you planned. Before you know it, your nice neat schedule is running wildly over the time boxes of 9:45, 10:15 and 1:30 that you were so hoping it would follow.
Go A Little Wild With Time: Back in 1993, I worked in Yosemite National Park and lived right next to the wild Merced River. Wow, was that thing alive! Just standing next to it, there was a life energy you couldn’t deny. The same is true of your schedule when you let the river of time flow naturally through it….
Try It On The Fly: You can keep the little time boxes of your schedule- just like you need a boat on a wild river, they provide a container and some guidance so that you’re not being tossed about willy nilly on the rocks. And…have a little giggle. Chuckle to yourself at the silliness of having thought these boxes would actually run the river. Instead, watch to see how the river runs them.
Now go for a ride. Holding the boxes loosely, follow your schedule as planned while watching where the river of time naturally wants to take you. When it runs wild over your scheduled plan, instead of seeing failure, take a moment to ask, “What’s the natural flow here?” Notice what happens easily in the natural flow and what falls away.
Tips For Troubleshooting: Some boxes are non-negotiable, like picking your kids up from school at 3pm. You can’t “just flow” with that box! Treat these non-negotiables as river markers. Then notice how the river of time wants to flow naturally from one marker to the next. And there’s no pressure to do this perfectly- each time you experiment with Wild River time, you’ll learn a bit more about the natural time river flow.
Let me know how it goes. This is just a taste of a big topic, so you’ll probably have some questions that I’m happy to answer!
This article written by Lisa Hunter of Inner Business Diva. Find more great articles and get the free guide to Tame Your Never-Enough Cycle… End the seemingly endless cycle of constantly feeling behind! Easy & practical tips that fit your high-energy, go-getting style. http://www.innerbusinessdiva.com/sexy-time-management/free-articles
Join Lisa (and me!) at the next Diva Business Day to relax, connect, brainstorm, and enjoy a day with other go-getting entrepreneurial woman. Details at http://www.innerbusinessdiva.com/diva-business-day
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