Is time your friend, a friendly foe, an adversary or a heavy handed task master? Are you constantly racing against the clock to meet deadlines, complete projects and keep commitments? Do people, organizations, work and projects clamor for you time and attention – to the point you are no longer in-control and have great difficulty meeting all of their needs?
Are you on a fast track to somewhere but you’re not sure where? Do you find that the faster you go and the more you do the less you accomplish?
Imagine ending a day with time left over just for you. Imagine a day where things go right 98% of the time. Imagine a better tomorrow with less stress and filled with more joy. Imagine you being in-control of time, not time controlling you.
How to Take Control
The fastest way to be in-control of time is to recognize that time, schedules and your calendar are currently out of control. Only once you’ve recognized this problem for what it is – you can do something about it.
Time is a finite measurement of the number of hours in a day you have to accomplish the things you need and want to do. When you over-schedule, over-commit and over-extend your time, you are no longer in-control – instead it is time that dictates your stress level, productivity and the quality of your life. When time controls you your quality of life lessens, your productivity diminishes and the joy in your life disappears.
So, the first step in taking control is recognizing that you are out of control. One of the basic objectives of Feng Shui is to create balance in your life – the type of balance that eliminates the chaos and leads to calm. By recognizing time is controlling you, you can take action.
In-Control Action Plan
Listed below are several options on ways to both take control of your time and take back control of your life.
Make a list of the most important things you need to do for the day, rank them by order of importance – then do the most important one first – by following this procedure you will always get the most important things done and reduce stress
Make a second list of the most important things you’d like to do in that same day – then evaluate whether anything on this list is more important than the first three things on your need to do list – if yes, do that one after you complete the first one on your need to do list – this will give you joy
At the end of one week evaluate each list to see what things repeat daily that you must do versus ones that you want to do – is there one thing on either list that can be permanently removed – if yes, do so – this puts you in-control of your time
Follow this procedure for another week and evaluate again – look for patterns of how you can more efficiently do your need to do things so you can incorporate more want to do things – also continue to look for things you can remove from both lists – this will keep you in-control of your time
Create an Intentions Board (a bulletin board with push pins works great) – place at least three symbols on your board that represent you being in-control of time – perhaps it would be a picture of doing your favorite leisure time activity which demonstrates you have time left over for you, a clean organized desk reflecting timely productivity, reading to children or grandchildren, writing that book that’s been in the back of your mind for years, even an hour glass with a X drawn across it will work – the symbols on your Intentions Board will further energize your desire to be and stay in-control of time
Getting in-control of and staying in-control of your time, your calendar and your schedule leads you down the road to self empowerment and a balanced harmonious less stress-filled life. A life where there is time left just for you – a life where you are no longer the victim – a life where you experience more joy and calm. It’s your life – take control of it and enjoy it to the fullest with joy and peace.
Download “Feng Shui Your Time – Be In-Control of Your Life” in PDF Format.
© Pat Heydlauff, All Rights Reserved
Pat Heydlauff, president of Energy Design, uses Feng Shui design principles to eliminate chaos and stress at home and within oneself. More than a Feng Shui expert, Pat is a consultant and speaker who helps remove clutter and negativity while encouraging personal growth, improved relationships and prosperity. Her new book, “Feng Shui: So Easy a Child Can Do It,” shows how to achieve a better tomorrow. For information on her consulting, speaking and artwork, call: 561-408-2708.