How can I manage my time better?
My friends, you are remarkable. I'm in awe. I walked into a high school yesterday to do an assembly, and I just felt so incredibly fortunate to be around teens... you're so incredible, and full of life, your idealism, humor, your bravado, your intensity and even your drama is so fun, it's so contagious. I realize that this may not be everyone's experience, all of the time, and I certainly had moments growing up when I was completely intimidated by other teens, and by that environment, and experienced lots of fear, rejection, stress, and some failures that were hard to deal with, but I handled it then, and my friend you can handle it as well. It might surprise some of you, but one of the most asked questions that you ask us is about how to manage your time or schedules better. First of all, I love that some of you are even asking that question... i love that you have enough insight and awareness... i love that you recognize that you might be feeling a little out of balance, or procrastinating too much, or even a bit overwhelmed by life, education, family, work, activities, and groups that you may be a part of, and how those things can at times feel a bit too much, and in the end contribute to you feeling like you're not really succeeding in any of those areas, because there are simply too many areas or balls to juggle, am i right? So today, I'm just going to drop some tips that will absolutely help you to manage your time better, help you to feel more productive and successful in whatever you're engaged in, and in the end increase your ability to feel balanced and a little happier.
I'll start here by just saying how essential it is for you to practice and become a little better at this life skill. In fact, one of the secrets of happiness is feeling like you have a sense of control over your life, like you can influence the outcome of your life, your work, your school... and my friends, you absolutely can impact any outcome, and these skills will help you to aim your brain, your focus, and your energy to being a bit more successful in this area. You ready??
Tip #1 - Be where your feet are! I know this sounds a bit silly, but I promise you this mindset, this simple skill is essential to your success wherever you find yourself, and actually it is the key to you finding enjoyment and happiness wherever you are. Let me tell you something right now... the enemy of happiness right now... this very instant... is your desire to be elsewhere. I hope that was clear. What I mean is this... if you want to be happy in Math, or English, or Pottery, or practice, or at church, or at home, or in any setting... be there! Bring your mind, your body, your actions, your attention, your energy to that place, and not only will you increase your ability to experience success, but you will also open yourself up to the possibility of experiencing more happiness. The moment you begin to desire to be elsewhere, is the moment you begin to feel less satisfied and unhappy where you are... what do you think? Does that sound reasonable to you? I'll tell you right now... it's absolutely true, so from now on, as you are seeking to manage your time a little better, and to feel more balanced, simply be... and I mean, your mind, your body, your energy, your effort... be where your feet are! Give it a try.
Tip #2 - Put first things first... in other words, take a moment right now to decide on which things are the most valuable to you right now in your life... which things can enhance your academic success, your social life, your family life, your confidence, your relationships, your spiritual life, your professional life, your future, your hobbies and interests, and put these valuable things first in your life, and those other things that may be ok, that maybe just have entertainment value, that are low in overall return to your time investment, learn to add these things in as desert, but not as the main meal, not as the main course... Know what i'm saying? So insta, tik tok, TV, Gaming, TV show binging, among lots of other things, you can sprinkle these through your life... you can eat popcorn here and there, but don't pretend that those empty calories, are actually going to fill you in a meaningful way, or positively contribute to your physical and mental wellbeing. So yes, add some entertainment to your life, some down time, some time to rest the mind, but make sure that you are attending to the main meal, the main course... those things that will absolutely and completely contribute to your overall success in the short and long-haul... learn to play wisely and intelligently my friend. Fun is one of my priorities, it's absolutely essential for me, and if it is for you as well, put it as one of your firsts, and make sure that you find time for it.
Tip #3 - Use a calendar, to do lists, and reminders as a way to tame that wild mustang that you have floating around in that cranium of yours. Your brain is constantly scanning the environment, and looking to move you toward what is comfortable, and unless you direct it with some tasks, with some actions that you need, or must take, your brain is going to take your for a ride, and you'll end up a master procrastinator, avoiding the things that matter the very most, and instead focusing on those that have very little value. So use that incredible device that you are holding in your hand right now, and learn to use the calendar feature, your To-do List features, your reminders, and even some of the focus features that many phones have, to help your brain to stay focused on what matters most, and to do the things that will ultimately contribute to your success, happiness, and purpose in this life. Listen if you need some focused time to do homework, or prep for a test, or write a paper... schedule that time out! Put it on your schedule... get it out of your mind... don't let it just be a good idea inside your head, make sure that you put it down somewhere, it will make it much more likely that it will happen... trust me. Including, its also appropriate for you to schedule your time for fun... to go on a walk, to play on your guitar, to read, to chill for a moment. I'm not trying to convince you to be a robot, because stuff happens, and you need to adapt, and be dynamic, and make adjustments, but trust me... write it out... schedule it out... get that to do list working... and that incredibly smart device that you are holding to be a help, instead of a attention vampire, constantly sucking your attention and focus.
Tip #4 - Chunk things down to a manageable size, early and often. You may have heard the common phrase... "How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time"... and so it is with your assignments, homework, test prep, papers... etc. Instead of cramming for 3 or 4 hours, which may feel pretty overwhelming and stressful, chunk it down to multiple periods of 1 hour, or split it up between multiple days. It's like thinking to yourself when your room is a complete mess... i'm going to go and deep clean my room, but then you quickly get overwhelmed by the amount of work, and in the end you end up doing nothing. But if instead you were to say, "I'm going to spend 30 minutes, i'm going to set a 30 min timer, and whatever i can get done is great"... all of a sudden it would feel manageable, you would have an end time, so it doesn't feel like it's going to go on forever, and you end up feeling more motivated to do it next time because you experienced some success and progress. So be wise, break things down into bite size pieces, and build some motivation to go again.
Tip #5 - Face up to your Procrastination. Now hear me out my friend, I procrastinate, you procrastinate, we all do our share of procrastinating... meaning that we put off things we need to do, or that are important, but maybe that require some work, some focus, or that may even be a little unpleasant, in favor of other things that require less effort, are more entertaining, etc. The problem of course, is that procrastination often times creates stress, anxiety, and in the end we end up rushing through something that maybe needed a little more focus and attention. Listen don't stress, but the key here is that when you find yourself procrastinating, simply ask yourself... why am I procrastinating? Is it because you don't fully understand the assignment or the material?... is it because it's unpleasant?... is it because you don't want to trade your time having fun, or with your friends? I'm telling you, simply realizing why you are doing what you're doing, can help you to overcome it, plus, it can help you to resolve your procrastinating problem. If you don't understand, you can ask for help, or speak to your counselor, or teacher, or parent and ask for a bit of help. If you don't want to give away time with fun and friends, let's make sure that you schedule that time with your friends, and also some time to do your work. Turn on the lights to your procrastination, instead of just letting it wander into your life, and steal your time, your focus, and your attention. Recognize it, call it what it is, and then take some action by chunking it down, scheduling it, or asking for help when you need it. Face up to your procrastination, ask yourself why you're doing it... resolve that issue, and move forward!
Anyways my friend, there are many other ways and tools that you can use to manage your time, your tasks, your responsibilities... but in the end, we are always going to be a little off balance. Other people will ask and demand things of you... your parents, your friends, your teachers, your coaches, your family members... etc, but if you can find a way to be where your feet are... be with the people you are with, instead of constantly checking out, or walking into the many distractions that are constantly beeping and buzzing, and clamoring for your attention... turn off the notifications already, so that you can be where you are, and enjoy things a little more. Remember the enemy of the present, is your desire to be elsewhere. You're incredible, I'm a fan for sure, now get out there and manage things a bit... and when you make mistakes... it's cool, just go again... remember its a skill, it's something you can practice, and with time I'm absolutely certain that you can become better at it. Now get out there and stay humble, stay teachable... go into the world confidently and slay my friends.
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