Just like knowing any truth, the truth will set you free. When you know the truth about time you will be able to use it well.
The Yin and Yang of time management is one of the trainings I offer in my business mentorship program for coaches. It is a personal favorite of mine for many reasons.
I was introduced to coaching when the executive team I was working on was taken through a coaching program. This program focused on time management in a way that was both familiar and excitingly new to me.
Familiar was the Yang, the masculine, the action-oriented aspect. How to prioritize and be more efficient with time. This program also included what I think of as the Yin, the feminine, the being aspect of time. Things like … What is most important to you? How would you spend your time if you had all the time in the world?
Which led me to my own question. What is the experience you would like to have during your time here on earth?
We have been fed a bunch of hooey when it comes to how we think about time. When it comes to work it is especially true.
Such things as …
Work is trading time for money
Time is limited
There are never enough hours in the day
… are not necessarily true.
More true is the fact that you have control over your time if you choose to make the effort, stretch your mindset, take charge in a new way, you will see that a lot of how you think about time is just made up.
How you use your energy affects how you perceive time and therefore how you use your time. Just like money.
You can slice and dice how you use your time, how you organize your day, week and even your year.
I am going to leave it here. I challenge you to use the time you have RIGHT NOW as you finish reading this message to look at your perception of time.
What would you do right now if you had the time?
One of the exercises in the Yin and Yang of time management is an oldy but a goody.
It requires a cup, some sand, and a few rocks as well as pebbles.
The cup represents your time.
The rocks are what is most important to you.
The pebbles are all the tasks.
- First, you put in the pebbles as most people put tasks into their weekly schedule first.
- Then pour in the sand.
- Then try to put in the rocks and you will see how hard it is to push them into the sand of time.
- Pour it all out and start again.
- Put in the rocks first. Then the sand. Then the pebbles.
I encourage you to actually DO this exercise and tune into what is most important, the rocks of your life experience. Once you have this embodied it will be easy to shift how you make your choices around time. This is where the energy of time comes in. Filling your days with activities that bring you alive will help you to stretch time and enjoy the time you have.