The art of managing time so you can focus on yourself

At a glance

●     Your perspectives and choices influence the way you manage time.

●     When you’re in being mode, you focus on your priority in the now and drown the hustle in favour of purposeful productivity.

Time management is an essential life skill we need to develop the safeguard the most finite and crucial resource of our existence - time. With so much to do and so little time, it's easy to feel overwhelmed . There is always a temptation to get everything done as soon as possible. But trying to get too much done without a plan often is a recipe for burnout. So how do we manage time in a way that lets us focus on ourselves? How do we create a method to this madness?

Be mindful of your mind.

The fundamental modes of mind underpin myriad mental activities that have vital ramifications on time management. It opens a way for us to use everyday experiences, like mindfulness training to learn new ways to relate to the kind of mental states that lead to rumination.

Practising mindfulness can help you become aware of your mental gear at any given moment while letting you disengage from unhelpful modes of thinking. It's about shifting your internal talk. In practice, this task often comes down to recognising two main ways the mind operates-doing mode and being mode.

Doing mode

Ever had that feeling where you've way too many things to do, and no matter how hard you try, the list just keeps getting longer?

We've all been there. It's exhausting, frustrating, and can cause anxiety and burnout. But more significantly, it's just ineffective. If you have to do meaningful long-term work, you must train yourself like an athlete. Train-Fight-Rest-Repeat.

If you're constantly in "doing mode," your brain is continually working in a problem-solving mode. A situation like this is excellent for solving problems, but is it really conducive to achieving a flow state that gets quality work done? No, it’s not!

It's more critical than ever to focus on what matters in today's era of abundance, where there are so many distractions.

Being mode

Sometimes, slowing down is the best thing one can do to stay productive? Sometimes it's better to focus on being in the moment instead of working toward the next item on your to-do list.

That's what "being mode" is all about - slowing down and focusing on what matters most to you instead of worrying about what might happen later. It helps drown out distractions and relax your brain to help you see things clearly and make better decisions about how best to proceed with whatever project or task. Being mode when you spend time with a problem, without necessarily knowing the best way ahead. It exemplifies a certain amount of courage and patience that comes with staying comfortable with uncertainty.

When it comes to time management, we all must strike a balance between 'Being' and 'Doing'.

Some people are more inclined towards the latter, while others lean more towards the former.

Mindful living = better time management

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. But what should you do if life gives you more lemons than you can handle? The truth is that we can do it in stages. Sometimes it's better to let things be as they are.

Developing mindful awareness is essential to determining when to act and when to let things be. Take a step back and ask yourself the following questions if you find yourself feeling overwhelmed or anxious about something that hasn't happened yet:

●     Can I do anything right now?

●     If so, what can I do right now?

●     If not, then letting go is the best thing for me.

Summing it up

When you're mindful, you can notice when you're not present and bring yourself back into the moment. It enables you to concentrate on what you want rather than what you don’t want. It makes you self-aware so you can make better decisions that align with your values and manage time better.

You can enrol yourself in a personal development course to thrive in your life. Leigh Stafford, a life coach in Melbourne, offers various courses and coaching programs that can enable you to learn to manage your time and life more effectively.

Book your free call today to enrol in the personal development courses by Leigh Stafford.