It's Time We Had a Little Chat About Your Time

Tick Tock vs TikTok? What do you do in 24 hours?

In my two weeks in Madrid across several workshops, presentations and conversations, the single most salient topic was time.

If I had a Euro for every single time I heard the phrase, “I don’t have enough time,” I could buy at least 3 different paella dinners.

Where does all the time go?

Now, I understand unreasonable deadlines.

And I have witnessed the scarce and in some instances lack of resources.

And family demands? My heavens, yes. A multi-generational phenomenon.

And then there’s procrastination. Of course, make no mistake, I am pro-procrastination. I even wrote about it here.

But after those dynamics, a lot of this is on you, eh?

Speaking of Spain, I’m reminded of a few prolific chaps.

Pablo Picasso was an incredibly prolific artist who produced an estimated 50,000 works of art during his lifetime. This includes paintings, drawings, sculptures, ceramics, and other media. The paintings alone? Some 13,500.

His pal Sal, as in Salvador Dali, made some 1,500 paintings. And worked in a variety of media too from canvas to film to writing to stunts.

And since it was Bob Dylan’s birthday last week, a shout-out to ol’ Zimmy who has made some 40 albums and produced around 600 songs.

Ok, these are the “Michael Jordans” of their game, but the point is, they made and make the time.

That’s the thing about time. It’s a resource we don’t get more of.

It is what it is. And we get what we get.

But it’s what we do with our time that makes the world’s most precious resource more valuable.

So it’s time to help you get more out of your time.

Step one is to become aware. What do you do with your time? (Take some notes on your iPhone. Write down the stuff you do. Try it for a week. You’ll be amazed.)

Another way to get better with time is know when you are productive. I’m a morning person. From 5:30am to 10am I am clear-headed, optimistic and prolific. What about you? When are you at your best?

A last offering for today? (After all, I don’t want to take up too much of your time.) Say “no.” Or put another way, stop saying “yes” to everyone and everything.

I love “yes.” It’s my second favorite word in the English language.

But too much “Yes” is a recipe for over-commitment, stress and time-wasting as a result of this over-commitment and stress.

Try saying “No,” more in the coming days and weeks. (Again, you’ll be amazed at the results.)

Ok, time’s up.