introduction
My mother used to tell me growing up, "Time and energy are two things you will never be able to get back. Use them both very wisely because when they're gone, they are gone for good." It didn't mean much to me as a kid. The world was my playground. As I got older, it made more sense. I would like to use this site as a representation of who I am, and who I plan to become in the next 10 years; almost like a blog, but more in depth.
Sometimes it's easy for people to caught up in day-to-day activities that they forget what's really matters in life. It's important that we don't allow ourselves to get caught up in the wrong type thinking. The wrong type of thinking can you hurt you more than you think (and quite honestly, so can lack of thinking).
Here is one of my favorite songs that help keep me motivated and on track.
When I'm done with this site you will be able to view my accomplishments over the past few years. I'm still young, so there is plenty of room for improvement. In the meantime, I plan on enjoying the ride. Time flies when you're having fun!
Pieces of Me
We all have characteristics, or habits, about ourselves that we may not like. These things help make us who we are. I like to call this our environmental make-up. Sometimes we make an effort to fix our flaws. Other times we ignore them and accept the good, with the bad.
Not to long ago I saw this quote that really made me think.
You can not solve a problem with the same thinking that caused the problem in the first place. ~A. Einstein
Time Wasters
I'm one of those people who can't tell others, "No." I'm always trying to do for others. I'm always around to lend a helping, and couldn't think of turning my back on people in need.
Problem with that is, I never have enough time to do everything in a day that I would like to.
I used to be the queen of procrastination. If I can put off today, what I can do tomorrow, without any repercussions, well please believe tomorrow it is. I know it’s a bad habit have. I’ve been working on it for years. However, I believe that I’ve gotten some what better as I’ve matured. A few tips that worked for me are:
- Plan each day. Planning your day can help you feel more in control of you life. Write a to-do list, putting the most important tasks at the top. Keep a schedule of your daily activities to minimize conflicts and last-minute rushes.
- Prioritize your tasks. Like many people, you may be spending the majority of your time on a small percentage of your tasks. Prioritizing will ensure you spend your time and energy on those that are truly important to you.
- Say no to nonessential tasks. Consider your goals and schedule before agreeing to take on additional work.
- Delegate. Take a look at your to-do list and consider what you can eliminate or pass on to someone else.
- Take the time you need to do a quality job. Doing work right the first time may take more time upfront, but errors usually result in time spent making corrections, which takes more time overall.
- Break large, time-consuming tasks into smaller tasks. Work on them a few minutes at a time until you get them all done.
- Practice the 10-minute rule. Work on a dreaded task for 10 minutes each day. Once you get started, you may find you can finish it.
- Evaluate how you're spending your time. Keep a diary of everything you do for three days to determine how you're spending your time. Look for time that can be used more wisely. For example, could you take a bus or train to work and use the commute to catch up on reading? If so, you could free up some time to exercise or spend with family or friends.