You probably have more on your todo list today than you will be able to get done.
You may be already preparing yourself for the things you won’t complete.
However, the truth is that you have time to do the things you need to do.
You just need to make the tough choices to do them.
You Do Have the Time
Today, you do have time.
Time to do the things that are most important.
However, you will have to choose between what you need to do and what you want to do.
Saying that you don’t have time isn’t a valid excuse.
“I don’t have time isn’t an excuse, rather it is a choice to do something else.” (Tweet this Quote)
You do have time… but you are choosing to do something else.
Here are some of the choices you may be making:
- You don’t have time to workout… but you have time to get to the office early and talk about your weekend for 2 hours.
- You don’t have time to finish that project on time… but you have time to go on an extended lunch with your co-workers.
- You don’t have time to go to your kid’s special event… but you have time to spend in endless (and often meaningless) meetings.
- You don’t have time to write your book… but you have time to endlessly surf the Internet.
- You don’t have time to go out with your significant other… but you have time to watch TV for hours.
- You don’t have time to start that new business or career… but you have time to go partying all weekend.
What Are You Choosing to Do?
What are you choosing to do, instead of what you should be doing?
It might be an eye-opening exercise to make a two-column list of what you aren’t getting done, and what you are doing instead.
The next time you find yourself stating that you don’t have time to do something, try re-wording your excuse in the form of:
“Instead of doing (this), I am choosing to do (that).”
For example, “Instead of going to the gym, I am choosing to read the morning news for 30 minutes.”
Or, “Instead of finishing that important document, I am choosing to surf Facebook.”
This simple phrase can put your time choices in clear perspective.
It’s Your Time
It’s up to you how you spend your time today.
You can spend it doing the most important things on your list. Or you can fritter it away on meaningless activities and on the job chit-chat.
You don’t get more time later, so choose wisely.
Whatever you decide, just don’t say, “I don’t have time.”
Question: What don’t you have time to do today? And what are you choosing to do instead? You can leave a comment by clicking here.
Love the “You don’t have time…” statements. All I can say is: Ouch! Most of us needed that little slap in the face with reality, Craig. 😉
Thanks, Shannon… 🙂
Any advice for when it’s not a matter of you don’t have the time, but that you don’t have the energy? I could use a pep-talk or a smack-down for that one.
Heather, here are some thoughts on that…
http://timemanagementninja.com/2011/06/when-you-cant-do-big-things-do-little-ones/
As a chronically “time challenged” person, I, for once, after reading this, did NOT feel BAD about myself. So often, “time” advice is given in the negative – for instance. Stop doing this and quit that bad habit and don’t let this or that hold you down, etc. (I know I’m forgetting a lot.) This was SO inspiring and empowering. I love that you make it about choices, and I love the positive affirmations sprinkled throughout. This makes it feel do-able, controllable, something I CAN DO! I really appreciate the big statement, “You Do Have The Time.” I have always felt like it was me against the clock, and to be honest, I have started to hate the whole concept of “time” altogether. I have wanted to throw more than one of my 10 clocks out the window on many a day. Because time has always been the enemy. I’m always fighting….and for what? …. a damn arm on a clock. Well that’s how I used to see it. You have given me a whole new positive perspective. You’ve made me realize that I AM in control; I just have to CHOOSE and MAKE more decisions instead of letting the decisions be made for me by the never-ending “rat race” most of us call life. Thank you so much for this piece. Wonderful stuff 🙂 It’s “time” to make the clock my friend.
Good stuff, Allison. Thanks for the positive outlook! 🙂
So true. I always come up with excuses not to workout, especially “I don’t have time”. But I know deep down that that’s simply not true.
Craig, I think you’ve really nailed it here. We need to activiely make those choices about what we do with our time rather than let life drift through our fingers.
Craig – I like what you present,
empowering people to take control themselves. In a similar way, I often
reframe “I have to” into “I get to” – this works great with
exercise or family activities. I remind myself many other people aren’t
able to do the same activities, for example perhaps because they simply can’t
physically exercise. A subtle difference, but significant change in
perspective.
This couldn’t be more true. I find that I feel some resistance to the idea of cutting out time-wasting activities. They are almost an emotional crutch to deal with the stress of the other activities, almost exactly as you have them paired: Internet surfing to deal with the hurt of not completing a fulfilling creative project. TV watching to ignore the embarrassment/exhaustion of socializing. Weekend partying to dull the frustration of not being further along in career. The idea of going without these distracting activities is almost terrifying. Do you have any advice for people who time manage badly as an emotional crutch?