While I was looking for inspiration for my blog post today, I saw two posts on Facebook that I couldn’t ignore and were very definitely linked.
The first was the quote from the Dalai Lama, which is above, and very simple, yet profound.
And the second was an article from viralnova.com about a set of pictures that photographer Tom Hussey took to illustrate just how much we change in our lives and how quickly time can pass if we’re not present to it.
So, if you were 100 and looking back at a photo of yourself when you were younger, would you be happy with the life that you have led up until that point? Are there things that you are likely to wish you had done? Places you’d been? Things you had seen?
I have recently turned 33, which means that I have another 77 years on this planet to continue to make a positive difference and live the life of my dreams. What would you like to feel about your life and the journey you have taken when you look in the mirror at 100?
‘They always say time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself.’
– Andy Warhol –
Ever get that sinking feeling when you wake up that the day that lies ahead of you is almost too overwhelming for words? Well, that was how I felt when I awoke yesterday at around 5am. Despite the fact that I was up super early and had the time to plan my day, I still realised that I hadn’t managed my diary very well and had stacked my plate a little too high. . . . and that was how things rolled for the rest of the day, a feeling of overwhelm.
I did about 3 hours of work before heading into the city to spend the day with a client, met with another client in the afternoon, had to shoot back home to grab some delicious food that my beautiful boyfriend had made and then rushed off to do a Conscious Branding workshop for our local Manly Entrepreneurs Meet Up Group. By the time I got home at 9.45pm I was exhausted and I had just long enough to have a quick conversation with the boy, before promptly falling asleep on the sofa. Eek. Not ideal.
So, today is a new day, and I have decided to learn from the mistakes that I made yesterday, and most importantly give myself a break and not beat myself up over it. Normally I am pretty good with organising my schedule. Yesterday was just a blip.
Interestingly, as I was checking my inbox this morning, I came across this great little video by the wonderful Miss Marie Forleo on time management (Four things really productive people do every day), and it was as if it was sitting there ready and waiting for me to watch. Thank you Universe.
After watching the video I have made a list of everything that I need to cover off today separating the list into ‘Urgent’, what I need to do before my first client meeting at 10am today, and ‘Non Urgent’, the things that can wait until later in the day.
I have also mapped out the next 3 and a half hours of my morning in 30 minute intervals (6.45 – 7.15 – Write blog post for the day, 7.15 – 7.45 – go for a walk, 7.45 – 8.15 – Meditate, 8.15 – 8.45 – Shower & have breakfast, 8.45 – 9.45 – Do a spot of work to kick the day off).
Now I feel much less overwhelmed, am happy that I will get to do everything that I need to do first thing this morning, and I will be starting the day as I mean to go on.
If we start our day in overwhelm about how much we have to do and we don’t plan our day, we then spend the rest of the day in overwhelm. So, start as you mean to go on.
Despite having a lot on your plate, it is very easy to begin the day by planning your time effectively and once you know that it is entirely possible for you to fit everything in easily, it will set you up to enjoy effortless flow throughout the day.
Of course you will be thrown curve balls, and sure you might be thrown off course a little, but if you have prioritised the tasks that you need to cover off throughout the day, it will be easy for you to know which things can be pushed to tomorrow, and which things absolutely need to be done today.
And remember, as Marie says in her video, Time is on your side. As long as you remember that, it’ll be easier to go with the flow of it.
Kat Kinnie's Blog 