Episode 29 – Making time

• 29 episodes already – amazing
• have you been inspired by some of them ?
• maybe you have discovered something that you really want to start
• a way to express yourself
• sharing something with a wider group of people – something that you know how to do
• maybe you just want to start a morning routine – getting up a little earlier and
• or – on a grander scale – you have an idea for a business
• or – maybe somewhere in the middle of these two – you want to do something as a side kick – maybe a blog, or taking up photography, or learning a new language
• those 3 examples will require different amounts of time allocation in your schedule
• maybe so far you have struggled with finding that’s time
• in today’s episode I want to talk through the different options you have when it comes to making time for something new
• I usually talk quite a bit about the mental obstacles that we face
• in Episode 26 just recently we talked about some strategies to get out of the mental funk and get moving forward when you feel stuck
• but today we are going to focus specifically on that precious resource called time
• time that we never seem to have enough of
• first of all I want you to know that you are not alone
• everyone struggles with making time for the things they really want to do
• I see it in the gym every day – there are people like me that are there every day, and then there are people that come in waves – on for 2-3 weeks, then you don’t see them again for another 4 weeks
• Its also always fun to watch the newcomers – they usually start with a trainer, then after 4 weeks or so, you see them working out alone for a while
• But the most of them drop of and you never see them again
• Sadly
• And I think that happens just like it with other projects people take on
• Do you have a language learning App on your phone?
• When was the last time you checked in?
• So please don’t think that the whole world gets their stuff done and you don’t
• Its not the case
• We all struggle with making time
• But I also want you to keep this in mind for at least today:
• Nobody knows how much time we have left to live
• Even if you are a biohacker planning to live to 180 – and you are doing everything under the sun that you think prolongs life – you simply never know
• so be aware that every day that passes is one day less in your life, even if you are still young
• every day is a good bye to the previous day
• so if this new thing you are considering is important to you, I strongly encourage you to start
• even if you don’t have all the pieces together yet – I bet there is something you can start with right away
• it doesn’t have to be perfect to start
• my website for example is not 100% – there are things I want to add and change
• but I am not letting it hold me back
• it will come together
• so trust that the pieces will fall into place
• and be willing to put yourself out there, even without a clear vision of all the steps that will take you to your desired end result
• so everything new you want to do whether it’s a big project or a small one, requires that you make time
• very few of us have time sitting aside where we do nothing
• for most of us our schedules are filled and we need to figure out how we squeeze the new thing in – and on a regular basis
• my main suggestion for you today is this
• you need to start to manage your time
• making time is managing time
• just like making a baby is managing a family
• when you want to make something possible, you need to manage it, need to control it in some shape or form
• if you let yourself be carried by time – waking up whenever you happen to wake up, doing whatever you feel like doing that day, then this may be a bit hard for you
• most people already have scheduled things in their calendar, especially Monday through Friday
• for some the weekends are like I just described
• so I know that managing time is something we don’t want to do
• our gut rebels against this
• we want to enjoy our free time as much as possible and play things by ear
• be flexible, for when the friend calls and wants to come over, or lounge around in pajamas and watch TV
• I understand but unfortunately – without managing at least some of our time, it will be very difficult to make time for the new thing we want to do
• Managing your time means a few things:

1. Taking a closer look at your days and how you spend your time
   • Which time slots are taken – meaning you cannot change them
     • This would be your job or school or both, driving time, family time, volunteer time,
   • Then look at Which time slots are taken but somewhat flexible
     • Meaning you are busy with things but they don’t have to take place at that exact time
     • For example exercise – depending on the opening hours of your gym, or the time you go out and run – these activities could potentially shift
     • Dog walking, doing homework, chores such as cleanup, cooking, etc
   • Lastly you have time that is free
     • It may not be immediately clear to you that its free because you probably don’t sit around waiting to for time to pass, its not filled with a deliberate activity that needs to get done
     • Watching TV, texting, surfing the web, reading,

2. Managing your time means reclaiming some of your time

• become aware of the time you have truly free and begin to consider shifting some of the activities that are flexible
• this first starts in your mind
• I have an example handy so let me share this with you:
• I recently started a new job and the commute on the way home from work is terrible
• I noticed that by the time I get home, its later than normal, and since I go to the gym still after work, I now get home much later
• The extra driving time is consuming more of my time, and also more of my energy
• So I have been asking around and discovered that there is a gym right across my office and I have been considering going there right after work – maybe not every day, but some days when traffic is really bad
• Of course this is with the hope that traffic is better by the time I finish in the gym
• So something similar could be going in your mind
• Think about shifting things to save some time, and to make room for your project
• Here are some options for you
• If your days are solid booked, like mine are, Monday thru Friday at least, then your only option may be to start your day earlier, or make it longer
• I strongly recommend the first of these 2, even if you are not a morning person
• The problem with long nights is that it’s the tail end of the day and our focus and energy are at a low point. That’s the time most of us are least creative.
• This may not be true for you, and if you can make it work, then go for it, but cant
• And – if you want to establish a morning routine – then this will help you
• So – I suggest to get up earlier
• I love early mornings
• As hard as they are to make happen – they are extremely rewarding
• I wrote a blog post on that
• Its quiet outside. You feel free and in control of your day
• And for me – creativity flows. My thoughts are clear
• Especially if your project involves writing of some sort, you will find mornings perfect for that
• If you have free time in the middle of the day, great for you
• Maybe you have a whole day off, or maybe you have every other afternoon
• Whatever your schedule, if you can carve out some time in the day then do so
• But it should be time that is available regularly, not just once in a while
• And dont worry so much about the length of the time – even if you only have 30 min or an hour
• Take it
• It’s a start
• If you are building a website, you can do a lot in 30min
• If you are baking or cooking or doing photography, you may need an hour
• So it depends a little bit on your activity and your schedule
• I rely mostly on weekends to get my work for QFY done
• The weekdays are busy for me, and my time is limited
• But if this carving out time thing is new to you and you are just getting started, then start small – like I always say
• 30 min is all it may take to get at least going
• once you have momentum, you will find yourself wanting to do more and you will find more time in your day.
• Its often just the hurdle of getting started we need to overcome
• So go through this step of reclaiming time – its important. Find some available time in your day and use it
• You can make progress even with little time
• Also – think about combining activities to free up time
• Can you take the bus or train to work instead of driving? This may involve more time, but you could use the time while you sit on the bus to work a little on your project. Maybe you read something that helps you prepare for it. Maybe you project involves research, or sketching – is this something you could do while riding
• If you are learning a language – can you listen to it in the car while you drive?
• This may save some time later in the evening when you do your written work
• And – learn to take advantage of unexpected free time
• For example, holidays
• I love holidays – an extra day to work on QFY
• Or even just an extra hour or two – a meeting was cancelled, or traffic was light,
• Begin to look for extra pockets of time that open up, and instead of stopping at the mall or browsing your media feeds, get working on your project
• Consider giving up some activities that are flexible.
• If this project has importance to you – then some sacrifice may have to be part of it
• For me its social time on the weekends that I reduced
• I also curbed my browsing activity and social media time
• Think about time you can literally free up
• That may not always be easy, but think about the long term benefits – maybe your project can turn into a business that will later sustain you and give you the freedom to spend more time with your friends
• Short term sacrifice for long term freedom.
• Lastly, depending on the magnitude of your project or where you are with it, you may want to think about giving up your job
• We can do another episode on this in the future, but if you are working on a business that is meant to sustain you, eventually you will need to quit your regular job

• Your project needs to become part of your day, and it needs to be on your mind as well.

• Establishing a routine will help with both, which brings me to the 3^rd point:

3. Managing your time also means to establish a routine which will ensure you are consistent

• A routine will keep you going
• A routine will take you back to the gym even after you missed a day or 2
• A routine is the most important element of managing your time
• Maybe you found some time in your day – maybe you even started and sat down for 30 minutes for a week
• But now life kicks in
• You get sick, or a friend calls and needs you
• Or you found a new TV show you like so now you stay up later and struggle getting up earlier in the morning
• Maybe work gets really busy
• Controlling your time means you have to schedule your time for the project just like you schedule time for brushing teeth, for working out, for going out for dinner
• It becomes another slot on your calendar
• When life kicks in you will notice if the time you carved out for your project is sustainable
• That’s why I love mornings also
• They are there for me every single day as long as I can get up early enough
• Evenings are tougher to manage – many things can interfere with it
• So if you notice that you can only get to your project once in a while and that things interfere with your free time, then either you need to manage the interferences, but if you find you cant, because they are outside of your control, then you may need to find another time slot

• The routine ideally looks like this:
  • A fixed time slot every day
  • Use an alarm if you need to,
  • Maybe create a little ceremony around it – light a candle, turn on some music, whatever motivates you
  • Its booked time that cannot be taken by anyone or anything else
  • It the time you say no when others want it
  • Just like work – sorry I cant I am at work
  • Sorry I cant I am working on a project
  • Ensure your environment supports it – distraction free, phone off, no distracting email alerts on your computer
  • Whatever you need to do – do it
• you need to take control of the time to ensure you can stick to it consistently
• making it a routine places it on your mind and on your calendar
• a routine will help with procrastination problems