Take Time . . .

20th July 2010

There are many articles written on time management and how to achieve goals, but how do you tell people to manage their time if they do not have time left to manage.

After a recent visit to a physician I decided that I needed more physical exercise, but the question was, “When do I fit that in?”, “Would it be safe for me to walk on my own?” and many more thoughts filled my mind, perhaps a way to procrastinate. One morning out of the blue my better half announced that he was going to leave earlier for work to miss some of the early morning traffic and to get some work done before everyone else came in. I told him that he was nuts and selfish – I won’t go into details about how I felt, being deprived of a couple of hours of sleep.

Once I got used to the idea, I decided to make the most of it and started walking the dogs soon after he had left the house. They love every moment of it and can hardly wait for me to put on my walking shoes. It is absolutely awesome – the air is fresh, not yet filled with exhaust fumes, I hear the birds waking up to greet the morning, slowly the city wakes up. The lights in the homes get switched on, here and there’s a person on the street and before the hustle and bustle begins, my now contented dogs and I had our daily exercise, and I thought I didn’t have time?!

While walking a German poem by Dorothea Tayer-Starl came to mind. I have loosely translated some of the content.

Take Time . . .

to work – it is the payment for success
to think – it is the source of power
to read – it is the foundation of wisdom
to play – it is the secret of staying young
to be quiet – it is the opportunity to seek God
to be aware – it is the opportunity to help others.
to be friendly – it is the road to happiness
to dream – it brings the stars closer
to love and to be loved – it is the privilege of gods
for others – life is to short to be self-centred
to laugh – it is the music of the soul

According to me we also need:

Time to exercise – it is the essence for a healthy body
Time out – to make sense of life
Time to meditate – it is our time with God.

But How?

Schedule time for what is important, when it suits you. Look at the challenges and find solutions. Cut down on activities. Clump activities. Plan your routing. Learn to say “no”. Get help. Delegate. Make it a habit.

May you have the ability as Kareem Abdul Jabar, says–

“I do the right thing at the right time.

They may just be little things but usually they make the difference between winning and losing.”

Heidi Meyer

Professional organiser