Day 3: Managing Time for What is Important
Up till now we have talked about cleaning out the house of things you don’t “need” as well as how to start cooking right. Today’s focus is about everyone’s favorite 2 words “time management”.
It’s not enough to be busy, so are the ants. The question is, what are we busy about? ~ Henry David Thoreau
In truth, people can generally make time for what they choose to do; it is not really the time but the will that is lacking. ~ Sir John Lubbock
You will never “find” time for anything. If you want time, you must make it. ~ Charles Bruxton
Don’t say you don’t have enough time. You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Pasteur, Michelangelo, Mother Teresa, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson, and Albert Einstein. ~ H. Jackson Brown
Time Management for Health and Weight Loss
You have the time…but how do you really spend it?
The #1 excuse I hear for anything out there (not eating right, not shopping/cooking, not exercising) is “I just don’t have the time”. Well that is all it really is, an excuse. You have the daily choice on what to do, where to go, people to see and things to be involved in each day.
As the quote from H. Jackson Brown says above, you do in fact have the same amount of time in day that everyone else does. What you do with it is a whole other question. It is time you become “aware” of how you spend your time.
Once you know what and why you do things, you can start to make sure to focus on the more important tasks (prioritize things in your life). To me I would think eating healthy, shopping for foods ahead of time, cooking good meals, daily exercise and spending time with friends/family should be up there. What should not be is hours spent in front of the TV, surfing the web without real purpose, or hours just gossiping on the phone.
So let’s start to examine and find out how we can set aside more time in your day for what is important.
Step 1: Write down what you spend each daily minute doing
Get a piece of paper….yes I will wait…..Ok, got it? I mean it, this is your task for the day so take it seriously.
Now on it write the time you wake up (say like 7am) on one side, draw a horizontal line and on the other end write the time you go to sleep (say like 10pm). Now draw smaller vertical lines for each hour in-between 7am and 10pm. Add in more vertical lines for each half hour.
OK, now really think about the past few days. Now write down in blocks what you did to spend your time. Account for each hour, half hour, etc. This includes work, shopping, chores, TV, and anything else. Did exercise fall in there anywhere? Why not? How about cooking a dinner time meal? Again, why not?
This exercise is so you can really see how your “busy” time is spent. The goal each day of course is not to just be “busy”, but actually productive towards our own personal goals (which should include taking care of our body’s health).
Below is an interesting graph on how surveyed Amercians say they spend their time. Note all the “red/brown” area that is set aside for TV/movies. (you can see the full size graph in the NY Times article here)
Step 2: Close your eyes for a minute and now envision what your ideal day would be like
The next step is to find quiet time, close our eyes and now imagine what you “really” want your day to be like. How you want to spend your time. Things you would like to be doing. Now be realistic here, and not try to imagine yourself floating on a boat in the middle of the Caribbean (unless that is really the goal you want to work towards).
See when you would like to exercise and what kind it is. Imagine when you would like to buy food and cook it. Envision what type of work you want to be involved with, and what you do not. What is it that you really want each day to be like? Be as specific as possible such as:
“I want to wake up early at 7am, cook a good breakfast of (insert your meal here), to not be in such a rush, bring my own lunch which will be (insert your meal here), leave work each day no later than 5:30pm, go right to the gym for a 40 minute workout using the weights and treadmill, head home and have a dinner of (insert meal here)…..”
You can include some TV time in if you want, but make sure you are in full control of how much you really do watch (and what you watch)
Step 3: Cross off the “Busy” Distractions and Add the Actions you Need to Take
Now (with your eyes open from step 2 of course) take that same piece of paper from step 1 that should be filled in with how you were spending your time, and start to change it to make it fit how you want to spend your time.
Get rid of (cross off) any commitments you don’t want to be involved with anymore, free up more time away from the TV, wake up a bit earlier so you have no excuse to not eat or pack a lunch.
Remember, you are not allowed to use the excuse anymore of “…but I just don’t have the time”. You do have the time if you want to make it happen!
Wrap Up and Report Back
If you don’t know what you want your life to become or what steps have to be taken daily, then sadly you will never get there. So it is important to get a clear vision and then take action.
It’s now up to you to plan how things get done. It is as simple as:
- Knowing exactly what you want (goal…for better health/weight loss in this case)
- Know the exact steps that have to happen to get there (eating right, exercise, sleep)
- Making it happen each day!
They key is also not allowing distractions (like the computer, email, phone, TV) to jump in and mess up your schedule. Those things can wait or you can set aside time later. Stay in control!
So I hope you use this exercise today to help manage your time better. Remember you have enough time, it is just how you choose to spend it that matters.
So do the exercise for yourself, and then report back here in the comments about what you found out you need to do next!
I’ll leave you with one of my favorite cartoons that gives a good simple message on time and priorities:
Further Reading
Here’s some related articles:
- How to win the mental battle in life
- When it may be time to stop and take a break
- Resolve to do more of nothing this year
Table of contents for 30-Day Challenge
- Day 2: Planning Your Daily Meals
- Day 3: Managing Time for What is Important
- Day 4: Spicing It Up And Healthy Snacking
- Day 5: Bodyweight Exercises Workout Challenge
- Day 8: Get More Sleep
- Day 10: The Benefits of Intermittent Fasting
- Day 12: Finding Quality Food
- Day 15 – Phase II – Reintroduce, Rotate and Reflect
- Day 17: Healthy Eating Out
- How to Set Up the Simple Home Gym Fitness Program
- Day 22: Healthy Dessert Recipes
- Day 24: Reduce Stress and Simplify Your Life
- Day 26: Personal Goal Setting
- Day 30: Phase III – Adjust and Maintain
16 Reader Comments
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It’s a good thing I am still a student and live with my parents.That way I have plenty of time and they cook for me.The challenge will come next year as I will have to live in far away from them on my own..I hope I haven’t got too lazy…
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Somewhat ironically, I actually save time by cooking for myself. All those trips to and from food joints really add up, but I roast a whole chicken and a rump roast once a week (and work while it cooks) and I have food all week.
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This is great! And I think it IS the key. And kudos for you having the kahunas (sp?) to say it’s a common excuse…especially since I’m not a mom and don’t work full time outside the house. I do, however prioritize planning meals for the week, shopping and prepping right up there with paying the mortgage and making time to exercise – those things come first, TV, socializing, etc. come next. I always feel better when I’m prepared…for lunches on the road, with a pre-workout snack, etc.
My question is that I’m such a freakin’ blacksheep in my family that I’m commonly being looked upon as “sacrificing so much” for the planning, or “eating that bland food” (it’s not bland, it’s whole…it’s just not CheezIts and other processed crap). Even though I know what I/health conscious people are doing is right, it still stings when family belittles you about trying to be healthy. (But no worries, I’ll never cave in!)
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The area I’m sorely lacking in is the exercise department. With a 5 member household, working full-time, two in college (my oldest son and my husband goes part-time in addition to his full-time job), and two younger kiddos (7 and 3) – my days are spent doing everything but sitting in front of the TV.
I already plan meals, shop ahead of time and make dinner to eat at home (and lunches for work). But when your morning starts before 6 a.m. and between work, school, dinner, homework, cleanup, baths, and refereeing – things don’t start winding down until 7:30 – 8…trying to get the kids to bed by 9, and then I relax (and yes, watch TV). Between 9-10 I may finish a load of laundry, prep the dinner for the next day, get the coffee set up to brew the next morning…or I may just sit. If I sit, my eyes are closing by 10 or so, which is good because that gives me 8 hours of sleep until I do it all over again. The weekends aren’t much better, given that’s when I do the planning, grocery shopping, laundry and cleaning…
Of course, as I read my comment, all I hear is “excuse, excuse.” And maybe it is, but this is my life, at least for now…my kids will eventually get older, the oldest is already pretty self-sufficient – and with any luck, my husband won’t be in college forever (although there are times when it feels like he will)…until then, the bulk of my exercise is walking during lunch or in the evenings (when it’s warmer than 19 degrees) and some strength training when I can find the time. It’s not set in stone, but it’s all I have right now…that and knowing I’m trying to make up for it on the nutrition side.
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Jenn,
As a single guy with lots of free time maybe I shouldn’t even make a suggestion since I obviously have NO idea how hectic your life is…but I will anyway. One thing that I like to do is set up a few triggers for doing certain bodyweight exercises that can be done practically anywhere.
Triggers might include before getting in the shower, first thing right out of bed or before going to bed, right after starting a load of laundry or emptying the dishwasher, coming in the door after any excursion out etc.
Exercises could include push-ups, bodyweight squats +/- explosive jumps, handstands (against a wall for me) for time, burpees, hip bridges, pull-ups, you get the idea.
Maybe pick an exercise or two that you want to work on and then find enough triggers to get in a little work each day. Maybe it isn’t perfect as a solution, but it is better than nothing and a good starting point.
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I have to admit that I’ve been spot-on for the food and sleep aspects of this challenge, but the exercise has been lacking. In large part because it’s been an atypical week for me (finished moving on Dec 23rd, then left the state on Dec 23rd and returned Sunday night this week, late). Graphing my last two days’ time wouldn’t be useful, though starting tomorrow it would be.
I’ve been planning on how I want to spend my time at my new place, since it changes everything. I haven’t yet written down my desired schedule, but will today.
Frankly, I was expecting to feel major sugar cravings, the way I’d been sneaking candy every afternoon (almost) for months, but I’ve been pleasantly surprised: I’ve had no “withdrawal” symptoms yet. What about the rest of you?
Melody
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@ Alexandra – Living on your own will be a challenge, but one to embrace! We all have to face it at some point.
@ Sam – Healthy eating is a choice, you are not a blacksheep by any means. Other see you as “missing out on something” while you see it as “enjoying everything for the right healthy reasons”. It’s a mindset for sure. When I see a cookie I don’t think “boy I really WANT that but shouldn’t”…instead I think “I don’t NEED that and it will not improve my health”. So this challenge is about “healthy eating” choices as that is how we should look at food, nothing to be deprived off because we make the choices for ourselves. Down the road you can decide on having a treat here and there if you want, but it’s your choice and certainly not a staple in your diet. Sadly people who say others are “depriving” themselves are the ones with the wrong mentality (or just don’t want to feel bad about how they eat). Best you can do is smile and not preach, lead by example and then let them wonder why you look good, have endless energy and don’t get sick! Inspire others to make better choices, as that is what people really need.
@ Jenn – I commend you for everything that you are doing, as raising a family is very important and even more demanding with a full time job as well. The “mental exercise” today was to hopefully provide some insight into where you may be able to be “less busy” in your life. Exercise shouldn’t be seen as a huge time commitment, as it doesn’t have to be. It can be as simple as walk during lunch at work, to some simple bodyweight or resistance band exercises at home for 10-15 min in the AM. If you can find time for some basic stuff, then you will start building the habit (scheduling it in is the only way it will probably happen esp first thing in the AM before things get too crazy, otherwise your schedule just takes over). I know you can do it!
@ Rodney – Great suggestions. Most people think exercise has to be perfect planning/equipment…and then never get around to anything. Meanwhile there are plenty of people who get great results just doing pushups and squats in their homes. Consistency is the key after all….that and getting started in the first place.
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I’ve tried every different method of ‘managing’ my time and in the end I can conclusively say there’s only one thing I’ve learned from it – time cannot be managed. It just is. This might not work for everyone, but I’ve found that trying to control or structure every minute of the day is a sure-fire method to eventual failure. It might work for a while, but sooner or later you start to feel fed up.
Until something becomes both a ‘must’ and a passion (for example, you automatically exercise every day, it becomes part of your life, as much as breathing or eating), then I find it works best to do it first thing in the morning. Whether it’s working out, preparing healthy meals, journalling some positive thoughts and motivation, do the most important stuff first thing and then let the small things take care of themselves. It’s a great way to both form a new habit and to feel fantastic about yourself all day long.
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Mike OD Reply:
@ Kat – I agree that living life on a complete schedule is not always the best way. For me, I had to sit down to see where my time was being spent and then figure out how I really wanted to spend my time. This allowed me to get rid of the commitments that were not really part of my goals, ditch the time wasters and learn to learn to enjoy doing less (but more in quality). It still leaves me plenty of flexibility to just read a book or “do nothing”, and I also don’t have a daily calender to carry around. Each person needs to find their own balance and then just enjoy each moment. You are right, the most important things should always come first and the morning is a great time to accomplish them.
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Great post.
Here is the short list of things sucking my time:
My Blackberry – blast this device!
TV Shows – House anyone?
Facebook – I’m starting to get this under control
Negative thinking – come on, you can do this!
Negative Relationships – negative people just kill the wind in my sail. Time to purge!
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Mike OD Reply:
@Mike – So true. I unplugged the TV the 1st of this year (and find myself much more at peace without seeing all the crap/drama/negativity on TV/commercials/news already), only watch a couple shows online now and have to batch my time to keep my email and internet “wandering” time under control. I’m not sure I want an Iphone or Blackberry…as my simple phone seems to work just fine (and I like not being able to go online with it as a built in control feature).
@Thania – Great insight. I’m with you, I hate shopping (well I just don’t like shopping anyways) big stores and like the little ones more often (thank goodness I have a small Trader Joes right around the corner).
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I have good sense of time management and I am learning and experimenting thing that works for me and not the information made to believe. I used to think going to big stores onec a week or two weeks saves time!! Since March 2009, that is history now. I buy on daily basis from my local shops and find it really has advantages for me :
-Not waisting saturday in the car , big stores and then at home organizing food all over the kitchen.Spend now this time with my family doing fun things.
- I walk to the shops , carry heavy things, and eat fresh.
- Dont have much food at a time packed in the kitchen , avoids beinging at restless nights when cant go to sleep.
- I am learning to cook.
My husband used to give me wired looks when I used to take photos of our food ( to share on tweeter with paleo primal community), now he is delighted ,since that means yummy food! He has lost 35 lbs since then eventhough he eats daily a bit of bread and sweets once in a while.. real food is great .
As far as work out I am LAZY, I am aware I can do 30-40 min of work out at home ,since I have made myself a little gym. ( hate gyms bc cant stand the kind of mad music that is always on;)).
I am aware that I spend too much time watching TV and since I have gone paleo primal , spend lots of time on internet , too many interesting blogs…
But as a whole I am very well aware of how I spend my time, and organization is no issue for me.
Day 3:
B- boiled egg and herbal tea
L- Duck w walnut and pomegranet home made juice (very energy dense food)
Resisted the sweets eaten on 6th Dec (festivity day here)
S- 8 strawberries
D- Half a big pink grapefruit ( not hungy)
No work out ; it was holiday #fail excuses yes!
Have a nice day all.
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Lack of TV is one of the greatest things ever. I hear about the important stuff from friends and family and get to ignore most of the rest. If I want to watch a DVD, I throw it in the laptop or go to my girlfriend’s place. And I don’t have to pay for cable.
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[...] our time management exercise on Day 3, we talked about making time for daily exercise. I know everyone has different schedules in life, [...]
[...] our time management exercise on Day 3, we talked about making time for daily exercise. I know everyone has different schedules in life, [...]
@Rodney – no worries…I’m always open to new ideas, especially ones that are low on time commitment. Thanks to Mike OD’s later post, I’m trying to realize that I don’t need a lot of time, just to make the most of the time I have….
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[...] Secrets of Successful Maintainers – Paleoish Managing Time for What is Important – Fitness [...]
I have on a piece of paper by my bed and on my computer at work the following list of my life priorities in this order:
Integrity, Health, Family, Friends, Career
Before I go to bed at night I think about 1 way I advanced each one in my life that day. Some days I realize I haven’t addressed one or the other but I’m making the conscious effort, and it makes for a life that is more rich. This also helps me manage my time and make choices a little more easily.
Today was my day 3 and I finally experienced a dinner success (marinated chicken and onions with a little lemon-delicious yea!). I think I realized today that curiosity is keeping me more motivated than anything. I’m curious to see how I’m affected by this truly. Other than that, I’m just ultra sleepy this evening.
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