The Time Finder with Paula Eder

The way you use your time is the way you live your life.

Finding Time for That Warm Bath!

Posted on March 3, 2009, under Time Priorities.

bathFinding time and managing competing needs and competing priorities is something that we face every day in our busy lives.  Teresa Dietze raised this challenge in a comment yesterday, and I was particularly interested in the way that she framed it:

When I get a break from rigorous time management for business, in the time I do not HAVE to do anything, I find that I have competing needs. I feel a NEED to be free of even having to manage time and look at the clock as I’ve been doing that all day. So the boundaries about getting to bed may be compromised by just Being, or doing something pleasurable. I can answer my own question intellectually, but when that time comes and going to bed is the best idea I am just as likely to end up in the bathtub.

This can certainly be a challenge!  A few things spring to mind, that may help:

  • Especially when you are very busy, try giving yourself brief breaks during the day.  If you can do that, you may not feel such a strong need to rebel against time management at the end of the day.
  • You may find it helpful to remind yourself that you are in charge of your time choices at each step along the way. When you remember that the time priorities are yours to set, you feel less rebellious.  (Conversely, if your time choices are being made based on a “should” or you are making them based on others’ needs and wants, then you are very likely to feel victimized and rebellious somewhere along the line.
  • It is always helpful to pause for brief reflection before making a time choice – especially if it is one that some part of you is questioning.  This can help you to introduce your more balanced, “adult” voice to the equation and makes your choice less reactive and more grounded.
  • In the situation you describe in your comment, you might end up choosing a warm bath even after reflecting!  Indeed, 15 minutes or so of relaxing in a warm bath might move your bedtime back, but it would improve the quality of your sleep as well. The key is that you would be making and owning the choice from your center, rather than from an impulse of rebellion.

Managing competing time priorities, sorting out competing needs, and differentiating wants from needs are all challenges that we face multiple times each day.  Thank you, Teresa, for bringing this question to the fore!

How do you manage competing time priorities?  Drop me a line – I’d love to hear!

What if you could find another hour every day? You can! For more Time Finding resources, you are invited to sign up and download The New Finding Time Boundary Template. It’s FREE, and when you sign up you will also receive (if you don’t already) my FREE, weekly Finding Time Tips and my FREE, monthly Award-Winning Finding Time E-zine!

Let’s explore time together …

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