Where are you in the Stages of Change?
Your time choices define your time success. And those choices are profoundly affected by the energy, perspective and priorities that you bring to them.
Indeed, you can’t make a time choice that you aren’t ready for. It won’t even occur to you! But the good news is that you can develop your capacity when it comes to time choices, making it easier and easier to find time success!
One very helpful way of zeroing in on the particular frame that you bring to your time choices is with the 6 Stages of Change developed by James Prochaska. We looked at the first two stages in yesterday’s post, so let’s continue today, starting with Stage 3.
The important thing to remember as we walk through these stages is that you can move yourself from one stage to another.
Stage 3: Preparation
Next, envision what time choices you would like to incorporate into your life. This is an ideal time to reexamine your values. How do they translate into your goals? And what choices do your goals entail? Often, it’s quite useful to generate a series of short-term goals that you know are a comfortable stretch, but not an actual strain.
Stage 4: Action
Once you decide upon a new time plan, you will want to take active steps to set and uphold your new time boundaries. Offer yourself plenty of support as you do this! Also, expect that problems will emerge. Any new pattern creates ripples of consequences that you may not be able to anticipate.
So, especially when scheduling new activities, consider using the “Times 2 Rule.” That means assuming that any activity will take twice as long as you think it will. When you schedule in the time you truly need to perform well, you are helping to ensure your success at this stage.
Stage 5: Maintenance
In your initial enthusiasm over starting new activities, you might not accurately estimate the sheer effort it takes to schedule them in on a consistent basis.
Like New Year’s resolutions, your best intentions require your generous support to become a regular part of your life. Set aside time to review your progress at regular intervals and be willing to tweak your plans as needed. And remember to validate yourself warmly and frequently! If you find it useful to use the buddy system, trading support with a friend can be very helpful (and fun)!.
Stage 6: Termination
In this time management model, “terminating” doesn’t mean stopping your new activity. Continue to dedicate as much time as necessary to maintain your new schedule. Feel free to revise your time choices whenever it’s important that they be updated. When you successfully incorporate your new time habit into your life, it becomes automatic.
In that case, congratulations! You are now free to build on your success.
The rewards of embarking on this process are indescribable. Nothing matches the sense of accomplishment that comes from changing your life for the better! And as you exercise these muscles of self-determination, they become stronger and stronger.
Optimism flourishes when you engage in what truly matters most to you. And you will find yourself creating new opportunities to explore, succeed and celebrate your newfound power over your time.
Optimism flourishes when you engage in what truly matters most to you. Click To TweetNow, to fully access your power, sign up for our free gift, the Finding Time Success Kit, which includes “The New Finding Time Boundary Template: 9 Simple, Sequential Steps to Find More Time and Recharge Your Energy!” Using a workbook format this powerful and practical time template helps you progress beyond disappointment and frustration. Discover that 24 hours really are enough!
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