Time is commonly referred to by many as the most precious commodity there is. Yet with this knowledge I often found myself wasting it, living without regard or concern for it as if it were infinite. Thinking that I was isolated on this island of careless living, I was surprised to learn that I wasn’t the only one spending time on things that didn’t matter just to get nothing in return. There were others who shared my carefree attitude to a daily schedule and hated being stuck in a box of myriad routines. United we stood tall as we watched others advance their careers, grow their families, get things done and move forward in life.
Each day we started with an exhaustive list of things that needed to be accomplished only to end with that same list still intact with only a few critical items checked off. Without progress, that is exactly where we are left. We were stuck on an island of mediocrity and stagnation. Looking to the horizon, we could no longer see the people who had their schedules under control. There we were on this island dissatisfied, empty, frustrated, overwhelmed and stressed looking for something to fill the void. (If you’re stuck on this island, you can’t stay there.) Then one day, the time came. I no longer wanted to have a list in my hand of things I would never do, but instead wanted to reclaim my day and make truly monumental progress in my life.
Here are the three shocking reasons I checked my daily schedule, and why you should too:
1. Steal distractions from your dreams
“Store your free moments well. They are like diamonds in the rough. Discard them and their value will never be known. Enhance them and they will become the brightest gems of a lifetime.” Ralph Waldo Emerson
If you want to achieve greatness in any area of your life, you must protect the free moments of your day. Instead of sitting idle during moments of opportunity, use those captured minutes to invest in your dreams. 15 minutes of your day over the course of weeks can have a huge impact on developing a skill or talent you never imagined possible.
Facebook, Instagram and Candy Crush are stealing time that you can never get back.
2. Unclear priorities will waste your life.
“If time is of all things the most precious, wasting time must be the greatest prodigality.” Benjamin Franklin
When your day begins without a defined purpose, your actions will be dictated by the winds of change. This means that you will pay attention to what seems most flashy and flashy at the time. The combination of this time, just like 15 minutes used forever, will add up to a ridiculous combined figure that could add up to years of your life. We often hear people ask for more hours in their day. Instead of wasting more time, how about wasting less of our life on things that offer us no value?
3. Lack of organization makes you inefficient
Dedicating a little of yourself to everything means committing a large part of yourself to nothing. Michael Le Boef
Without a plan for your day and the proper organization of your time, you’ll find yourself doing a lot but not making progress. It will jump from element to element doing a small increment of work, but never enough to have an impact. Many people confuse being busy with being organized. By taking the time to schedule your day, life can be less hectic and more efficient.
Get your schedule under control today!