No TIME!

It's a problem that most people face: they want to work on many worthwhile, amazing things, but with all the things they have to get done in their lives, there just isn't time.

My usual response is: make the time. That is usually followed by a client's glare, expletive and then angry face….

But how can you make the time if you just have too many things to do and no time left over? Two ways: cut back on time-wasters, and simplify your commitments.

While functioning as a therapist with a treadmill (personal training) one of my clients was venting and the conversation went something like this…

"I totally commend your approach – I set aside time first thing to do what is important - I look for what is most beneficial in the long term – but I have what may be a female / mother / main career / worker problem…

I am building a new business having given up a large income in a career I didn't like. (The loss of my sister to cancer - aged 43 with 2 young children - made me re-evaluate my entire life!)There are so many things I want to, and need to do – but, when I look at my goals – I have to put them behind my two boys and the family. Let me explain – before I can even consider any plan of attack – I have to:

– Make packed lunches for my boys
– Take / pick them up, to / from school
– Walk the dog
– Feed the fish and the rabbit
– Do the accounts for my husband's business
– See my own customers
– Take my kids to their various activities – piano, guitar, drums, saxophone, Chinese, swimming…
– Do homework, music practice, bathing, reading etc.. with the boys (which don't get me wrong – I love and get great pleasure from..)

But – how am I supposed to find time to carry out what you propose? I have tried, very hard – but things that are important to me and that I put down as my goals end up being sabotaged by the list of things that HAVE TO BE DONE TODAY!"

You'd be surprised at how many times I've heard theses similar word as my clients warm up on a treadmill – this situation is pretty common — her day is loaded with commitments. I'd say she'll have a hard time finding the time to work on her goals until she simplifies things a bit.

Some ideas:

• The kids might be doing too much. My son does the same thing — scouts, sports, church activities, school stuff, etc. — but sometimes it's good to scale back their schedules and have them choose just the things that matter most to them. Kids don't have to have activities every second of the week — some free time is good for them.
  
• Consider prepping their lunches the evening before, to give you more time in the morning.
  
• Consider outsourcing your husband's accounting work. Sure, it may initially cost a little more but she could be making a heck of a lot more closing deals with her clients as her business takes off. It's a good investment.
  
• If the pets are taking up a lot of your time, consider not having any. Pets are another complication that might not be worth the time, for some people. Before pet owners write in with outrage, please understand that this is just something to be considered. I'm not saying people should never have pets. Some of my best friends are pets!
  

There are probably other ways she can simplify her commitments, but you get the idea. Nothing is set in stone. Even meeting with clients, even picking up the kids, even doing certain things with them … these are not necessarily set in stone. For example, my light bulb moment came after our son could make his own breakfast and lunch, when he could bathe, dress and clean up after himself has greatly simplified both his mom's and my life. There was a lot of teaching involved, but well worth the investment.

Your life will be filled with different commitments, but the important thing is to make a list of all of them and evaluate each and every one. Which are most important? Perhaps my client decides that spending time with the kids and clients are most important — keep those. Eliminate the others, as much as possible, over time. It's possible — I've done it and many others have as well.

Once you free up the time — use it wisely!

Another thing to consider is how you spend the rest of your time. Do you watch a lot of TV? Do you surf the Internet a lot? Spend time with different online social networking — forums, Twitter, Facebook, Digg, and so on? Playing video games? You might consider cutting back on these time-wasters to make time for your goals. I know when I cut back on TV, it freed up a lot of my time.

We're all busy. We all have a lot of things to do. But if your goals are really important to you, you can make the time. Simplify your commitments, and cut back on time-wasters. You can do it!

Til next time…