Do You Have Enough Time for Everything in Your Life?

Can you believe 2006 is nearly half over? Perhaps you're on a success track to accomplish everything you set out to in 2006, and I congratulate you. Perhaps you transitioned into a new neighborhood, a new job, a new career, a new passion. Good for you!

I recently had two clients back to back tell me that they are feeling stressed because they "don't have time" to fit everything in. Each conversation started with, "I'm really stressed and need to eliminate something from my life because I don't have the time for everything." My process is to listen for about 5 minutes as my client speaks. I'm a good listener and I listen very carefully. I started thinking about their situations. First, I thought about Time Management.

There are literally thousands of Time Management tools available and I can't tell you how much I DON'T want to talk about time management. I'll just say this - get some system that works for you and be done with it. Keep it simple.

The clients with whom I had these conversations are MASTERS at time management. That is not the issue for either of them. They are multi-tasking wizards! They're on time, on point, on budget.

No, something else is at work here. Priority setting? Maybe. Let me offer this:

It comes back to Point #1 of the Dynamic Transitioning program - Know Thyself. Part of knowing yourself is knowing what your values and principles are and how to be true to them in your daily life.

Your values and principles is an inner system for how you organize, rank, prioritize and make decisions. Do you know what your values are? Have you ever written them down? I suggest you do so.

The total of your values and your value system provides the foundation from which you make your personal and professional judgments about where and how to spend your time. They are your beliefs about what is important in life. Some values refer to how one should act (for example, to be honest, self-disciplined, kind).

Other values refer to what one wants to accomplish or obtain in life (for example, to want a lot of money, security, fame, health, salvation, wisdom).

Your values exist as a complex set of interweaving personal policies or priorities that serve as a guide for decision-making. Values may be based on knowledge, aesthetic considerations, practicality, moral grounds, or on a combination of these.

Much of what we value is not concerned with our sense of morality or ethics, so not all values can be called moral ones. Some of us value money, status, personal fulfillment, and freedom, and while these are not immoral values, they are not necessarily moral values.

My clients needed to go back to the beginning and determine what they could "eliminate" based on the priorities their values and principles dictate. We worked on this together. Each client ended up with the ability to rearrange priorities and "gain" time. The end result is knowing what is important to you based on work you've done on yourself. The time to do what's important naturally flows as a result.

Sample Core Values and Principles

Honesty
To consistently seek and speak the truth. Having a lifestyle without lying, cheating, stealing or other forms of deception.

Respect
To value self, others, property and diversity. Showing appreciation for sacrifices that have been made for your benefit. The ability to understand where your rights end and someone else’s begin.

Responsibility

To be accountable for your actions towards yourself, others and the community.

Individual Responsibility

Using good judgment and being accountable for your actions.

Civic Responsibility

Having the motivation, knowledge and ability to actively participate in a common society.

Compassion

To show care and kindness for others. Helping others who are in need.

Courage

To face difficult situations with confidence and determination. Standing up for one’s convictions when conscience demands.

Justice

To consider the perspective of others and to demonstrate the courage to be consistently fair.

Fairness

Treating people equally and making decisions without favoritism or prejudice.

Citizenship

Becoming a productive and contributing member of society. Understanding the importance of being a law-abiding citizen.