Well... with the extra hour that dailight savings time afforded me I seemed to have more time than usual! An extra hour in the gym was in order today.

How about you? How did your day go? Do you build extra space into your busy day just so you can optimize things like working out, eating right, meditation, yoga, self-care, etc?

I have been developing a time protocol over the years and here’s a couple of the guidelines I use to structure my day:

• Only book on the hour. Never (ever!) break up the hour. It may be tempting especially when everybody else is split in their hours in halves or even quarters... but let me tell you! Not only is the day easier to organize when you book by the hour your also creating space... and space is what makes life better, more free, and leaves room to breath and do what’s important. If every second of every day is jam packed with something... the stress can add up. If your doing something that might only take 45 min. to do... that’s fine... use the extra 15 min. as a reward for completion. Want to feel more free... space is key!

• Block Build Projects in 3 hour blocks of time... and turn off all electronic distractions! Focus is invaluable. You can’t put a price on it... and it’s the difference between winning or loosing the game! Chunking your time into 3 hour sections gives you just the right amount of time to make serious moves... if your focused like a laser beam. DON’T MULTITASK. Your brain isn’t wired to work that way no matter what people tell you. When your multitasking there is a switching cost for going from one task to another. Your not really doing more than one thing simultaneously. That’s just not how the brain works.

• Remember to budget double the time to finish projects. I’m an optimist and us optimists always think that we can do twice the work we actually can. So accounting for this up front during the planning time is a good idea... especially if your like me!

• Remember to plan your day in advance. I like to plan the week on Sundays. Just a rough sketch. Then the night before I make a quick list with associated times. You want to give you brain the time it needs to internalize and strategize a winning day. Responding is always better than reacting. And remember... work always swells to fill the time allotted for it... so be sure to set the right time constraints well in advance.

• Manage your time because tracking your time is how you create or discover more time. If you don’t track its usage then it has a way of evaporating into thin air! You will find it difficult to manage what you do not measure so measure the things you value to have more of it.

• Break time demands into three categories:

1. Sand
2. Pebbles
3. Boulders

Sand is all the nitty gritty annoying stuff that, in the big picture doesn’t really amount to much. It doesn’t get you closer to your goals. These are the things that waste your time and they are usually 5 min. here 10min. there sort of things.

Pebbles are the tasks that get in your face and demand your attention. It’s the phone that rings. The boss that tells you to do stuff that’s not on your priority list... but you do it anyways rather than rock the boat. This is the urgent. The “emergencies” that take care of them selves magically if you suddenly remove yourself from their vicinity.

Boulders are the life altering things. The projects that are going to take more than an hour to complete. The tasks that need to be broken up to be accomplished. The things your tempted to procrastinate on. The important. The things that no one else can do... only you can and honestly you wouldn’t really want someone else to do them for you! These are the mission critical. The goals and dreams that make life meaningful. The vital.

• Set goals and plan your time or other people will set your goals and plan your time for you. And that just plain sucks when that happens right!? Be mindful. It’s your life so act like it!

So there you have it! Some of my time protocols. I hope that they help you find more time in your day, get more of the important things done, and feel more fulfilled, free and healthy!

wil.metcalfe
Fitness Entrepreneur
Certified Personal Trainer
@BeachReady
@AdventureReady
@Actifit
@EveryStepCounts
@OneMoreNutrition

We all start life not really being able to communicate but it is communication that bonds and connects us one to each other. Comments are what make community real.
-wil.metcalfe

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