Someone graduated at the age of 22 but waited five years before securing a decent job in their field of study.
Someone became a CEO at 25 and died at 50 while another became a CEO at 50 and lived to 90 years.
Someone is still single, while someone from his school group has become grandfather.
Obama retired at 55.
Trump re-started at 70.
Everyone in this world lives and works based on their own individual timeframe. I hear this all the time, "it seems like people that I went to High School with seem ahead of me in life and I feel like I'm lagging behind."
Do not envy them. They are in their time zone, and you are in yours. This is all OK.
Our time is our own.
Kathleen Vohs, Ph.D., describes this as “time famine” and she calls it an epidemic.
Let's face it, everyone feels pressed for time these days. These recommendations are not going to add more hours to your day but they may alter how you think about, and value your time.
Rethink Priorities
Consider your goals and values and evaluate whether you are spending your time accordingly. Many people say they wish they could spend more time with their family but end up on their smartphones whenever they’re with them.
Quality face time is golden and a vital element of well‑being. 80% of people surveyed for a research report said that checking their smartphone is the first thing they do in the morning. That’s before going to the bathroom, brushing their teeth, kissing their partner or hugging their kids.
It's simply choices and it’s up to us to prioritize our real priorities.
Recharge now
Why wait for weekends and vacations to recharge? In fact, contrary to what most people think, working through lunch isn’t the most effective strategy. A growing body of research suggests that naps and taking breaks throughout the day will actually make you more productive.
Empty Calories
As neuroscientist Susan Greenfield writes:
“We live in the information age, in an answer-rich, question-poor environment. We are constantly bombarded with information.”
A lot of that information is the emotional equivalent to empty calories in junk food. In the name of staying connected we allow email, Twitter, TikTok, Facebook and Instagram to capture our attention, but at what cost? Those empty calories gobble up our precious time.
Shut-Eye
When we are sleep deprived, we accomplish less so if you really want to get more done and have more quality time, sleep more. Energy, not time, is the fundamental currency of high performance.
Exercise
Exercise provides a boost in energy and mood—two vital ingredients of quality time.
All Hours Are Not Created Equal
Face time isn’t everything. As Faisal Hoque writes: “Orienting our work lives around the hours we put in is a way of avoiding the responsibility of using our consciousness and our energy in the best possible way.” In other words, don’t privilege hours over results.
Alignment - Your Strengths with Your Daily Structure
Different tasks require different types of work. What time of the day are you most productive and efficient? Use those golden hours to focus on important work. Don’t waste it responding to emails or on mundane matters.
Thanks for Thinking of Me
Guard your time wisely. Say no to things that don’t align with your values or interests or that you know will bring more stress than reward.
Stop and Smell the Roses
By slowing down, paying attention and noticing the world around us, time slows.
This explains why we think that time speeds up when we grow older and why childhood summers seem to go on forever. The more familiar the world becomes, the less information the brain records, and the more quickly time seems to pass.
Wise decisions require mindfulness, reflection and yes, time.
Now
Numerous studies show the physical and mental health benefits of mindfulness and mediation. It’s about turning off autopilot and simply being in the moment. Now.
Give Time Away
A counterintuitive way to feel less pressed for time is to give it away. Research shows that volunteering and doing things for others, rather than focusing on ourselves, expands our sense of time. It also boosts our sense of competence and efficiency.
Relax.
You're not late.
No one is ahead of you.
You're not early.
You are very much on time. ❤️