I glanced at the clock, 10 minutes to go. Lunches made, bags packed, kids dressed, tick, tick, tick. I flicked the switch on the kettle for the fifth time that morning, determined to have that cuppa before leaving the house. The announcement was made, “Mummy is having her tea, please get your shoes on and brush your hair”.
I sunk into my chair, sipping my tea, trying to relax. Ten minutes that is plenty of time. Or is it? Quick time check and WHAAAATTTT!!!!! It is time to go, NOW.
Tea is gulped, kids are shuffled to the door as I grab my work bag and laptop.
Where did that time go?
I arrived nice and early and sat at my desk. My client was due soon, what can I squeeze into this 10 minutes? I start that email summary, it won’t take me long. One sentence written and she is here. I am frustrated now that I have started a train of thought I cannot finish.
Where did that time go?
I have an hour to spare as I head for home. A quick stop to food shop, this won’t take me long. I have a whole hour, I could probably do more.
One hour later, the shopping is now spread across the kitchen bench, waiting to be put away. I am flying out the door to collect the kids, running late and irritated not knowing when I will get the food packed away now.
Where did that hour go?
And so it goes on…….we quickly squeeze this in, thinking it won’t take very long. We just pop in here, because it will take no time at all. We start a task without considering how long we actually need to complete it.
We fill in the gaps of our days with tasks that take twice the amount of time we have available.
What if we allocated the time we needed for a task?
Imagine having the 2 gorgeous hours each week to food shop because that is how long it takes to drive their, shop, drive home, unpack and put away.
Imagine sitting down at night with your feet up, able to look at the laundry pile, knowing you have time allocated to tackle and finish it tomorrow.
Imagine having the half hour for lunch. The time needed to prepare a healthy and delicious offering, to eat it slowly while enjoying every mouthful.
Imagine enjoying the gaps in your day as time for YOU? Ten minutes reading a chapter of your book, instead of half finishing a report.
Do you squeeze it all in, only to end up with a mishmash of unfinished tasks?
Do you underestimate how long things take?
What could you do differently this week?
This is such a wonderful insight. A few months ago, my coach had me start a studio journal where I put down when I started work in my studio and when I was finished for the day. I gradually added some notes about specific items. It’s wonderful. Not only do I know what I can successfully accomplish in a half hour that gives me a sense of accomplishment, but I also can now schedule the chunks of time I need. Your post encourages me in doing this. Thank you!
Linda and that is it, the sense of accomplishment, the feeling we seek and that remains elusive when we run out of time. Love the idea of the Studio Journal and it sounds like it gave you the information you needed to become more effective. Enjoy that delicious feeling.
I think I underestimate a LOT. I’ll often tell my husband I’m going upstairs to work for 30 minutes and that easily becomes 90 minutes.
When I’m playing with my kids, time is slower. I really like that.
Tamara, that 30 minute task often takes twice that and we then wonder where all the time goes. Enjoy those deliciously slow moments with the kids.
I could block out my time. I always overestimate how much I can get done and sleep is what loses out. Not good.
Dear old sleep is often the loser, than and fitness and healthy eating. Early night tonight Michelle??
I chronically underestimate the amount of time a task will take. Not sure if that means I’m a bad judge of time or just wildly inefficient. Don’t you wish we could collect all of those 10 minutes here and there into one big chunk of luxurious relaxation?
Mo, you are on to something there. The 10 minute time catcher, now wouldn’t that be a hit on Amazon. I would take one in every colour.
I sometimes do both–overestimate and underestimate my time. The things that I think will be really quick usually take the longest amount of time.
I’ve learned (especially with the fustration of the train of thought issue) is to not start something that I cannot pick up and finish later.
Blogging came in handy for me, because there is that elusive accomplishment that we all seek. But once I started it, it was like a train rolling downhill.
Everything became possible to do if I just planned it right. Other than that reading is my favorite past time, and now that I have the books on my phone (or any electronic device really) I can pick it up and put it down when ever I feel the mood strikes.
Kalley, how wonderful is it to be able to carry a library of reading with us everywhere you go. I understand the blogging train racing down a hill, I still race down often.