Time is of the Essence
Time is an interesting concept. It’s one that’s both here and gone in a second. It’s also one of the hardest resources to acquire since it’s always in motion. Time is of the essence in life threatening situations but somehow manages to stand still in certain situations. We must carefully find the balance of time that works best for our individual lifestyles and families.
If you’re anything like the vast majority of us, you’ve had the thought “Time is really flying” or “I’m so busy, I just don’t have enough time in the day to get everything done.” You’ve probably felt rushed by time at least once already today whether that was rushing to drop the kids off at school on time, rushing to prepare dinner, or even rushing to the store to pick up a few items on your list.
I look at the calendar and wonder how we’re already in August. I vividly remember the beginning of this year and I’m amazed at how close we are to 2024. Time is truly racing at the speed of light now that I’m getting older and there’s no way to slow it down. For example, when I was younger, summers felt like they lasted four full months, but somewhere along the way that time has gotten condensed into barely two months. Back then, years felt like eternities compared to how quickly they pass now.
The question always comes back to “How do I get more time?” The generic answer is to have excellent time management and plan ahead as much as possible to anticipate situations that might throw off your day. There’s a big market for cute, aesthetic planners to help organize daily activities. There’s also different timing systems to allow you to either block a chunk of time to focus on certain tasks, schedule your day down to the very minute, or even see the bigger picture of your week or month. Figuring out your relationship with time is the first step to learning how to make the most of it.
Are you a procrastinator and need the pressure of a deadline to get you into action? Do you despise being rushed and prefer working on a task a little bit each day? Or are a combination of the two and tackle some tasks quickly while others sit untouched for weeks or even months at a time? By understanding what comes naturally to you, you can lean into your strengths to overcome any weaknesses when managing your time.
For me, I enjoy making lists and striking items out, but there are definitely some tasks that linger longer than they should. I will send emails all day every day, but the thought of speaking to a customer service representative makes me prolong getting certain things done. Similarly, there are definitely specific times when I’m better at writing blog posts than I am at designing.
Once you get into the weeds of putting a plan into action, you’ll find that there are still recurring moments where we all lose track of time.
Personally, I tend to lose the most amount of time in the early mornings when I’m getting dressed for work. You couple my sleepiness with a warm, hot shower and I can make twenty minutes feel like five minutes really quick. Similarly, when I’m rushing to pack lunch boxes, prepare coffee, and feed dogs, I’m astounded by how quickly time moves compared to how quickly I think I move.
Of course, the solution is to always give yourself more time than you think you need to accomplish tasks. That way if it does take a little longer, you can still finish and not have it impact the rest of your day. And, you won’t have to rush and potentially suffer from poor performance - AKA burned food, stress, anxiety, or even being late.
We all know how kids wished they had superpowers so they could be like their favorite superhero. Some want the ability to fly or become invisible while others would prefer to have superhuman strength or the ability to teleport. If given the choice, I would have the ability to control time. I wouldn’t go back to relive certain moments, nor would I fast forward to see what the future has in store for me. I would use it just to pause time so I could get a little more rest after my alarm goes off. That way I could wake up refreshed and ready to tackle the day.
While that’s not even remotely possible, we can always count on time being a constant driving force in our daily lives. From doctor’s appointments to piano recitals to weekend getaways, there’s literally always something to do. The question remains “How do I get more time?”
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Signed,
Jessica Marie
