In conference rooms and cubicles across America, youll often hear: Im so swamped, I cant even think! Can you believe its almost 2019 already? Ill sleep when Im dead?? In our quest for the next promotion or nod of approval from peers and superiors, were relentlessly pushing ourselves to the brink.
I can personally attest to this. I was the Vice President of Marketing at a prominent media firm in New York City, commuting a brutal four hours daily. My life was dominated by work. Despite achieving success and earning the recognition I sought, I was far from happy; I was utterly miserable.
Then, life threw me devastating blows with the untimely deaths of my sister in 1998 and my brother a decade later. These tragic events were my wake-up call. They made me reevaluate the incessant grind and reconsider what truly mattered. Initially, I coped by immersing myself deeper into work, but after my brothers death, I decided to change my approach to life drastically.
I chose to focus on what truly enriched my life, which wasnt found in endless hours at the office or my relentless pursuit of perfection at home. I started leaving the office at reasonable hours, fine-tuned my productivity, and set boundaries to maintain a healthier work-life balance. I also stopped my compulsive baking marathons, even though no one complained about the surplus of cookies! Seeking the help of a life coach, I discovered that what really mattered to me??eauty, passion, and laughter??ad little to do with my job title or how late I stayed at the office.
These realizations prompted me to restructure my life around what genuinely brought me joy and fulfillment. Gradually, I learned to live more fully, laugh more freely, and embark on adventures that I had previously postponed for someday like trips to Paris and skydiving. Life is far too fleeting to be constantly busy. I learned this through immense personal loss, but you dont have to wait for such extremes to start making changes.
Heres how you can begin: Reflect on Your Time Usage – Analyze where most of your time goes and more importantly, why. This might involve digging deeper than the surface reasons and understanding what youre truly working towards. Visualize Your Ideal Day – What would your days look like if time were no object? Describe these days in detail, what makes them enjoyable, and why they make you happy.
Use visualization and journaling to make these ideas more concrete. Incorporate Elements of Your Ideal Day Now – Identify ways to integrate aspects of your dream day into your current routine. Could you leave the office earlier occasionally, start a hobby, or say no to tasks that dont align with your personal goals? After my experiences, Ive learned that our most profound challenges often lead us to the most meaningful paths.
They offer a perspective that can fundamentally change our lives. But you dont need to face personal tragedy to start living differently. You have the power to choose a richer, more fulfilling life right now. Dont wait until its too late.
Make your time count.
