Ask for More Time

We’re continuing the theme of how we ask for more of what we want and need, and this time, it’s how you can find more time every day.

Sadly, I don’t have a magic wand to create more hours in the day. But I do have several areas you could look at to free up more time, space and capacity in your life, to do the things that are important to you.

It’s not rocket science - it’s often the simple ideas that we already know about, but they don’t just automatically happen for us, we must actively change them.

Here are three areas you can review to find more time:

1. Rumination

Rumination is when you get caught up constantly thinking the same, often upsetting thoughts, over and over again.

This shows itself when you’re continuously thinking about things that have happened in the past, that you just can’t change. Or maybe you think about the things that are so far in the future, they are out of your sphere of control.

2. Mindless Scrolling and Viewing

Do you ever waste time by endlessly scrolling on social media, or watching box sets on Netflix that don’t make you happy or enhance your life?

Examining your behaviours and habits and starting to wean yourself off your devices and consciously choose to do something else instead.

For example, how about leaving your phone in aeroplane mode at night, or even putting it in another room? Your brain loves repetition and routine. Breaking a routine of reaching for your phone first thing in the morning just takes practice. By consistently practising doing something else instead, your brain will soon lose the old habit of reaching for your phone.

3. Commitment Cropping

This was the area that made the biggest difference when I started looking at creating more time, space, and capacity in my life.

Commitment cropping is reviewing all those things you’ve said ‘yes’ to, including everything on your to do list and in your diary. Start to question each item as they all take up space in your life. Be brutally honest and challenge yourself on each one - what are the things that you actually don’t need to do this week, or at all?

Reflecting on your response to this type of questioning can be useful, especially if you feel resistant to the concept of commitment cropping. Think about any unhelpful beliefs around it, such as: if you’ve said yes, then you have to do it or if you can you should (this was one of mine)! It’s great to honour commitments, but not if it’s detrimental to your health or happiness.

There will of course be certain things that you have to do. But if you’re constantly feeling overwhelmed or you have beliefs around, always being too busy, or you have no time for anything -then that becomes your reality and it’s hard to change it unless you question it.

The business becomes the patterns that your brain is most familiar with, and you need to take a step back and be aware of them, in order to change them.

Pause

Along with commitment cropping, the next time that someone asks you to do something, take a breath and pause, before you say ‘yes’. Give yourself the space to make sure this is right for you. If you say ‘yes’ to this, are there any negative consequences? Do you have the choice to say, ‘not yet’, or ‘I’m sorry, but I am at full capacity at the moment’, or ‘I know someone else who could help you’?

Find Your Time

Take a look at your life and see what simple changes you can make that would create more time, space and capacity. Freeing up your capacity will provide you with the space to do more of the things you really want to do.

As ever, if you need more support with this, book a free call and find out how I can help you.