This morning I wasn’t sure what I wanted to write about, so I kept finding ways to procrastinate, making up all sorts of reasons to not sit in front of my laptop and write something.
But idea came to me: why not write about the lie that we tell ourselves when we say that “we don’t have time”?
Yes, we do that a lot. We say that we don’t have time to learn something we always wanted to learn, to exercise regularly, or to meet with someone we say we want to meet… or any variety of things.
If we believe the thought “I don’t have time,” we position ourselves as victims at the mercy of our circumstances. Powerless, as though there’s nothing we could do about the events in our days.
But sorry: that’s not true. Every time the thought “I don’t have time for that” crosses your mind, I suggest you catch it and replace it with the thought “I have other priorities” because, more often than not, that’s your true reality.
We all have plenty of time during our days, and we fill it up with whatever we think is most important or urgent. It could be your work, your errands, your kids, or your friends.
Whatever you decide is okay, but please be aware that you are choosing those priorities, and in so choosing, you can ALWAYS decide to change them. You can always fit something into your schedule if you really, really want to accommodate it. If you just can’t seem to fit it in, you need to either reconsider how important it is to you or step it up and make it a priority (even if it requires rearranging or sacrificing some to-dos in the process). Either way, both options are fine. The big difference here is responsibility; in one case, you tell yourself that you don’t have time and in the other, you choose not to prioritize it. With the former approach, you believe that there’s nothing you can do about it (victim). With the latter, you acknowledge it is a matter of deciding what you want to do with your time.
Which one do you think will lead to a more fulfilling life?
If you are with me and think it’s a matter of priorities, here is my suggestion:
- First, pick something you want to do but haven’t yet because you’ve been telling yourself you don’t have time.
- Then, review your regular activities (or what you have to do in the next few days to accommodate one-time events, like meetings or tidying up your room), and find a place to fit it into your schedule. Give it more priority by giving it space.
- Respect your new priority. 🙂