19 May How Lifebook Helped Katie Create More Time

Submitted by Katie Mark

I always recoil when I hear the phrase “time flies”. There’s something almost hurtful about believing that this precious commodity escapes.

In my very first week of the Lifebook Bootcamp, when we made our stop doing lists, I was stunned to see how many of the habits that I had classified as “good” had become drains… I realized that while time might not fly in my book, it does leak and drip and ooze.

I looked at all the ways I habitually spent time doing things that were just keeping me busy and I found so many things to stop….

• The New York Times – does it really matter if I know what Paul Krugman is saying about Congress this week?!
• Ironing every day – if my napkins aren’t pressed today, who’s future does that impact?!
• Keeping my email inboxes empty – if I delete the notification of a sale at REI today or tomorrow, that matters why?!

None of these things is particularly toxic, but they are a waste of my time and of my attention. Putting my attention on the value of my time has caused me to ask what I want from my time instead – today, this morning, now…

I’m meditating every day in the same time slot that I used to do a crossword puzzle.

I’m getting really smart about my personal finances in the time I used to iron.

I’m looking for real estate in the time I used to wait for Larry to come home from work.

There are so many hours in a day, not to mention so many moments. Time doesn’t fly if you don’t throw it out the window.

I’m amazed by how much I can get done in a day if I just use all the time there is.