Taking Time for You

People often ask me, how do you have time to train with all that you have going on - a husband, three daughters, a full time job, etc.  For me the question is how do I not have time to train.  And in turn, how do you not have time.  

Time is our most precious asset.  We are all given the same amount and it is up to us how we chose to utilize it.  There are people all over the world making millions of dollars trying to teach different time management techniques.  We attend these seminars, notebook and pen in hand waiting for the answer to the world’s problem and telling us how we can fit it all in.  Truth be told we often thrive on having more to do than less - it keeps us engaged and keeps the drive moving forward as we fear not being able to get it all done.  

I take time once a week, typically on Saturday or Sunday to sit down and look at the week ahead.  This involves looking at my entire family’s calendars, and yes, we all have our own.  I look at the events that I have to be at and that I have no control over the time that they occur.  These are built in first.  I then block in my training time.  It is put on the calendar just like any other appointment.  My time allocated to this event and unable to have other things scheduled over it and remains “sacred.”  At this stage of the block, I then reach out to people that I need to meet with during the week and let them know my availability.  By doing this, there is never a concern that the meeting will overlap my training as my training times are no longer available.  No one will know if the appointment that you had at a another time was training or a meeting and it is none of their business as long as you show up prepared at the time that you committed to!  The rest of the day to day tasks are filled in around the above scheduling.  The grocery store, the bills, the desk work or calls - they will all get in the schedule and get done and have a focused time to occur!

I have been following the process above for over a year now.  I have learned many lessons along the way.  The first being that I am much more prepared, engaged and eager to participate after having my workout in.  For me it is an outlet and I feel much better after having the workout done.  The second is that I will not be able to attend every lunch, every activity, every networking event, every social event and that it is ok to say “NO.”  A hard thing to learn but definitely worth it when you do.  And finally, if the schedule didn’t work the week before, I am in control to change and modify it - before planning ahead look back on what worked and what didn’t and why.  You schedule and how much you add or subtract from it is in your control.  Embrace it and be sure to take time for you!  Your mind and body will thank you and so will those that you are in contact with.

One Day!  One Step!  Enjoy the Journey!