by Eileen Der Aris, Certified Young Adult Life Coach
Does this sound like you: Constantly rushing, caught up in crisis mode, feeling overwhelmed, late with assignments, very tired, missing out on social opportunities, and/or just feeling like you are often doing what you don’t want to do? I bet you know why: time management.
Everyone always says, “you have to manage your time better,” but what does that really mean? Where do I actually begin? Well, one thing is to understand what you’re actually dealing with. Time is time and it cannot be changed. There will ALWAYS be 24 hours in a day no matter what you do. So, after hearing that very obvious idea, entertain the notion that you can’t exactly manage time itself, only how you USE that time. Once that thought makes sense, then you can assess how motivated you truly are. What exactly will you have more time for if you manage your time effectively? That answer is the key to keeping you moving.
Next, know EXACTLY what you want to do. Be very clear of what you are trying to accomplish. Is it to do well in a class you are taking, a term paper you are writing, a job you are interviewing for, or that you want to work out more often? Whatever it is, once your goal is set, it gives you the direction you want to head in. Once you figure that out, make a list of all the things you need to do to accomplish that goal.
Finally, it is important to recognize that you cannot do everything that everyone you know wants you to do. Perfection is not a real thing unless you are a robot. You can try but you will just be constantly going round and round experiencing extreme stress and then feeling upset if you cannot get it all done. The key is to PRIORITIZE your list of the things to do to accomplish your goal. What is the MOST important thing that needs to be done? One method that helps is to type out your list and number each one in order of priority with 1 being the most important. This list gives you the structure you need without having to think so hard about it.
Remember that it takes time to develop a habit so be kind to yourself as you are using these new strategies. My clients have found that having a life coach to hold them accountable as they are implementing new strategies to be very helpful. If hiring a coach is not in the cards for you right now, try asking someone in your life to be your accountability partner. This gives you the extra push to keep you consistent.
Life can actually be enjoyable if we understand what we want, prioritize, and be patient with ourselves. Nothing good is accomplished by yelling at yourself except to feel the heaviness of guilt, shame and frustration. If it doesn’t work in the beginning, get curious as to why and see how you can tweak it to work better for you. Life is a series of challenges, so attack it with zest and feel the pride of accomplishing your goals!!
If you need any help in this area, contact me and let’s see how I can help!
With Warmth and Respect,
Eileen
Certified Life Coach for Young Adults