I just got a new computer, which set into motion a sea change in my world. It feels as if I’ve moved into a huge new mansion with all kinds of fabulous things to explore. But first, there are lots of upgrades, compatibility issues and glitches to troubleshoot in order to get to that comfy, settled-in feeling.
And that is just one area of life! Some days it feels as if I am in a little canoe, paddling as fast as I can through a swift-running current of change that sweeps through every area of life, trying to stay focused and maintain perspective. Know what I mean?
This fundamental change in the turbulence and movement is not in our electronic lives is limited. It's like a tsunami of information, technology, social and economic change that continues to expand, as it blows when our lives. No area of life to free. Had, for some it is the form of job loss and financial hit overpower;, for others it is seen as a reordering of priorities in a relationship or an erosion of the dreams you had for your life.
People everywhere are looking for ways to manage the swelling tide of change: they look for better time management, financial management, relationship management, weight management, career management, and more.
The fact is, though, we cannot ‘manage’ any of those things. We don’t manage time. Time simply clicks by, second by second, whether we do anything or not. What we do manage is ourselves and our choices in every given moment.
We are the ones choosing what to do and be involved in. And so, the most important thing we can manage is ourselves! How, then, can we best manage ourselves during these dynamic times of shift and change? Here are seven tools for self-management:
1. Know Your Priorities. Do you know what the top values and priorities in your life are? Are you clear on the purpose of your life? Are you clear on what you want to accomplish and what is needed to get there? Only after you know these things can you choose appropriate action that will carry you toward your purpose.
2. Focus On The Big Picture. When we feel overwhelmed us, tends to narrow our focus until we have a myopic view of life in which we seem awfully small and insignificant against the bullying demands of life. It is the ant and the elephant's syndrome. Show your limits, and they will surely become insurmountable obstacles. Concentrate on your problems, and they are sure to expand.
Instead of focusing on all the worrisome details of your life, try moving your perspective to a higher viewpoint from where you can see the big picture. I often use a guided visualization with clients where they soar high above their problems on the wings of a giant eagle. This exercise helps them to pull out of the immediacy of their surroundings and to gain a broader perspective.
3. Look For The Message. The painful symptoms in our lives are messengers to remind us that something is off balance, misaligned, or no longer constructive. Instead of numbing these messengers in your life with medication or denial, you may want to take a look at what is causing the frustration or pain. What choices did you make to bring you to this place? Were your choices based on limited knowing, resulting in limiting outcomes? You will become a lot more constructive when you stop looking for someone to blame and acknowledge that you have the power to bring about the very change you desire.
4. Choose Again. When you see the process that led you to this place, you are free to choose to move into a new direction. Remember, one of the greatest gifts God gave us is the ability to choose. You can choose to manage yourself appropriately by aligning more and more with your true values, so you can be carried forward on the current of instead of fighting against it. Situations, choices and relationships that are no longer aligned with our values and priorities have served their purpose and deserve to be released with gratitude for the lessons they offered. When you cut the cords, you will also free yourself from the pain and frustration that comes from being out of alignment with your path.
5. Eventually Flurry. Ever since people began to see the number of marathon-style, but also how little the completion of it? Anyone can start the race, but the rewards to the few who actually completed. Of our time, space and energy clutter of unfinished business. I found that multi-tasking can be a trap. In the more open project, few people fail to complete, you now what could be carried out every minute.
When you multitask by texting while driving, you are not focused on the road. When you answer e-mail while spending time with your loved one, your behavior actually silently says, ‘You are not worthy of my full attention.’
If your top priority is worth doing, it is worth focusing on that project until it’s done. There will always be smaller routine tasks to do, too, but being fully present to the task at hand makes you efficient and effective to bring it to completion. Doing that gives offers a sense of accomplishment.
6. Learn To Say No With A Smile. Here is where most of us do not. We feel so guilty or pressured to undertake any demand for our time and resources that we can not say no to things that are not a priority. Say no to what is not necessary to free your time, energy and resources for what is really important. And no one is a complete answer – you do not need you to justify your decision, but to anyone. Evaluate requests for your time and resources in terms of your priorities. Then say
7. Keep It Simple. In my life I've carved up the process even more. Yes, I have an overarching vision for my life and yes, I am clear in my intentions. However, to effectively and remain focused, prioritize and my participation. In the larger context of my plan and purpose, I ask two simple questions about my guide to selection:
* Is this essential to my survival, life or health right now? Everything else, no matter how important or pressing it seems, is secondary.
* Will this lead me closer to my ultimate truth and joy, or does it leave me feeling restricted and confined? Momentary discipline that moves you closer to your ultimate goal, is acceptable; anything that minimizes your true being is not.
There may still be days when you feel as if you spend all your time chasing after the endless demands of life. We all have those! As long as you use these tools to stay focused, the turbulence around you will not capsize your canoe.
Keep facing forward and keep paddling!
Tags: area, better time management, change, dynamic times, God, life, little canoe, management, management relationship, seven tools, time
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