How To Stop Chasing Time And Make Real Progress in your Life
Today we cut through the hustle and discover how to navigate life with purpose and intention. I'll walk you through my own shift from being time's puppet to its master, focusing on what's truly important, not just urgent.
Have you ever felt like you're constantly chasing time, always caught in a pile of to-dos and urgencies day after day?
If your answer is YES…. I’ve been there as well…
....
Really quick: there are actually 3 ways to enjoy this article:
1. Watch this YouTube video:
2. Listen to this episode of the You Are All You Need podcast (available on any podcast streaming service)
3. Continue reading this article :)
....
Almost a year ago I was gifted with the most unique present I’ve ever received. It came from my husband, Marc, and it was for my birthday.
When I opened it, I didn’t know what it was. It took me a moment to figure out that it was a clock! But it wasn’t just an ordinary clock, it was a year-long clock and it is called THE PRESENT.
A clock that tells time in seasons and takes 365 days to complete a single rotation. I instantly loved it!
It was the most truthful expression of time that I had ever seen.
We even decided to accompany it with a sentence that says 'Time doesn’t pass, it just is,' inspired by a similar quote in Tolkien's book 'The Fellowship of the Ring,'"
For those like me, who are fans of 'Lord of the Rings,' this quote was said by Bilbo Baggins when he’s reunited with Frodo in the Elvish city of Rivendell.
Anyway, we hung this sentence underneath the clock to remind ourselves that it is actually our perception that determines the way we experience TIME.
In today’s world, we are so used to the hustle and bustle and non-stop action, living on the run, getting up by the clock, and eating and sleeping by the clock day after day…
Generally, we have the perception of time as something we are “chasing”, we live in a hamster wheel… where we never have enough time….
By the end of each day, we end up exhausted, feeling stressed and restless because we actually couldn’t accomplish all we wanted.
We accept this perception of time being scarce and yet, a lot of people spend more than 2 hours a day scrolling on social media. Those are numbers that recent studies have shown for the average American.
We spend our days living so much by the clock and all the stress that it causes us that when we have a moment to spare, we go to find a dopamine hit, that helps us feel better, by going on social media and start scrolling.
And by the way, this topic by itself could be the topic for an entire article, but less focus today on the perception we’ve got about time and how can we shift from being trapped in that “hamster wheel” where time is scarce to a more abundant mindset when it comes to perceive time and to actually OWN YOUR TIME.
Stephe Covey, author of the bestseller “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People”, said” “we should live our lives based on a compass not a clock”.
And I couldn’t agree more. And actually, that compass is the key to unlocking your unique way to OWN YOUR TIME.
But what is exactly that “compass” Stephe Covey is referring to in his quote?
He’s referring to having a clearly defined VISION FOR YOUR FUTURE, how you want your future to be, and who you want to become.
The best way I found over the years to gain clarity on this, is by creating your OWN LIFE VISION. For those interested in delving deeper into this process, we've explored the steps to create your life vision in detail in our guide, '3 Steps to Create Your Life Vision' (you can check it out if you’re interested in this topic).
By creating your LIFE VISION you gain total clarity on the direction you want to take your life and it serves you as your OWN COMPASS in your PATH OF SELF TRANSFORMATION and the next steps into intentionally UNCOVER YOUR PURPOSE IN THIS LIFE.
Understanding the key here is recognizing that having a life vision isn't just about a checklist of tasks to accomplish your goals. It's more of a roadmap, showing the direction you want your life to go. This is about choosing a life that makes you feel good about yourself and allows you to live in harmony with your soul.
But how does having your OWN LIFE VISION defined relate to how to OWN YOUR TIME? How do you put both concepts working together, hand in hand?
So it’s quite simple. Having your LIFE VISION helps you discern better what is IMPORTANT and what is URGENT in your day-to-day life.
The IMPORTANT things are those things that actually are key and relevant to help you advance towards your future self and usually you won’t get them done UNLESS YOU’RE COMPLETELY INTENTIONAL ABOUT THEM.
For instance, your life vision might include goals like starting to write that book, launching your own business, or learning a new language. However, these IMPORTANT things, get completely buried under all the URGENT tasks of daily life, such as attending meetings, managing work responsibilities, responding to emails, and completing household chores.
Those are URGENT things, things that very easily FILL UP your day without you even noticing it…. And actually, these urgent things are the ones that create that perception of TIME BEING SCARCE… because those urgent things will never stop coming your way….
There’s never going to be an end to those urgent things.
So what your life vision does is become your compass, your guide, to FILTER better in your day-to-day, the things you say “yes” and the things you say “no” to.
You become PROACTIVE in your daily life instead of succumbing to the REACTIVENESS caused by urgent things.
And it is in this process of filtering better and deciding to say YES to more IMPORTANT THINGS in your day-to-day and more NO to the URGENT THINGS… is how you start OWNING YOUR TIME.
Of course, you cannot make the urgent things disappear, but if you focus on being more intentional in your life by putting your attention and focus on the IMPORTANT rather than the URGENT, then you start finding ways to do those urgent things in a way that they don’t get over your important things.
Maybe you can establish a specific day a week to complete those urgent things, maybe you decide to hire a part-time personal assistant that helps you with your emails and errands, or maybe you even decide to stop doing some urgent tasks because you realize they are not relevant for your future self anymore, etc.
By being more intentional, you start filtering more and better, and all of a sudden you find yourself with more time for the IMPORTANT. And when you focus on the IMPORTANT… you start doing less but better stuff that helps you make progress in your life.
Because, if you want to walk the path towards your LIFE VISION, it is not about working hard, but working smart that actually will get you there. It is about making progress, meaningful progress, and not busyness.
In my case, it honestly took years to implement this, as I grew up believing that hard work is what truly makes a difference…..
And it is true, but only to an extent. Because you can work extremely hard your entire life and still achieve very little…
This is something my husband, Marc, and I, as entrepreneurs, have been trying to shift in our mindset. Subconsciously, we believed that doing more would lead to better results and more progress...
But, from my experience, it turns out not to be true.
You end up exhausted, with a never-ending to-do list day after day…
The urgencies are not going to move you faster in the direction you want to go and you LOSE your CREATIVITY and MENTAL SPACE to think about those IMPORTANT things that are going to move you faster in your life…
You can only do that, when YOU SLOW DOWN TIME BY FOCUSING ON THE IMPORTANT, and again doing LESS but BETTER on a daily basis.
The truth is that without a clear vision for your future, achieving what we've discussed becomes more challenging. It's easier to get caught up in the present, the daily urgencies, and busyness…
Alternatively, by taking control and clearly defining your future self, you start to act more intentionally, make wiser choices, and truly OWNING YOUR TIME.
So this is the recipe to start owning your time and making real progress in your life…
I hope it was of help!
....
Ready To Upgrade?
➡️ If you enjoyed this article, you’ll find a much deeper analysis on how to start living a life full of passion and purpose in my book You Are Already Everything You Need
➡️ Click here to download the first four episodes of my book for free
➡️ Join the 20-Day Challenge in my podcast You Are All You Need and start walking together this journey of self-transformation
Alicia Carrasco
Mom, entrepreneur, author
I left my job as a teacher in 2015 to start an online education company with my husband that nowadays has over 8,000 students with a turnover of seven figures. I want to share with you how to achieve your best self.
How To Stop Chasing Time And Make Real Progress in your Life
Today we cut through the hustle and discover how to navigate life with purpose and intention. I'll walk you through my own shift from being time's puppet to its master, focusing on what's truly important, not just urgent.
Have you ever felt like you're constantly chasing time, always caught in a pile of to-dos and urgencies day after day?
If your answer is YES…. I’ve been there as well…
....
Really quick: there are actually 3 ways to enjoy this article:
1. Watch this YouTube video:
2. Listen to this episode of the You Are All You Need podcast (available on any podcast streaming service)
3. Continue reading this article :)
....
Almost a year ago I was gifted with the most unique present I’ve ever received. It came from my husband, Marc, and it was for my birthday.
When I opened it, I didn’t know what it was. It took me a moment to figure out that it was a clock! But it wasn’t just an ordinary clock, it was a year-long clock and it is called THE PRESENT.
A clock that tells time in seasons and takes 365 days to complete a single rotation. I instantly loved it!
It was the most truthful expression of time that I had ever seen.
We even decided to accompany it with a sentence that says 'Time doesn’t pass, it just is,' inspired by a similar quote in Tolkien's book 'The Fellowship of the Ring,'"
For those like me, who are fans of 'Lord of the Rings,' this quote was said by Bilbo Baggins when he’s reunited with Frodo in the Elvish city of Rivendell.
Anyway, we hung this sentence underneath the clock to remind ourselves that it is actually our perception that determines the way we experience TIME.
In today’s world, we are so used to the hustle and bustle and non-stop action, living on the run, getting up by the clock, and eating and sleeping by the clock day after day…
Generally, we have the perception of time as something we are “chasing”, we live in a hamster wheel… where we never have enough time….
By the end of each day, we end up exhausted, feeling stressed and restless because we actually couldn’t accomplish all we wanted.
We accept this perception of time being scarce and yet, a lot of people spend more than 2 hours a day scrolling on social media. Those are numbers that recent studies have shown for the average American.
We spend our days living so much by the clock and all the stress that it causes us that when we have a moment to spare, we go to find a dopamine hit, that helps us feel better, by going on social media and start scrolling.
And by the way, this topic by itself could be the topic for an entire article, but less focus today on the perception we’ve got about time and how can we shift from being trapped in that “hamster wheel” where time is scarce to a more abundant mindset when it comes to perceive time and to actually OWN YOUR TIME.
Stephe Covey, author of the bestseller “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People”, said” “we should live our lives based on a compass not a clock”.
And I couldn’t agree more. And actually, that compass is the key to unlocking your unique way to OWN YOUR TIME.
But what is exactly that “compass” Stephe Covey is referring to in his quote?
He’s referring to having a clearly defined VISION FOR YOUR FUTURE, how you want your future to be, and who you want to become.
The best way I found over the years to gain clarity on this, is by creating your OWN LIFE VISION. For those interested in delving deeper into this process, we've explored the steps to create your life vision in detail in our guide, '3 Steps to Create Your Life Vision' (you can check it out if you’re interested in this topic).
By creating your LIFE VISION you gain total clarity on the direction you want to take your life and it serves you as your OWN COMPASS in your PATH OF SELF TRANSFORMATION and the next steps into intentionally UNCOVER YOUR PURPOSE IN THIS LIFE.
Understanding the key here is recognizing that having a life vision isn't just about a checklist of tasks to accomplish your goals. It's more of a roadmap, showing the direction you want your life to go. This is about choosing a life that makes you feel good about yourself and allows you to live in harmony with your soul.
But how does having your OWN LIFE VISION defined relate to how to OWN YOUR TIME? How do you put both concepts working together, hand in hand?
So it’s quite simple. Having your LIFE VISION helps you discern better what is IMPORTANT and what is URGENT in your day-to-day life.
The IMPORTANT things are those things that actually are key and relevant to help you advance towards your future self and usually you won’t get them done UNLESS YOU’RE COMPLETELY INTENTIONAL ABOUT THEM.
For instance, your life vision might include goals like starting to write that book, launching your own business, or learning a new language. However, these IMPORTANT things, get completely buried under all the URGENT tasks of daily life, such as attending meetings, managing work responsibilities, responding to emails, and completing household chores.
Those are URGENT things, things that very easily FILL UP your day without you even noticing it…. And actually, these urgent things are the ones that create that perception of TIME BEING SCARCE… because those urgent things will never stop coming your way….
There’s never going to be an end to those urgent things.
So what your life vision does is become your compass, your guide, to FILTER better in your day-to-day, the things you say “yes” and the things you say “no” to.
You become PROACTIVE in your daily life instead of succumbing to the REACTIVENESS caused by urgent things.
And it is in this process of filtering better and deciding to say YES to more IMPORTANT THINGS in your day-to-day and more NO to the URGENT THINGS… is how you start OWNING YOUR TIME.
Of course, you cannot make the urgent things disappear, but if you focus on being more intentional in your life by putting your attention and focus on the IMPORTANT rather than the URGENT, then you start finding ways to do those urgent things in a way that they don’t get over your important things.
Maybe you can establish a specific day a week to complete those urgent things, maybe you decide to hire a part-time personal assistant that helps you with your emails and errands, or maybe you even decide to stop doing some urgent tasks because you realize they are not relevant for your future self anymore, etc.
By being more intentional, you start filtering more and better, and all of a sudden you find yourself with more time for the IMPORTANT. And when you focus on the IMPORTANT… you start doing less but better stuff that helps you make progress in your life.
Because, if you want to walk the path towards your LIFE VISION, it is not about working hard, but working smart that actually will get you there. It is about making progress, meaningful progress, and not busyness.
In my case, it honestly took years to implement this, as I grew up believing that hard work is what truly makes a difference…..
And it is true, but only to an extent. Because you can work extremely hard your entire life and still achieve very little…
This is something my husband, Marc, and I, as entrepreneurs, have been trying to shift in our mindset. Subconsciously, we believed that doing more would lead to better results and more progress...
But, from my experience, it turns out not to be true.
You end up exhausted, with a never-ending to-do list day after day…
The urgencies are not going to move you faster in the direction you want to go and you LOSE your CREATIVITY and MENTAL SPACE to think about those IMPORTANT things that are going to move you faster in your life…
You can only do that, when YOU SLOW DOWN TIME BY FOCUSING ON THE IMPORTANT, and again doing LESS but BETTER on a daily basis.
The truth is that without a clear vision for your future, achieving what we've discussed becomes more challenging. It's easier to get caught up in the present, the daily urgencies, and busyness…
Alternatively, by taking control and clearly defining your future self, you start to act more intentionally, make wiser choices, and truly OWNING YOUR TIME.
So this is the recipe to start owning your time and making real progress in your life…
I hope it was of help!
....
Ready To Upgrade?
➡️ If you enjoyed this article, you’ll find a much deeper analysis on how to start living a life full of passion and purpose in my book You Are Already Everything You Need
➡️ Click here to download the first four episodes of my book for free
➡️ Join the 20-Day Challenge in my podcast You Are All You Need and start walking together this journey of self-transformation
