In our lives today the choices we make and actions we take ultimately determine our future and our general well being. I've noticed over the years that people my age often fall into two different social groups; the ones who do and the ones who don't. The ones who do are the type of people that are always working at their highest potential and are so busy that they don't get a chance to breathe, and reflect upon their actions. The ones who don't are people with so much free time that they indulge in leisure activities and sometimes reflect too much on their emotions and how they feel. Of course, these are two great extremes, but I feel like different variations of each are clearly present in our the lives. As the rising generation, there is always so much pressure to fit into the most elite category, which can result in unhealthy habits and insanity. There were three main factors that helped me reflect on how I felt as well as being able to manage a busy and almost hectic schedule while still feeling on top of things.
- Planning
Since at times there feels like there is so much to do and such little time, planning is key. Every Sunday, at the beginning of the week I would look at the all the things I had to accomplish and organize my time accordingly. If I had a lot of time to spare that week I would plan my leisure activities like hanging out with friends and exercising so I don't get bored.
- Personal time
Personal time is needed regardless if you are super busy or not busy at all because it gives you a chance to see what you are doing well and what you need to work on. If I had more time I usually would write down things I'd like to improve in a list form and then try to work on them throughout the following week. If my schedule was really busy then I would do yoga or an exercise where I could meditate while still getting a workout out of it. This helped me feel productive because not only was I cleansing my mind, but I was strengthening my body too.
- Early mornings
In my life personally, I love going out at night with my friends and going to parties and dinners. I think it is so fun and really nice to let loose, and dance all night. With this in mind, I am strict on waking up early in the morning so I have a full day to get things done. Of course, this is difficult when hungover, but after a while you learn that having more overall calms you don't because you are not frantically rushing to finish things on time. This habit also helps with procrastinators because it gives a lot of time where you can focus only on the work you need to do. From the wise words of Anna Wintour’s daughter, Bee Shaffer, "You just feel like a superior person [when you're up early]," (Smith, Glamour 2014). When you feel great, you act like a boss ass bitch that can run the world.
I hope this helps you or gives you another perspective on time management, and overall feeling successful and happy ;)
