The single biggest “push back” I get from people when I share about how building practices into their life can unleash new ideas and help them be more productive goes something like this: “Yeah, that’s great, but I really just don’t have the time.”
After collecting myself, I reply…
Did you at any point in the last week:
Watch TV?
Read for pleasure?
Check Facebook/Twitter?
Spend any time at work where you weren’t really working?
Take a lunch break?
Chat with friends?
Exercise?
etc.
etc.
etc.
The inevitable response: “yes“.
“OK,” I reply, “then you didn’t mean to say you ‘don’t have time.’ What you really meant to say was that doing brilliant work is not as important as watching TV or checking your Twitter feed. And that’s OK, I just want to make sure we’re having an honest dialogue here.”
Stares. Then a smile. Then acknowledgment. Point made.
Each of us has 168 hours in a week. If you spend 8 hours per day sleeping (generous!), and 10 hours per day (x 5 days) working/commuting, and 2 hours per day eating, that leaves 48 hours per week for discretionary activity.
48. Two full days.
4 hours per day every single day for family activity? No problem. Now you have 20 hours left.
5 hours per week for hanging out with friends? Now you have 15 hours left.
You can still watch TV, read and do other things if you’d like. How about an hour a day? You still have 8 hours left.
The point is this: you have time to do things that matter, that create value and that help you get where you want to be in your life and career. It’s not a matter of quantity of time, it’s a matter of willpower.
We need to overcome the fear of the unknown and simply get moving on what matters. Make time. Put it on the calendar. Get moving. Start with an hour this week to do create something valuable. Ready? Go!
Apple Podcasts
Google Podcasts
Spotify
Stitcher
iHeartRadio
That’s a great way to put it. I often tell people to work less. A lot less. Because usually what they think is work is all of the above (communication, social media, doing stuff on their computers, doing random tasks, looking for inspiration…). But the only valid “work” definition isn’t when something gets done, it’s when you create something or when you act on your ideas.
I am extraordinary the first week of any commitment…after that…well, you know.
I completely agree it’s a choice.
I am extraordinary the first week of any commitment…after that…well, you know.
I completely agree it’s a choice.
Lori, you’re not alone… :)
Sometimes its hard to keep the willpower going. It’s not just willpower. Willpower is tough. If you can have willpower long enough, you can create a new habit. Then it gets easier.
But, you’ve still got to decide to act, and then…act. That’s the hard part. It’s much easier to keep our heads down, do what we’ve always done and hope something will change.
Of course it doesn’t.
We all need a hit between the eyes over the things we keep telling ourselves we need to do and just do a couple of them.
Good reason to be here at AC.
Great post
Are you sure you added correctly???? LOL!! Do I really have as much time as others?
seriously-great post….hit home with me. :)
oops
Well, I’ll be honest – math has never been my strong suit. But that said, yes…I’m pretty sure my arithmetic is correct. :)
Putting “that time” on the calendar is essential for me. The sneaky, quasi-visible, tasklets (e.g. laundry, shopping, errands, dishes, cooking, bathing, bill paying) will gobble up those 48 “spare” before you can say, remainder.
Point of comparison: Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi asserts that even leisure time needs to be consciously scheduled and planned in order to maximize the experience–lest you end up plopping down in front of the TV.
Totally agree, Doug, and I love that notion from Mihaly Csikszentmihayli. In the book I quote something he once said about how for creative workers many have never worked a day in their life, and they’re always working. This is because they love what they do to the point that it never feels like work. I think the danger in that is when we don’t take time to instill rhythm, plan downtime, etc. We aren’t wired to perpetually work.
Thanks for your thoughts!
FOR SALE
TIME!
Due to the slowing economy and housing slump contractors are finding excess time on thier ha…..
Love this. willpower being the key. Putting it on the calendar, also key.
Agreed – it’s the old cliché, which is one for a reason – but if you want to know what’s important look at your bank account and your calendar, no?
What an arrogant attitude you have. According to you, no one should have any entertainment (needed for mental health), exercise, (for physical and mental health) relaxation, or keeping informed. Then can we assume YOU never sleep more than six hours a night, never watch TV or exercise? If you do, you’re hypocrite and most likely a liar.
James, you are seriously misreading the post. I’m not saying those things shouldn’t be present, I’m saying that I frequently hear people complain that they have no time to do things they want to do, yet they still seem to find plenty of time to watch TV, play video games or otherwise entertain themselves. Agreed that entertainment is essential for mental health, but if people are choosing that OVER something they deem more critical or meaningful then they forfeit the right to complain about a lack of time.
Sometimes I read an article and I’m just stunned at the reverse thinking. Americans today work harder and longer hours than at almost any other time in our history. We’re pushing the same amount of hours that were worked before The New Deal. We work longer and harder than almost any industrialized country – including Japan. Do we work to live or live to work?
Furthermore, activities such as reading a book, chatting with friends and exercising are actually good things – that build and strengthen creativity. We as a society should be doing more of this – not less. Please people reading this blog – take my advice go buy a good book like, Man in the Queue by Josephine Tey and then discus with a friend at lunch .. you’ll be shocked at all the creative ideas that will spring forth from your brain.
Speaking of brains and books – I recommend, The Brain That Changes Itself by Dr. Norman Doidge. It equinoctial explains that our brains actually mold and change with our thoughts and actions. Meaning – if you want to be creative then must do creative things. Sitting at your computer or reading some book on the latest Java registries ain’t gonna cut it
Save yourselves!!! go now – call a friend – have lunch – a long lunch – I’m serious, order coffee – look outside the window – find out where your server is from .. laugh a little then go to used bookstore. Live the distraction before it’s too late.
http://www.elvisinmybasement.com
Hi Marc,
Couldn’t agree more with you, and I think you’ve missed the point of the piece. I’m not arguing that we should all be working perpetually. I’m stating that a lack of time – for many people – is a flimsy excuse for not building practices that lead to better ideas. (These practices, by the way, include developing a study plan, purposeful experience, hobbies, etc.)
The thesis statement of the piece is “you have time to do things that matter, that create value and that help you get where you want to be in your life and career.” You can use the time however you’d like. Read a book. Take a walk. Whatever helps you in your pursuits. But the point is, with some exceptions, “I don’t have time” typically means “there are other things I’d rather do.”
Thanks,
Todd
I smell what you’re cooking . .have to think about a response, but thanks for responding to my comment .. you run a good blog.
Thanks Marc! And thanks for offering up your thoughts. For what it’s worth, I think your thoughts are right on target.
I realize this post is 3 years old, but here goes ^^
I also experience the notion of lack of time. Since I live ~1 hour away from my job, I spend a lot more time commuting to/from work.
7-7:30 AM: Waking up, start getting ready for work.
8:15 AM: Leave for work
9 AM – 6 PM: Work, with a 1 hour Lunch break inbetween
6 PM – 8 PM: Commuting, cooking and eating dinner
8 PM – 11/12 PM: Free time
11/12 PM – 7 AM: Sleep
Effectively, this gets me about 3-4 hours of free time each weekday (including my Lunch break).
Weekends are usually all free, but I use them to sleep in and visit my family.
So for weekends: 48 hours of “free time”
– 10h / day for sleeping in = 20 hours
– 2-3 hours for commuting to family
– 2-3h / day for eating (since I’m eating with my family I spend more time at the table) = let’s say 5 hours
So we end up with about 20 hours left during weekends.
On top of that, I have a part time job which takes 15-20h / week.
So in total, I end up with about 18 hours of free time over the entire week.
During weekends, I spend most of my leftover free time for gaming (as I’m an avid gamer) and a few hours for my part-time job. I also try to combine my part-time job with my full-time job whenever it allows me to (both jobs are on computer).
I notice that the 3-4 hours of time during weekdays passes as if it was 1 hour. I always try to combine eating with enjoyable things such as watching TV or playing games, to try and utilize most of the limited time. After dinner, I really don’t know what happens with my time. I browse and read a few forum threads, I go to the toilet, and suddenly it’s past 11 PM. I could use some tips on how to manage those few hours as I really feel like they are going to waste.
just got into university, also teaching, playing guitar, feeling like the whole world’s pressure’s on me :( i’ll try to remember ur words, tnx a lot