A Good Exchange

I came across a quote that challenged me. It stopped me in my track and made me take stock. The quote by an unknown author says, ‘what you do today is important because you are exchanging a day of your life for it.’

We live in a world full of distractions and it is so easy to wonder what you are missing when you don’t fully participate or keep tabs on everything and everyone.

Growing up, I had minimal distractions, a bit of TV watching in the evenings was the height of my entertainment. It was easy to get things done, maintain friendships and spend time with loved ones.

Then came the ‘Technology’ age with all the advancements that make life easier and help us to be better connected to others but this often comes at a price. And that price is too precious to be discounted. It is the precious gift of time.

The Covid pandemic forced many people to review how they spent their time as movements were restricted. Many discovered new talents and hobbies, others started to cook more at home and books that had piled up were dusted off and read.

As the lifting of restrictions draws closer, many of us can’t wait to get back to our old ways and hangouts, the things we missed and our friends. So the question is, what are we exchanging our days for now and what are we going to be exchanging our days for when lockdown restrictions are lifted?

Also as we are officially in the second half of the year, we have a chance to reflect, and do a ‘pause and pivot’ if needed. This currency called ‘Time’ has to be redeemed in the right way and for the right things.

This is not about restricting your life or stripping it of all fun activities, rather it is about being mindful in the way we approach this.

Be mindful about the way you work

We can all be more productive if we take on board a few hints and tips. Leaving our phones in a different room or in our bags removes the distraction of notifications and helps us to better manage the temptations to check for social media updates.

A simple ‘to-do-list’ can transform our days giving us little goals to celebrate through the day. And journaling can help us to be more aware of how we are doing as we get in touch with our feelings better.

Be mindful about your entertainment

Many social media apps are designed to be time stealers and addictive by nature. When watching on-demand content, change the setting so you remain in control of your time. Remove the auto-play setting on the gadget, so you don’t get sucked in.

Be mindful about your relationships

Some relationships will drain you of life, passion, emotion and ultimately be time wasters while others will nourish, inspire and challenge you to become better and happier.

Make the most of your relationships and think of all the ways that you can better connect while still maximising your time.

Plan your days

At the end of each working day or week, plan the next day after reviewing what you accomplished. Make a note of uncompleted actions and add it to next day’s deliverables.

Re-prioritise as needed. Do your best to only touch emails once and schedule times for breaks to ensure you can work more efficiently.

Be self-aware

You know your personality type, you know your tendency for addictive behaviours and you know the past choices you’ve made.

You owe it to yourself to be self-aware and use this knowledge to make better decisions. Consider what your personal choices are doing to your time and change if you need to.

As the UK prepares for what is a significant and historical sporting moment, the players are hoping to exchange their invested time for a trophy. I wish them all the very best.

Thanks for reading my post. Have a great week.