The shortest month of the year has come to a close and it makes me think about how we measure our time. My college sorority has a pref. night song where the first line sang, “Time, it so quickly passes by” and continued, gently reminding us that every moment of our life speeds past, but tonight, we want to take care to pay attention to the moment. I would look around as these young women, illuminated by the light of the candles they held, were introduced to the tried and true rituals of the sorority. Even though they heard the words (on repeat for about an hour), it never seemed to soak in. The evening would speed by- out of excitement- out of nervousness- out of the need to jump ahead to not just picking a sorority… but actually being a sister.
Those moments we want speed by. And those moments turn into days, those days turn into weeks, and those weeks turn into months. And this month, I have found myself looking at my task list thinking, “I wish we had one extra day in February!”
What can we do when we feel like we need one more day?
Get Sleep
It may seem counterintuitive, but when you are well rested, you will make better use of the moments you are awake.
Ask For Help
When time is tight, it always seems more challenging to ask for help. I had an intern one summer and never could ask her for help because I always felt that the task at hand was a fire that I had to put out. It left her feeling bored and me running around with like a chicken with my head cut off. Looking back, I think about the missed opportunity I had to build that relationship, help her develop, and get more accomplished.
Say NO Thank You
I find myself resentful of situations where I knew I wanted to say no, but I didn’t. Then I show up, I am unhappy, upset to be wasting my time, or knowing that it is preventing me from doing something that aligns with my core values (sometimes it is interrupting sleep, which is something I value dearly). My attitude reflects my disinterest and it would have been better, for everyone involved, if I had just said “No Thank You” to start with.
Live our Intention
When I feel time slipping by too quickly, it is often because I have THINGS that I have to finish. When I look at my intention for my time (my interactions, my relationships), opposed to my expectation of what I will DO, I find myself feeling satisfied with the amount of time I have had. When you look at this shortened month, do you feel like you lived your intention? Do you feel like it showed up in your behavior and actions? If so- congratulate yourself. If not- ask why.
Live in the Moment
Regardless of our planning and our preparing- time will keep rolling forward. The more we can recognize, appreciate, and celebrate in the moment, the more we will enjoy, learn, and develop from them.
We will never feel like we have enough time, yet, we do have time. How are we choosing to spend it?
