This Week is Yours!
The end of January can be a tough time to get excited about much of anything. The days are short and gloomy, the weather gets in the way of outdoor activities, and New Years Resolutions have lost their magic. The largest holiday on the horizon is Valentine's Day, which, depending on your romantic status, can be just about as exclusionary and stressful as holidays come.
I'll give you a different holiday to celebrate- a week long one. January 25-29, 2010 is National Take Back Your Time week.
While many different organizations seem to interpret this whole "take back your time" idea to match their agendas, I think that by definition, you are entitled to interpret National Take Back Your Time Week to meet YOUR agenda.
This week is a good time to evaluate where all your time is actually going. Are you constantly busy and overwhelmed yet feel you don’t have that much to show for it? It’s amazing how a slight adjustment to the way you do things can make a difference.
For example, until recently I would run an errand as soon as I got the chance, thinking it was proactive and efficient of me not to procrastinate. But I found myself in stuck traffic almost every evening. It took me a while to realize how much time I was wasting. Now I only run errands one day each week, in the late morning when traffic is sparse and I can take care of everything on my to-do list in groups, according to which part of town it’s in.
For you, Taking Back Your Time might mean rearranging your schedule, or it might be as simple as saying no to a few social obligations. Sometimes we can be so eager to please that we commit to giving more time and energy to something than we can keep up with. Don’t ever feel guilty about adjusting your life so that you’re giving a sustainable amount of yourself, an amount that won’t leave you feeling burnt out. This isn’t selfish. In the long run, you’ll give more.
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Comments
browie Monday, January 25, 2010
So, we can skip work to "catch up" on house items?
Joe436 Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Maybe I'll use this holiday to finally watch Avatar. I never have time to watch movies anymore.
Blargal D. Alien Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Hello,Brigitte.
Taking back time is a hope for creating more "usable" time in your day to day life. Also,as you know,the daylight hours are getting longer. With the extra light,one can plan their jobs and "to do" lists to take advantage of light which makes any errand more pleasant. My mood picks up,as the arrival at home,after work,occurs while there is still light out.
WillHunting314159 Tuesday, January 26, 2010
That (strangely coincidental as it may be) was exactly what I needed to hear today (or rather 'to read' actually). Thanks again Brigitte!
Joe Fileman Tuesday, January 26, 2010
For one thing, now that you've mentioned what this week is all about, I have decided not to contemplate whether or not gingers have souls nor why that question came to be. ;)
Ginny Tuesday, January 26, 2010
I almost feel like this "holiday" was in the alignment of the stars for me because I actually JUST changed my schedule this week so that I could have two days off instead of just one each week! I found that I was in a terrible depression cycle because I had lost my "me" time. What a wonderful surprise to read this blog today. :) I look forward to reading more.
Tami Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Hey thanx for this, I have started going for walks in the mornings to help me lose weight. We put my Dad's mother in a nursing home finally, she was so demanding and hateful that it took up not only physical time but emotional as well, like, I had one hour to sweep, mop, vacuum, clean the bathroom only for her to get up and critisize everything I did be it wrong or right, she had me tied up in knots, so now, I HAVE "taken back some time" for ME, whether I do pc stuff or go for walks or housework, it feels so much better not to have to answer to someone that you can't please.
Rob Wednesday, January 27, 2010
It's always good to relax some!
richard Kairnes Thursday, January 28, 2010
I wanted to share with everyone that I went out of way to make SURE I was in a good mood today. Let's call it a preventive air strike, LOL.
One year ago today, 01/28/2009 at 11:30AM I was fired from a $55,000 a year job. In this economy it turned out to be an event that really changed my life.
I can't believe it's been a year. It seems like yesterday sometimes.
Knowing today was the anniversary of that day, I decided to take steps to ensure I was in a good mode today.
How did I do it? Ha! It's sooooo simple. I did laundry yesterday and today I am wearing my favorite jeans and world famous Blue T-shirt.
I also hit Gold's Gym this morning and treated myself to a hot coffee and some tuna fish before arriving at the office.
It was soooo simple, really. there is nothing like a comfortable pair of jeans to keep the going in the right direction.
Happy Good Mood-ing, everyone