One of the topics we at Mindful Decluttering & Organizing focus on with our clients is Time Transformation: that is, bringing mindfulness, intention, and consciousness to how we use time and ways it can bring more joy and ease in our lives. But it’s not just about time, is it? Time is not only one thing. Time can pass quickly or slowly, happily or sadly, mindfully or chaotically.
The way we feel about time is very much influenced by our energetic state. Are we well-rested, fed, in a room with a comfortable temperature, with silence or ambient noise around us? Are we upset by an argument we had earlier? Are we unfocused after working for eight hours? Are we alert from taking a brisk walk or jog?
Consider this wisdom from Josh Kaufman’s review of the book The Power of Full Engagement:
Most productivity thinkers over the years have fixated on the idea of time: there are only so many hours in a day, so if you want to be an effective person, you should learn to manage them wisely.
Time, however, passes on its own – you can’t really manage it. What you can manage is the energy you bring to those hours.
If you’re low on energy, it doesn’t matter if you have a lot of time to accomplish a task – you’ll be so exhausted that you’ll make very little progress. If you have a ton of energy, you can get many things done in very little time.
This concept of increasing our awareness about our energy offers something fundamental to increasing time awareness: The energy we bring to each moment has a direct impact on the way time feels, the way we use time, and the way we experience the passage of time.
This is not to say that you must be energetic at all times. That’s impossible! Like most things in life, energy ebbs and flows, and our high-energy times are complemented by low-energy times. However, it is important to be aware of these natural cycles when deciding how to use time every day. Notice when you have energy: can you use that time to be creative, work on your business, or tackle a decluttering project? As for low energy, can you use that time to do simple chores or take a break?
If you find yourself feeling stuck in a period of low energy, try the following to shift your energy and thus your relationship to time:
- Stretch
- Take a walk
- Listen to music
Time is precious. We cannot make more time the way we can make more money or friends. But we can manage our energy: we can bring mindfulness and presence to the time we have by taking cues from our energetic states. It is important to make sure taht you are not accidentally taking on OTHER PEOPLE’S energy. Learn more about this in this insightful post from Andrea Clem at The Way Home To You!
When do you feel most energized? What do you choose to do during that time? Could you be more mindful of your choices?
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