When you read the title of this blog post – Give Yourself The Gift of Time, you probably thought it was about Self Care. It’s not. This Blog Post is about releasing yourself from the expectation to respond immediately, to finish things quickly and to operate on auto pilot.
When going on a trip, you pack a suitcase. Packing reveals a lot about a person. Some people like to wait for the last minute to pack. They run the risk of the clothes they want to pack being in the wash, without time to do the laundry before they head off on their adventure.
Last minute packers may not give themselves time to consider matching their clothing to their holiday activities, the weather or the terrain. They take the risk of being unprepared and causing themselves unnecessary stress.
Other people like to start packing a few days in advance so that as they think about the circumstances of their trip, they can add the things they’ll need to their bag. As they consider the holiday, they might take some things out of the suitcase too.
Advance-packers are giving themselves time to prepare and be ready so that when they are away, they have appropriate things with them to make the most of the experience. They’ve given themselves the gift of time.
It is very rare that an important decision needs to be made RIGHT THIS VERY SECOND. There may be a deadline, but finishing things too quickly without taking the time to reflect and consider can lead to impulsive decision-making. Mistakes resulting from lack of reflection can be quite serious.
When you’re preparing for something important like designing a new website, writing a eulogy, or hosting an event, build in extra time to your planning. It will help you be more creative and take the pressure off to make a quick, ill-considered decision. Your task might be completed quickly, but there may be consequences that you didn’t pause to consider.
Paul Scanlon refers to ‘leaving margin’ in your life. He says: “Margin is the space between where you function consistently well and your limits”. He reminds us that ‘Live life to the max’ is a nice slogan, but it is bad advice because living at our limits is dangerous and exhausting. Consider creating some margin in your life. Give yourself the gift of time to consider things properly, reflect and make good decisions.
