*Secret #108 Quit Trying to Manage Time

No one can really manage time.

Think about it.

Time tenaciously and mercilessly marches on--with or without you. There is NOTHING you can do to "manage" time!

The only thing you can do is manage yourself in relation to time.

So quit trying to manage time... and instead... start managing yourself.

Just a thought.

BA
PS. Need training to manage yourself in relation to time? Time Management for Painfully Pooped-Out People THE WORKSHOP

Secret #93 Fight the Fall Undertow of Church Busyness

CHECK IT OUT RIGHT NOW!

10 Tips on Leading a Balanced Life - Revisted.

Part two of the summer re-runs of popular posts is this one about a balanced life. Like all the life hacks and tips I write about, these are things I strive towards. I never pretend to have it all figured out by any means.

As usual let me know what you think..
Allen

Photo By N. Ireland Wallpapers / Desktop Backgrounds
Balance is important. When one aspect of our life becomes too dominant we loose that balance and experience conflict and unhappiness. It’s not easy and sometimes it feels like a juggling match but if we develop some healthy habits it is possible to achieve balance in a relaxed and calm way. Don’t forget the amount of time you devote to each aspect of your life will undergo fluctuation. It’s all a matter of realizing the natural flow of life and giving the right amount of attention to all aspects of our day to day living. So here I present my own ten tips on leading a balanced life.

1) Go home from work on time.
You need to look after yourself. Contrary to what the current culture will tell you – we are not machines. You need a healthy balance between the time you spend at work and the time you spend outside the work place. You need to be constantly reminded that there is more to life than work. (Although there will be some times you might have to work late in case of emergencies but they should be the exceptions and not the norm.)

2) Don’t be a yes person.
This follows on from point number one. You will find it easier to go home on time when you don’t agree to every single thing that is asked of you. Your inbox will never be empty – only agree to things that you can manage and that do not interfere with point 1.

3) Go to bed and get up at the same time everyday.
Treat this as your foundation for a more balanced life. Creating a natural rhythm to your day will go a long way to creating balance in your life. You will feel more rested and grounded in reality and less overwhelmed by events that happen during the day.

4) Slow down.
Consciously slow down. Walk slower, drive slower, talk slower. Notice things as you walk. Notice the tree that you pass by each day on the way to work and how it changes color with the seasons. Notice the fresh smell of morning and feel the warm sunshine on your face during the day (or the rain pelting of your face if you live in Ireland) :). Become more aware and awake in general and take your time over your day. Practice some form of daily relaxation exercise such as meditation, yoga or progressive muscle relaxation. Slow down - it is not a race you know!

5) Don’t buy into the culture around you if you don’t want to.
24-7 News (mostly bad news), the pressures of work, the go go go of modern life – this is what the media likes to tell us about our culture. That is not MY culture. I don’t agree with it and I don’t buy it. I am a human being and unique with my own feelings and needs – I don’t have to buy into something if it violates my values.

6) Create your own sub-culture involving your friends and family.
Surround yourself with people you like and who like you back. Create you own subculture of activities. Leave the couch and TV and go out and meet people be it through reading groups, charity work, nature rambles and more!

7) Recognize you have the right to be healthier than those around you.
Again don’t buy into the bad habits of other people. If everyone else around you drink too much coffee – that doesn’t mean you have to. If your colleagues at work love to eat fried foods at lunch – that doesn’t mean you have to. If your peers don’t bother to exercise that doesn’t mean you have to. Look after yourself!

8) Do something meaningful with your spare time.
Volunteer and do something that suits your personality. Not everyone can have the qualities that are required to go visit and talk to the elderly for example. Find out what skills you have (everyone has them!) and see how you could use those skills to help others.

9) Let go of the need to buy the next big thing.
If you let go of the cravings to keep consuming and buying things you don’t need then you might not feel you have to work such long hours. Why do you need that car? Is it something you really NEED or just something you think would be nice to have. Don’t forget about all those items you bought and you thought they were great to begin with. You were feeling empty and you thought that this might make your life more exciting or make you feel a bit better. Then the novelty wears off and you have that empty feeling inside that you had before you bought it in the first place. Why do you feel you need to keep up with the neighbors? If they get a big 4 X 4 does that mean you have to? Ask yourself why you feel you have to do that?

10) Develop compassion, patience and tolerance for your fellow people.
Happiness comes from relationships you have with people. We are all very complicated and can have our negative aspects. Developing compassion, patience and tolerance for others will go a long way to having better relationships with people. Accepting how different we all are is the starting point the rest is up to you!

What methods for addressing balance in your life worked for you? Let me know by leaving a comment below!

Good luck,
Allen

10 Tips on Leading a Balanced Life - Revisted.

Part two of the summer re-runs of popular posts is this one about a balanced life. Like all the life hacks and tips I write about, these are things I strive towards. I never pretend to have it all figured out by any means.

As usual let me know what you think..
Allen

Photo By N. Ireland Wallpapers / Desktop Backgrounds
Balance is important. When one aspect of our life becomes too dominant we loose that balance and experience conflict and unhappiness. It’s not easy and sometimes it feels like a juggling match but if we develop some healthy habits it is possible to achieve balance in a relaxed and calm way. Don’t forget the amount of time you devote to each aspect of your life will undergo fluctuation. It’s all a matter of realizing the natural flow of life and giving the right amount of attention to all aspects of our day to day living. So here I present my own ten tips on leading a balanced life.

1) Go home from work on time.
You need to look after yourself. Contrary to what the current culture will tell you – we are not machines. You need a healthy balance between the time you spend at work and the time you spend outside the work place. You need to be constantly reminded that there is more to life than work. (Although there will be some times you might have to work late in case of emergencies but they should be the exceptions and not the norm.)

2) Don’t be a yes person.
This follows on from point number one. You will find it easier to go home on time when you don’t agree to every single thing that is asked of you. Your inbox will never be empty – only agree to things that you can manage and that do not interfere with point 1.

3) Go to bed and get up at the same time everyday.
Treat this as your foundation for a more balanced life. Creating a natural rhythm to your day will go a long way to creating balance in your life. You will feel more rested and grounded in reality and less overwhelmed by events that happen during the day.

4) Slow down.
Consciously slow down. Walk slower, drive slower, talk slower. Notice things as you walk. Notice the tree that you pass by each day on the way to work and how it changes color with the seasons. Notice the fresh smell of morning and feel the warm sunshine on your face during the day (or the rain pelting of your face if you live in Ireland) :). Become more aware and awake in general and take your time over your day. Practice some form of daily relaxation exercise such as meditation, yoga or progressive muscle relaxation. Slow down - it is not a race you know!

5) Don’t buy into the culture around you if you don’t want to.
24-7 News (mostly bad news), the pressures of work, the go go go of modern life – this is what the media likes to tell us about our culture. That is not MY culture. I don’t agree with it and I don’t buy it. I am a human being and unique with my own feelings and needs – I don’t have to buy into something if it violates my values.

6) Create your own sub-culture involving your friends and family.
Surround yourself with people you like and who like you back. Create you own subculture of activities. Leave the couch and TV and go out and meet people be it through reading groups, charity work, nature rambles and more!

7) Recognize you have the right to be healthier than those around you.
Again don’t buy into the bad habits of other people. If everyone else around you drink too much coffee – that doesn’t mean you have to. If your colleagues at work love to eat fried foods at lunch – that doesn’t mean you have to. If your peers don’t bother to exercise that doesn’t mean you have to. Look after yourself!

8) Do something meaningful with your spare time.
Volunteer and do something that suits your personality. Not everyone can have the qualities that are required to go visit and talk to the elderly for example. Find out what skills you have (everyone has them!) and see how you could use those skills to help others.

9) Let go of the need to buy the next big thing.
If you let go of the cravings to keep consuming and buying things you don’t need then you might not feel you have to work such long hours. Why do you need that car? Is it something you really NEED or just something you think would be nice to have. Don’t forget about all those items you bought and you thought they were great to begin with. You were feeling empty and you thought that this might make your life more exciting or make you feel a bit better. Then the novelty wears off and you have that empty feeling inside that you had before you bought it in the first place. Why do you feel you need to keep up with the neighbors? If they get a big 4 X 4 does that mean you have to? Ask yourself why you feel you have to do that?

10) Develop compassion, patience and tolerance for your fellow people.
Happiness comes from relationships you have with people. We are all very complicated and can have our negative aspects. Developing compassion, patience and tolerance for others will go a long way to having better relationships with people. Accepting how different we all are is the starting point the rest is up to you!

What methods for addressing balance in your life worked for you? Let me know by leaving a comment below!

Good luck,
Allen

Self Help For Lazy People - Revisited

Hi there,

This is the post that kicked off this site and I felt (since it is one year later) it would be time for a re-run. If the television networks can have summer re-runs I don't see why I cant either :-) ...

Let me know what you think .. one year later?

Allen



Photo By N. Ireland Wallpapers / Desktop Backgrounds
There is a common thread to all self help books. Instead of having to fork out hard earned cash to hear the same message again and again - why not just follow the tips listed below and it will save you time and money. I have called this post "Self Help and Personal Development for Lazy People".

1) Relax - This doesn't mean to zombie out in front of the television. This means taking 10-20 minutes of your day to do NOTHING. There are various ways in which you can relax.

a) Meditation.
b) Progressive Muscle Relaxation.
c) Deep breathing.
d) Yoga.

You will find if you do this on a regular basis that you will be less susceptible to the symptoms of bad stress and you will not be as tired.

2) Take regular physical exercise - It doesn’t have to be anything special - a daily 20 minute walk would be enough and if you feel like doing more you will. Start with small amounts of enjoyable exercise. Don't be going off all gung ho.

3) Eat a balanced diet. There has been so much written on this. I think you know what you should eat more off and what you should cut down on.

4) Sleep well - Go to bed and get up at the same time everyday. Listen to your body - everyone needs different amounts of sleep. You know what the right amount is for you. If you have a television in your bedroom - get rid of it! The bedroom should be used for two things and one of them is sleeping. See your sleep as an investment in order to feel better during the day.

5) Socialize - Spend time with family and friends on a regular basis. Try not to isolate yourself.

6) Keep a journal - These are great places to express your feelings, review what happened during the day and solve problems. Get your problems out of your head and onto paper and you will feel less overwhelmed by them.

7) Help other people - It’s simple. You help others - they will feel good and you will feel good. The world will be a better place if we all did this.

8) Keep close to nature - Go for walks in the country, do some gardening and basically anything that will remind you that there is more to this earth than us!

9) Develop a spiritual life - Christianity, Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism - whatever is your thing.

10) Laugh - Keep a sense of humor about life! In a hundred years you will be dead so lighten up and enjoy it.

11) Watch less T.V. - There are a few programs I really like. I usually tape them so I can choose when to watch them. Watching less T.V. will free so much of your time up to go and do so many other things. I get my news from listening to the radio or the internet. Again you don’t have to cut it out all together but you have to ask yourself – does anyone benefit from watching Big Brother?

12) Listen – If you give someone who is talking to you 100% of your attention you will feel more relaxed and responsive to that person. Your mind will not be rushing on to the next thing that needs to be done and the person who is talking to you will respond warmly to your attention.

13) De-clutter your life - Strive for a minimalistic life style. What do you want with all the stuff? How many little dust collectors do you have that you can get rid off? Stop listening to all those ads. If you buy THAT it will NOT make you happy. Keep things simple!

14) Get organized - Manage your time better at work prioritize your tasks. Stop procrastinating. Keep your home clean and well organized. You will feel better and less frustrated. Time is a precious quantity - look after it.

Finally ..

15) Think for yourself - You don’t have to blindly follow people and do what everyone else is doing. You don’t have to follow the culture in which you live if you don’t agree with it. You are your own unique and special individual. You are not to be classified or labeled! You are YOU! No other person has ever existed – quite like you. No other person will ever exist again like you. Listen to your feelings more and think for yourself. Do not blindly accept things just because other people do. Be true to yourself and you will be more fully human and in the end happier.

I hope you find this post useful… If you follow the tips above, I can guarantee you will feel better.

Good Luck,
Allen

If you liked this you might like to read:
How to Stop Obsessive Worry for Lazy People
50 Self Nuturing Activities for Lazy People

p.s. More posts along this topic will follow soon including ...
How To Get Exercise and Avoid The Gym for Lazy People and
How to be Assertive for Lazy People.

Click here for professional e-commerce and website development.

Self Help For Lazy People - Revisited

Hi there,

This is the post that kicked off this site and I felt (since it is one year later) it would be time for a re-run. If the television networks can have summer re-runs I don't see why I cant either :-) ...

Let me know what you think .. one year later?

Allen



Photo By N. Ireland Wallpapers / Desktop Backgrounds
There is a common thread to all self help books. Instead of having to fork out hard earned cash to hear the same message again and again - why not just follow the tips listed below and it will save you time and money. I have called this post "Self Help and Personal Development for Lazy People".

1) Relax - This doesn't mean to zombie out in front of the television. This means taking 10-20 minutes of your day to do NOTHING. There are various ways in which you can relax.

a) Meditation.
b) Progressive Muscle Relaxation.
c) Deep breathing.
d) Yoga.

You will find if you do this on a regular basis that you will be less susceptible to the symptoms of bad stress and you will not be as tired.

2) Take regular physical exercise - It doesn’t have to be anything special - a daily 20 minute walk would be enough and if you feel like doing more you will. Start with small amounts of enjoyable exercise. Don't be going off all gung ho.

3) Eat a balanced diet. There has been so much written on this. I think you know what you should eat more off and what you should cut down on.

4) Sleep well - Go to bed and get up at the same time everyday. Listen to your body - everyone needs different amounts of sleep. You know what the right amount is for you. If you have a television in your bedroom - get rid of it! The bedroom should be used for two things and one of them is sleeping. See your sleep as an investment in order to feel better during the day.

5) Socialize - Spend time with family and friends on a regular basis. Try not to isolate yourself.

6) Keep a journal - These are great places to express your feelings, review what happened during the day and solve problems. Get your problems out of your head and onto paper and you will feel less overwhelmed by them.

7) Help other people - It’s simple. You help others - they will feel good and you will feel good. The world will be a better place if we all did this.

8) Keep close to nature - Go for walks in the country, do some gardening and basically anything that will remind you that there is more to this earth than us!

9) Develop a spiritual life - Christianity, Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism - whatever is your thing.

10) Laugh - Keep a sense of humor about life! In a hundred years you will be dead so lighten up and enjoy it.

11) Watch less T.V. - There are a few programs I really like. I usually tape them so I can choose when to watch them. Watching less T.V. will free so much of your time up to go and do so many other things. I get my news from listening to the radio or the internet. Again you don’t have to cut it out all together but you have to ask yourself – does anyone benefit from watching Big Brother?

12) Listen – If you give someone who is talking to you 100% of your attention you will feel more relaxed and responsive to that person. Your mind will not be rushing on to the next thing that needs to be done and the person who is talking to you will respond warmly to your attention.

13) De-clutter your life - Strive for a minimalistic life style. What do you want with all the stuff? How many little dust collectors do you have that you can get rid off? Stop listening to all those ads. If you buy THAT it will NOT make you happy. Keep things simple!

14) Get organized - Manage your time better at work prioritize your tasks. Stop procrastinating. Keep your home clean and well organized. You will feel better and less frustrated. Time is a precious quantity - look after it.

Finally ..

15) Think for yourself - You don’t have to blindly follow people and do what everyone else is doing. You don’t have to follow the culture in which you live if you don’t agree with it. You are your own unique and special individual. You are not to be classified or labeled! You are YOU! No other person has ever existed – quite like you. No other person will ever exist again like you. Listen to your feelings more and think for yourself. Do not blindly accept things just because other people do. Be true to yourself and you will be more fully human and in the end happier.

I hope you find this post useful… If you follow the tips above, I can guarantee you will feel better.

Good Luck,
Allen

If you liked this you might like to read:
How to Stop Obsessive Worry for Lazy People
50 Self Nuturing Activities for Lazy People

p.s. More posts along this topic will follow soon including ...
How To Get Exercise and Avoid The Gym for Lazy People and
How to be Assertive for Lazy People.

Click here for professional e-commerce and website development.

Secret #87 Invest Time Thinking About Time

"The common man is not concerned about the passage of time, the man of talent is driven by it."
- Shoppenhauer

Secret #86 Consider the Devil's Time Management Strategy

If the Devil can't make you bad, he'll try to make you busy.

Yes, you've heard this before.

But have you ever stopped to think about the potential truths embedded in this saying?

Or are you just too... busy?

In your opinion, why is busyness the next best thing to badness in the Devil's strategy? I'd love to share your insights with people from all over the world--so please leave your thoughts by clicking the comment link below.

Secret #85 The Implications of "Time Flies"

If time flies, then it's up to YOU to be the pilot.

How's your piloting skills these days?

Secret #82 Get the RIGHT Things Done

Forget about getting things done.

Instead, get the most important things done.

If you think it's time to rethink time management, check out Don't Believe a Clean Desk Means You're Efficient and True Confessions of a Time Management Loser.

Secret #76 Pink Floyd on Time Management

????????????????????

Time
From The Dark Side of the Moon

Ticking away the moments that make up a dull day
You fritter and waste the hours in an off hand way
Kicking around on a piece of ground in your home town
Waiting for someone or something to show you the way

Tired of lying in the sunshine staying home to watch the rain
You are young and life is long and there is time to kill today
And then one day you find ten years have got behind you
No one told you when to run, you missed the starting gun

And you run and you run to catch up with the sun, but its sinking
And racing around to come up behind you again
The sun is the same in the relative way, but youre older
Shorter of breath and one day closer to death

Every year is getting shorter, never seem to find the time
Plans that either come to naught or half a page of scribbled lines
Hanging on in quiet desperation is the English way
The time is gone, the song is over, thought I'd something more to say

Secret #70 Consistency Isn't Always a Virtue

Take a good look at the picture above and think about it.

Consistency is only a virute if you're hitting the bull's-eye.

When it comes to managing your time (and life):
1. Have you clarified with painful specificity what the bull's-eye is for this season of your life?
2. Are YOU hitting the bull's-eye?

If you can't answer these two questions, then it doesn't really matter how consistent you are.

How to take Micropauses

Hi Everyone,
A micropause is a very short break that one can take when working at your desk or computer. It is a very important method of reducing the chances of developing an occupational injury at work. About a year ago I had to go on sick leave as my neck had frozen due to sitting at my desk for long periods without taking the appropriate breaks. A micropause need only be 20-30 secs and could involve looking away from your computer or carrying out some simple stretching exercises. I will write more on this later.

In the mean time check out http://www.cheqsoft.com/break.html . I have been using this tool and it really helps me manage the micropauses and longer breaks. I need something to FORCE me to take the breaks! The demo is free to download and as far as I can see you can keep using it without having to pay for it. Although you need to restart it daily to keep using it.

Give it a whirl and let me know what you think!

Allen

How to take Micropauses

Hi Everyone,
A micropause is a very short break that one can take when working at your desk or computer. It is a very important method of reducing the chances of developing an occupational injury at work. About a year ago I had to go on sick leave as my neck had frozen due to sitting at my desk for long periods without taking the appropriate breaks. A micropause need only be 20-30 secs and could involve looking away from your computer or carrying out some simple stretching exercises. I will write more on this later.

In the mean time check out http://www.cheqsoft.com/break.html . I have been using this tool and it really helps me manage the micropauses and longer breaks. I need something to FORCE me to take the breaks! The demo is free to download and as far as I can see you can keep using it without having to pay for it. Although you need to restart it daily to keep using it.

Give it a whirl and let me know what you think!

Allen

Lifehack: Use a Spreadsheet to See Where Time is Going?

We all wonder where our time is going. In this lifehack for lazy people I suggest keeping a spreadsheet to clearly show how your time is being spent each day.

Here is how:

1) Create a table with days as columns and tasks as rows.

2) Create an extra column just after the list of tasks where you can assign a "weight" to a task. I use a scale of -3 to +3. Where -3 is awarded to a task that is very wasteful of your time e.g. mindless web surfing and +3 gets awarded to an important task that helps you towards your goals. Less important gets 2, less again gets 1 .. all the way down to -3.

3) Split your day column into two further columns one for the hours you worked on the task and a second calculated column that will be the result of :
TIME Worked on task X the weight.

4) Record the hours you spend on a task - and be honest - and let the spreadsheet calculate a score for the day. If you work eight hours per day and do nothing but the most important tasks all day that would be a top score of 24(8 hours times weight 3). Knowing this means you can calculate a daily productivity percentage. So if I scored only 12 points for a day then I was only 50% productive.


You can expand on this as much as you want e.g. using pie charts and trending graphs to clearly show where your time is going?

I have found this a great method of tracking where I spend my time and what I must do to improve my productivity.

Good Luck,
Allen

Lifehack: Use a Spreadsheet to See Where Time is Going?

We all wonder where our time is going. In this lifehack for lazy people I suggest keeping a spreadsheet to clearly show how your time is being spent each day.

Here is how:

1) Create a table with days as columns and tasks as rows.

2) Create an extra column just after the list of tasks where you can assign a "weight" to a task. I use a scale of -3 to +3. Where -3 is awarded to a task that is very wasteful of your time e.g. mindless web surfing and +3 gets awarded to an important task that helps you towards your goals. Less important gets 2, less again gets 1 .. all the way down to -3.

3) Split your day column into two further columns one for the hours you worked on the task and a second calculated column that will be the result of :
TIME Worked on task X the weight.

4) Record the hours you spend on a task - and be honest - and let the spreadsheet calculate a score for the day. If you work eight hours per day and do nothing but the most important tasks all day that would be a top score of 24(8 hours times weight 3). Knowing this means you can calculate a daily productivity percentage. So if I scored only 12 points for a day then I was only 50% productive.


You can expand on this as much as you want e.g. using pie charts and trending graphs to clearly show where your time is going?

I have found this a great method of tracking where I spend my time and what I must do to improve my productivity.

Good Luck,
Allen

10 Commandments for Everyday Life

Photo By N. Ireland Wallpapers / Desktop Backgrounds

Hi there!

Don't worry, I do not have a God complex. It was just I was thinking to myself if there could be Ten Commandments that one could have for everyday life. I am not saying that the original commandments are not relevant but I wondered if I could write ten very succinct points that I feel could help us all right now today. Most of us don’t kill people. Most of us don’t steel and hopefully I haven’t done much coveting for a while. So let us say that most of you out there follow the Ten Commandments or something like it. What other ten commandments would you feel could help you in your day to day life? Here is what I think Ten Commandments for everyday life could be.

1) Thou shall think for one’s self.

2) Thou shall develop compassion, patience, tolerance, love and forgiveness in all aspects of ones’ life.

3) Thou shall remember that life is a classroom and thou are the student.

4) Thou shall eat well and find a physical exercise that one will enjoy and practice regularly.

5) Thou shall remember there is more to life than work.

6) Thou shall practice a relaxation exercise daily.

7) Thou shall not worship material things and remember that they shall bring only short term peace.

8) Thou shall be the person one is meant to be not the person one thinks one should be.

9) Thou shall remember that thou are unique and have one’s own thoughts and feelings and have the right to be uniquely you.

10) Thou shall not forget about the Spirit. Thou are more than flesh and bone. Thou have a deep need to find meaning and a connection with a higher power. Find one’s own path to that higher power and do not necessarily follow the path one has inherited.

What Ten Commandments for everyday life would you have?

Good luck!
Allen

10 Commandments for Everyday Life

Photo By N. Ireland Wallpapers / Desktop Backgrounds

Hi there!

Don't worry, I do not have a God complex. It was just I was thinking to myself if there could be Ten Commandments that one could have for everyday life. I am not saying that the original commandments are not relevant but I wondered if I could write ten very succinct points that I feel could help us all right now today. Most of us don’t kill people. Most of us don’t steel and hopefully I haven’t done much coveting for a while. So let us say that most of you out there follow the Ten Commandments or something like it. What other ten commandments would you feel could help you in your day to day life? Here is what I think Ten Commandments for everyday life could be.

1) Thou shall think for one’s self.

2) Thou shall develop compassion, patience, tolerance, love and forgiveness in all aspects of ones’ life.

3) Thou shall remember that life is a classroom and thou are the student.

4) Thou shall eat well and find a physical exercise that one will enjoy and practice regularly.

5) Thou shall remember there is more to life than work.

6) Thou shall practice a relaxation exercise daily.

7) Thou shall not worship material things and remember that they shall bring only short term peace.

8) Thou shall be the person one is meant to be not the person one thinks one should be.

9) Thou shall remember that thou are unique and have one’s own thoughts and feelings and have the right to be uniquely you.

10) Thou shall not forget about the Spirit. Thou are more than flesh and bone. Thou have a deep need to find meaning and a connection with a higher power. Find one’s own path to that higher power and do not necessarily follow the path one has inherited.

What Ten Commandments for everyday life would you have?

Good luck!
Allen