When I share about my time, really what I’m sharing about is my mind. Because time management is about mind management. Time is time. It’s neutral and means nothing on its own. My personal mind management and self coaching is a work in progress, but my thoughts on time have evolved and I’m proud of the progress I’ve made.
Using the prefrontal cortex
As I wrote yesterday, the prefrontal cortex is the part of our brain that we want in charge most of the time. The prefrontal cortex uses reason to be deliberate with planning. Its more about delayed gratification than instant gratification. When planning/ scheduling time to create results, my prefrontal cortex is my gem. I use it and trust it.
Thinking intentionally
When we think about the Self Coaching Model, the thought line is the money maker. Or in this case, the time maker! I believe I have exactly enough time for the important things in my life and everything is put on my schedule with intention. It’s when we start to think we don’t have enough time or life is happening to us that we end up in a downward spiral. Believing that is a choice and whatever you choose to believe, you will prove true.
Feeling uncomfortable
Planning and scheduling time is empowering for me when I’m doing it. But often times when I get to something on my calendar that needs to get done, I don’t want to do it. Most of the time that’s because I don’t know how to do all of it so my brain wants to procrastinate. Procrastination is just a pit of indecision and confusion, neither or which are helpful emotions. In those instances when I don’t want to do something, I choose to feel uncomfortable and move through it on purpose.
Doing it anyway
Feeling uncomfortable and moving through it on purpose means obeying the calendar and doing the thing anyway. Somedays this is the hardest part and sometimes it’s the easiest part, but it’s always the most important part. After the initial planning stage, this is where the prefrontal cortex comes back into play. I’ve learned that I must keep the evolved side of the brain in charge here and do what I planned or else it’s all to easy to fall trap to the primitive brain. And the primitive brain is way more fond of Netflix binges then work. Doing what was planned anyway reenforces the prefrontal cortex brain power so this part gets easier the more I do it.
Getting things done
The result is getting all the things done, deliberate and with intention. I am highly productive because I think and plan with intention then I get uncomfortable and do it anyway.
It’s as good as gold.
A change in action must be backed by a change in belief to create any lasting change, especially when it comes to how we use our time. If your time is more valuable than money, do you want to use it with intention or blow through it and wonder where it went?
INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE ABOUT WHAT IT TAKES TO HAVE A PERFORMANCE MINDSET?
