I Wish I'd had More Time: In Hot Pursuit of Discipline and Mastery

I sat on the front row making fart noises by cupping my hand up under my arm and flapping my elbow like a scared chicken.

"Donley" The teacher whispered. She put her finger against her lips and glared in my direction.

I put my hands in my lap and mouthed the word sorry.

I looked around the room, as usual, watching my classmates continue to work on the assignment that I finished with ease.

Without thinking about it, My foot started tapping out a metronome that I used as the high hat sounds of an imagery drum beat. Before long I found myself tapping my fist and pencil on the desk. I started humming and bobbing my head.

"Shhhh!" The teacher again, leaned back in her chair with her arms crossed.

I folded my arms and looked up at the ceiling until I felt her eyes go back to the work on her desk. Under the desk, my foot continued to tap.

"Dude, your fro is in the way." a voice whispered behind me as I looked up at the flickering lights.

I started shaking my curly hair side to side which caused a stir of laughter amongst some students in the class.

"Donley. Shhhh."

Back and forth she would go each day between "Donley" and "Shhhh".

Of course when it came time for my report card to come out. This topic was always highlighted in a category called, "used time wisely". I was always marked as unsatisfactory.

My pride was hurt that I didn't get the top grade in this category as I had in so many others.

I sat down with my mother and asked her what it meant to "use time wisely."

I wish I could share with you the profound wisdom she poured upon me. However, by the time she started to answer, I was already thinking about the Bermuda Triangle or some other flash of inspiration that floated like a lily pad on the surface of my mind.

As I grew through high school into college, my mentors, advisors, and teachers always told me the same thing. You have to learn how to "use time wisely."

Around this same time, I experienced loss in my life. People who were close to me started to die and I would hear many people say things like, "There wasn't enough time." or "I wish we had more time." The mystery from my elementary days resurfaced, now paired with more questions. How does one, "use time wisely"? Is using time wisely dependent upon the amount of time one has? If we had our wish granted to have more time, would that precipitate us gaining more wisdom?

I began to understand the statement, "Use time wisely" and realized that the whole mystery was encapsulated in the actions of that boy sitting at the desk in the front row of his elementary classroom making fart noises.

I reasoned that time is not something we can use. We exist in it. (One may even argue that it uses us.) I likened time to the unconscious rhythm that my foot tapped out all those years ago as I sat at that desk. The beat that pushed me into action.

Time is the metronome.

While my foot tapped out those rhythms at the desk, my unfocused mind latched on to any fleeting thought and all I began to do was make noise. My actions served only to distract, disrupt, and deter the development of others.

I found the following.

Wisdom is thinking and acting on ideas and thoughts that produce a product, service, or system that is beneficial to all who live within the ticks between the taps. Within that interval of time wisdom facilitates the production of meaning.

Furthermore, not thinking we had enough or, wish that we had more time with those we loved or an action we wanted to complete, is to miss the deeper priority.

Time, or the foot tap, does not need to be increased to implement wisdom and meaning. What is required is a firm grasp of the concept of NOW without fear or concern for the THEN of time. All action is rooted in the Discipline of time management, culminating in the Mastery of time management.

Every waking moment acted upon with intent and focus is the use of wisdom, for the fulfillment of purpose and meaning while exiting in the interval between NOW and THEN.

Here are a few steps that I would send back to that little boy with the golden afro to help him take action that would help him use time wisely.

Discipline in Tim Management:

1. Example: Establishing a daily routine and adhering to it consistently, including designated times for work, exercise, meals, and leisure.

? ?- Immediate Action Step: Right now, set a timer for the next 25 minutes and focus solely on completing a specific task without any distractions.

2. Example: Creating a to-do list or task schedule for the day and checking off items as they are completed, ensuring productivity and accountability.

? ?- Immediate Action Step: Take a few minutes to prioritize your tasks for the day, write them down in order of importance, and commit to completing them one by one.

3. Example: Setting boundaries with time-consuming activities such as social media or unnecessary meetings, allowing for more focused and efficient use of time.

? ?- Immediate Action Step: Turn off notifications on your phone or computer for the next hour to minimize distractions and maximize productivity during a dedicated work period.

Mastery in Time Management:

1. Example: Developing expertise in time estimation and task planning, accurately predicting how long tasks will take while allocating time in accordance.

? ?- Immediate Action Step: Take a moment to estimate how long it will take to complete your current task, then set a timer for that amount of time to maintain focus and efficiency.

2. Example: Implementing advanced productivity techniques such as the Pomodoro Technique or time blocking, optimizing workflow while maximizing productivity.

? ?- Immediate Action Step: Experiment with the Pomodoro Technique by setting a timer for 25 minutes of focused work, followed by a 5-minute break, and repeat.

3. Example: Analyzing and optimizing personal productivity habits and workflows, continuously refining techniques to achieve peak efficiency.

? ?- Immediate Action Step: Reflect on your most productive and least productive times of the day, and adjust your schedule to align with your natural energy levels for better efficiency.

By combining discipline to maintain consistent habits with mastery to refine and optimize time management skills, that little boy can make the most of his time and achieve his goals more effectively.

I am certain it can work for you as well.