Life Coaching and Time Management

Time is precious. And while we tend to focus on productivity, efficiency, and doing more with less, there’s also something to be said for dolce far niente, an Italian phrase that means “the sweetness of doing nothing.”?

At ithrive31, our three core principles provide a model for positive and healthy living. Core Principle #2 is, “Be deliberate with your time and resources.” This principle is about how we choose to spend our time. It’s about aligning our time and resources with actions that will help us accomplish our goals.

We all have the same amount of time as everyone else. But we can make choices as to how we prioritize our time to focus on what matters most.?

During my coaching workshops, I invite participants to take a few minutes to reflect on the past 24 hours. Increasing awareness of where and how we spend our time can help us live more intentionally. It’s also an essential part of managing our energy to maintain sufficient capacity.?

For those who are seeking time management tips, here are a few ideas to consider:?

1. Give yourself permission to take breaks (Better yet, block time on your calendar)
2. Reset the default meeting duration (I personally like 45-minute meetings)
3. Try using the Pomodoro method (Pick a task, set a 25-minute timer, work on the task, take a 5-minute break; after 4 x 25-minute Pomodoros, take a 15-30 minute break)
4. Have a go-to routine for an unexpected break (If a meeting is canceled unexpectedly, try not to fill the time. Instead, go for a walk, make some tea, listen to some music, or read a book, etc.)

Notice that all of the suggestions above are strategies to try to build more breaks in your day. They are about cultivating time to pause so that we can be intentional with our time… and also prevent burnout!?

The phrase, “put your own oxygen mask on first” is a safety instruction on airplanes in the event of an emergency. It’s often used as a metaphor for taking care of ourselves before helping others, and I encourage us not to wait for an emergency before putting this into practice.?

Let’s strive to be more intentional about how we use our time. Let’s do our best to prioritize what matters most. And let’s harness the power of small breaks… maybe including “the sweetness of doing nothing!”