Take Advantage of the Time You Have

Right now, you have more time available to you than you will at any point in the rest of your working life.

If you are similar to many of the people I know, you likely have an abundance of time on your hands. Likely having more time on your hands now than you have had in quite some time. You might have received this time enthusiastically, or perhaps reluctantly. Regardless of your attitude about getting here, you are here. You may not like the circumstances of where you are, but here you are nonetheless.

I often say that no one has a lack of time, but rather, a lack of priorities. Whether you agree or not, I think there is some truth to that statement. Whether you are Elon Musk, Bill Gates, or the Joneses next door, everyone has the same 24 hours in a day. Many of us have an abundance of time right now, so why aren't we getting things done?

The primary reason we are struggling is a lack of focus. You likely began by taking advantage of this time to consume a lot of media. Many of my friends have been binging all of the shows they haven't gotten around to. I'll admit, I've taken this time to watch a few movies I hadn't gotten around to or catch up on a few shows. We have plenty of things to distract us; Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, Hulu, you name it! You're probably giving your Wi-Fi a run for its money.

You likely feel that every day has been less productive than the day before. But given that you aren't working, what else is there to do? Sure, you could be eating healthier or working out more (mainly talking to myself here) but what else can we do to be productive? I differ to the wisdom of Viktor E. Frankl "When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves."

When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves. - Viktor E. Frankl

Start with education. That doesn't mean pursuing a degree (although if that's the right move, go for it!). There are plenty of free/cheap/affordable options out there. Try something like Skillshare! They have a bunch of free courses on business, marketing, and leadership. They have even more classes offered through their premium membership (which is roughly the price of Netflix). Not for you? Pick up a book on the topic! If you aren't a reader, get an audiobook. You don't have to buy anything in order to get started here. Get a free trial on Audible or Kindle Unlimited. If you are already a Prime customer, you can borrow 10 books at a time through the Prime Reading program (select books). If that isn't enough for you, use your library. If your library is like mine, doors are locked and you cannot visit. That doesn't mean you aren't able to use their resources. Many libraries offer eBooks and audiobooks available to borrow for free through Libby. It's a free app, all you need is your library card. You can read directly on your smart device, or even send books and audiobooks to your Kindle. Check to see if your library has a digital program.

We can always benefit from education, but I also believe that we can use our intuition to improve ourselves. In his book Deep Work, Cal Newport states, "clarity about what matters provides clarity about what does not."

Clarity about what matters provides clarity about what does not. - Cal Newport

Reading about starting your own business is useful, and even productive, but you won't build a business by reading about it. You may not know how to start a business, but I bet you know several ways not to. Utilize that intuition to get started. You may not know how to market a product or build a website. Are you willing to learn about it? If not, who do you know who does? Many of us have heard of Walt Disney, but many of us don't know that Roy Disney, Walt's older brother, was just as important to the company. Walt Disney had the ideas, and Roy Disney dealt with all the business and finances. Disney has become a huge company. Surely Walt couldn't have accomplished this feat on his own. You may be in isolation, but that doesn't mean you're in this on your own. Many people have an abundance of time on their hands right now. Who do you know who can help you get started?

One of my favorite moments from The Office (which I may or may not have been binging during this quarantine) is when Jan Levinson is talking to Pam about an advancement opportunity at the company. Pam is the office receptionist and Jan works for corporate. In this scene, Pam is trying to decide whether to bet on herself or to keep doing exactly what she's doing. She begins by listing reason after reason for why she can't do it. Jan interrupts by saying, "there are always a million reasons not to do something." Even now, in isolation, you likely have a million reasons not to do what you've always wanted to. I get it. Before, it was long hours at work. Now, it's the craziness of your family and trying to get your kids to do their online classes. Even now, there are "a million reasons" why you can't do it. There are always a million reasons why you can't do it. I'm telling you that you're wrong. You have the time, you have the ability. There will never be a perfect time and there will never be a perfect moment. You will never do it perfectly, so just get started.

We need big ideas now more than ever. What have you always wanted to do that has scared you? Maybe you wanted to write a book, start a business, or pursue more education. Now is the time to pursue it! Accept that there are limitations that you cannot control and instead choose to focus on what you can. You may feel that everything has been taken from you; your job, your friends, human contact, toilet paper. You may feel that everything is out of your control. By accepting that as your truth, you are giving up the one thing you are able to control right now. We can't control what happens to us, only how we choose to respond. I can't say it better that it's been said before, so I'll leave you with this quote:

Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way. -Viktor E. Frankl

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