Take Back Your Time

About 8 years ago I joined a health and fitness program. One of the first things they asked the group of newbies is "What is your biggest obstacle to sticking with your health and fitness?"

The majority response was "I don't have time."

The leader asked us all to take a moment to reframe that statement. She said "Time is always there. You get to choose how to use it. Instead of saying I didn't have time...try saying it wasn't a priority."

She asked us all to say aloud "My health isn't a priority".

Then she asked how stating that that made us feel. For me, it made me sad because it wasn't the truth. My health is a priority and it was the awareness that I hadn't prioritized it that felt saddening. She was right. I made time for a million other things, some of which weren't nearly as important as my health.

She then asked us to all say aloud.

"My health is a priority and therefore it deserves my time!"

What she was doing was reseting our mindset and our beliefs. She was getting us all to stop using time as an excuse and face the reality that we do have time for what matters most. If heath was a priority we had to adjust how we used our time to make it a priority.

So I will ask you the same thing. Do you use time as an excuse or do use time as a tool to leverage your goals?

Look at your to-do list. What has been on there for months or even years.

• lose weight
• pay down debt
• take that trip
• get a promotion

Is one of your reasons why you haven't done those things because "You don't have the time?"

Try saying "Taking that trip isn't a priority" If that feels true when you say it aloud then scratch it off your to do list - forget about it- focus on what matters most. BUT IF saying that feels false - find away to realign your time to match your priorities.

This is how you take back your time!