Resources to Reclaim Your Time

To say the last two months have been hectic would be an understatement. My world has been a whirlwind of projects, events, audits, deadlines, and never-ending to do lists. Needless to say, my personal time has been nill and my belly dance practice has fallen by the wayside. In short, I've been busy.

Busy. That ever present word in our modern day society. Ask someone how they are, and they'll likely tell you "busy". Some of us wear it like a badge of honor, with busy bestowing a mark of importance and purpose to the cycle of our lives. 

But if you're feeling like me and are ready to jump off the hamster wheel and reclaim your time for the activities that resonate most deeply with your spirit, consider utilizing some of the following resources and ideas to reclaim your time and ultimately your life.

1. Discover how you spend your time. It might surprise you. Most of us actually have more time than we think, but we fritter it way with social media, Internet browsing, and TV watching. Consider tracking your time for a week or two to discover how you really spend your days. If you sign up for time guru Laura Vanderkam's newsletter, she'll send you a free template for time tracking. Or you can create your own template. If you want to take it a step further, read Laura's book, 168 Hours.
2. Get organized. You can't use your time wisely if you can't keep track of what needs to be done and where you're supposed to be. If you don't already have some type of planner system for tracking appointments and to dos, get one. I personally like my iPhone calendar coupled with Toodledo. It's free to open an account on the Toodledo website, while the Toodledo iPhone app is $3.99. I use both and they automatically sync with each other. The website/app allows you to create categories, set recurring tasks, prioritize by importance, and set reminders. I love it. However, if you are more of a paper planner gal, try the cute planners over at Erin Condren. They also have lesson planners that belly dance teachers could utilize for planning their dance classes.
3. Manage your passwords. Ever wasted time searching for an account password? Ever practically pulled out your hair in frustration because you can't get logged-in into an account, or your account is frozen from one too many incorrect tries? Then try a password manager. iTunes offers a number of choices, including a free and well-reviewed one by Norton. 
4. Let it go. Is there something on your to do list that you don't really need to do? Be honest now. Are there things listed that you feel you should do, but aren't really necessary? Analyze your list and see if there are things you can let go of or perhaps delegate to someone else. Hello kids and husband! 
5. Schedule time with yourself. Want to have time to practice your dance, attend a class, exercise, or cook a healthy meal? Then schedule it. Most people's schedules only include time they have scheduled with others, while any time they need for themselves gets whatever is leftover, which usually isn't much. Want to fit in a belly dance practice session? Look at your upcoming week and block out the time for yourself right now. 
6. Explore further to reclaim even more time. Like where this is going? Then consider reclaiming even more of your time by pursuing time management best selling books or utilizing more tools to stay organized. 

Photo Credit: Unknown

Permission Slip to Say No

This is your permission slip to say no. That's right, no.

Say it with me. No.

As women it seems we frequently feel the need to say yes. We want to please other people and make them happy, and by result, end up saying yes even when we don't really want to.

But this often creates the problem of living a life that doesn't always align with one's own core values and interests. Of having a schedule that is overly full. Of not being able to find peace of mind and settle into the present moment.  We need to stop being busy just for the sake of being busy, or for fear of displeasing others. You're worth isn't defined by your achievements or the fullness of your date book.  Sometimes less is more, so that's why I'm granting you a permission slip this month to say no. 

What can saying no do for you?  Maybe you'd like to find more time for your belly dancing or for another hobby or activity. Then saying no can help you to reclaim your time.  It can clear up large blocks on your schedule.   Maybe you don't really need to attend a book club meeting for a novel that doesn't interest you, or go to you child's PTA meeting.  Maybe someone else can take on the extra project at work or drive the carpool for once.   I'm not advocating never doing anything for anyone else, but rather advocating taking a step back and re-finding your balance. As Paulo Coehlo said, "When you say 'yes' to others, make sure you aren't saying 'no' to yourself." Make sure you aren't inadvertently saying no to your dance.

Summertime especially can be a busy time for dancers with many festivals occurring, and also frequently more private parties.  Thus maybe you're feeling the opposite and burnt out with too many dance commitments; saying yes to shows or other dance-related events you feel you should say yes to, but deep down, don't really want to attend or participate in. Sometimes taking on all the gigs you can squeeze in, in the hopes of breaking-through to another artistic level, or to get your foot in the door professionally is what you have to do.  But sometimes we also need to give ourselves a break.   If that's what you're feeling, then permission granted to say no my darlings.

As we sail through the final weeks of summer, find the time to savor them, engaged in the activities that resonate with you.  Maybe you'll find that you'd like time to:

...savor an afternoon cup of tea

 

 

...sew a new costume

 

.... soak in the tub

  

....or just take a nap

 

However it is you decide to enjoy your time, be present and savor the moment. 



 





Photo Credit (Top): jessiestarling.blogspot.com

Remaining Photos: Unknown

Two Steps to Find More Practice Time

We all know in reality that practice is easier said than done.  There are emails to answer, deadlines to complete, Facebook status updates to post, meals to prepare, children to wrangle, errands to run, and clothes to iron.  We live in the age of being busy.  Ask someone how they are, and they’ll likely tell you busy.  In our modern lifestyles, we all have so many demands on our time and never-ending to-do lists, that carving out time for a regular practice schedule gets pushed to the bottom, waiting for that someday, when we're all caught up to peacefully ease into a practice session.  Well, sorry to say, that day will never come.

However, by using two simple steps, I think you'll find that you can find the time to practice.  It doesn't need to be a complicated process of rearranging your entire life or trying to reshape your personality.  Two steps.  That's it.

 

Step #1: Block Out the Time 

The only way to have time to practice is to make time.  A magical day free of responsibilities and demands will never come.  You have to buy out the time.  So right now, before you read on, pull out your calendar, iPhone, planner pad, or whatever system it is you track your schedule on and look at your upcoming week.  Where in your week can you find time to practice?  You don’t need large blocks of time to do it.  Fifteen or thirty minutes here or there can really add up.  Find a minimum of one hour in the next week, either all together or broken into pieces, and pencil it in right now.  Block out that time for yourself before another activity fills it up.  Too many activities already on your calendar?  Then assess which commitments you really either have to or want to fulfill, versus which you said yes to out of pressure or feelings of obligation.  Your time is valuable, so use it to engage in activities that are fulfilling and meaningful to you. Presto!  You have a date with yourself.  Now keep it!

 

Worried that you won't stay accountable to yourself?  Then sign up for a class AND pay for it in advance.  When we invest financially in ourselves we are much more likely to follow through with our intentions. 

 

Step #2: Just Begin
Of course inevitably, when that day and time rolls around, there will probably be an assortment of new stresses that have come up that you originally did not anticipate.  You might be tired from the neighbor’s dog keeping you up the night before, or your husband’s snoring.  You might feel like you really should do the dishes first or give the kids a bath.  You might just feel burnt out and that an hour zoning out in front of the TV would be so much easier.  Whatever excuse or obligation it is, acknowledge it, and then let it go.  The hardest hurdle to cross is just starting.  It’s that initial step from inaction to action, from routine to change, that always likes to present itself with so much resistance.  Just begin.  Don’t think about it, debate it, or rationalize it.  Like Nike says, just do it.  If you had one whole hour written down and that seems like an unbearably long time, tell yourself you’ll do a minimum of five or ten minutes.  Once you start, you’re almost guaranteed to continue on longer.  This time is sacred to you.  Honor it by showing up.

Photo Credit: Unknown