Is Time Your Ally or Your Enemy? Join the debate!
17/07/20187
We’re debating a big question here, and we want to hear what YOU think…
Is time an ally or an enemy?
How do you feel about time? Do you see it as something on your side or as an obstacle to your success?
Do you feel there’s plenty of time, that there’s never enough of it, or something in between?
The approach we have to time can make a big difference to how we see our lives, as well as how we use our time.
For example, how you see time might affect:
- the way you respond to stress
- how you feel about accomplishing your life goals
- your enjoyment of life
What do YOU think?
Join the debate below! We’d love to hear your thoughts on this timeless topic.
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Ever since I got children, I feel that there is never enough time for me to do what I want to. I have to fit my schedule around their need. They demand a lot of time and attention.
Certainly spending time with them is pleasant and enjoyable for a bigger part of the time. They give a meaning to my life and have inspired me of looking for my passion and mission in life.
Meanwhile, this inevitably means that the energy and time left for my work and hobby become limited. The pace of work becomes lower, and the stress of life is higher. I accept my current state, and remain hopeful that there will be more free time after the children grow some years older.
Hi Phoenix
Thank you so much for sharing your story with us. I’m sure many mothers/parents, especially those with younger kids, will relate to this! Perhaps other busy parents in the Expat Nest community can share some of their more successful strategies for freeing up time.
Best wishes
Vivian
Time is my ally. How come? Naturally I’m an overachiever so I add 1-2 tasks – after prioritizing – to my daily to-do list and usually achieve up to 3-4 tasks. If I add to many things to my to-do list I get defocus, stressed out and usually do not properly accomplish eather of the tasks (meanwhile I have learned to pause instead). Therefore time is my ally coaching me to prioritize and enjoy the moment (no matter what my plan was – something our wonderful son taught me while growing up, me trying to balance work, family and me-time).
Hi Regina
Thank you for joining the discussion! I love that you approach time as a friend and ally who empowers you to reach your goals. This makes me realise: when I feel “a lack of time”, it doesn’t mean time is now my enemy – it means I need to re-evaluate what I’m doing and “befriend” time again.
What a wonderful idea – thank you!
Regards
Vivian
Dear Renina,
Thank you very much for sharing your experience with me! Indeed when I use a to-do list, I get things done more efficiently. Maybe I should use that more often!
Best.
Phoenix (Jinfeng)
I feel that time is my ally but equally my enemy.
I work in crisis mental health situations and feel sometimes there is never enough time to get through all the to-do tasks or find myself thinking I could just contact ‘one more’ client… this then leads to 2 or 3 more clients.
However I find that writing a realistic to-do list at the beginning of my day helps and this noticeably decreases my stress factor by seeing on paper what I need to do throughout the day.
Obviously there are sometimes obstacles in the way but I think you can make time your ally by accepting that we are unable to control absolutely everything around us.