In our very, very connected world we unfortunately waste time. It’s so easy to do it. It’s like overeating or drinking. I’m experiencing how easy it’s been for me to waste time since I’m in Ireland traveling to large cities, small towns and even villages. I purchased a SIM card for my phone and getting decent WIFI some places. I’m having to really manage my time on line, so I can stay connected enough to get the work done that is necessary for me to relax on vacation. I’m on a data diet for sure. And I have to say while it’s a bit tough, it’s not nearly as bad as some of the food diets I’ve subjected myself to. I’m sharing this so that it will hopefully help you and help me better manage my time/data.
So remember that tip we’ve all heard about only looking at email a few set times during the day? “Brilliant” as they say here. And how about only responding to messages you really need to and deleting or moving to “Save for Upon Return” folder? Again, “brilliant”! Facing the fact that data is dished out to me like sugar on a fasting or Keto diet rather than the way they pour Guinness in Ireland, makes me focus only on what I need to. And doing so leaves me more time for vacation.
So how come we’re all bad at managing our time? How come we inherently know that if we do, we’ll have more time for what we enjoy? Maybe it is more like dieting than we think. Maybe we feel like we’re depriving ourselves. Why can’t we see the benefits? I don’t have the big answers there, but I do think it’s wise to give it some thought. Maybe it’s like no one wants eat healthy all the time, but to have good health we’re happy to bring it into our lives. I’m thinking if there was some automatic way to measure the fun, rewarding or relaxing hours the way they measure electricity in Europe – on/off switches for outlets, we’d do better.
What I know for sure is that taking extended time away for most of us works best if there’s a blend of work and vacation. Ahhh, maybe that’s it! We look at our lives like a big holiday that we fit work into…not the other way around. Ok, probably a bit far-fetched, but I’m grateful for this time to enjoy a holiday and at the end take back some helpful routines to ensure it’s cool to plan the next vacation away. Brilliant, if I do say so. Which by the way, is going to be my replacement word for “awesome”… it just seems, well, brighter and much less over used. Feel free to use it as well, because I’ve learned that you won’t feel like you’re impersonating or offending the Irish, as they’ve told me it’s perfectly fine. As a matter of fact, feel free to use it just after finishing blogs like this!
