Too Much To Do, Too Little Time... Or Is There?
I haven't written for a while, because I've had a lot on, and haven't felt like I've had much time. And in some ways that's true: I have just moved house, been ill, tried to sort out my old and new places, doing authory stuff, trying to write and having a full time job. So yes it has been a busy time, but I also think I've had more time than I've felt like.
Anyone else find the more you have to do the less you find yourself actually doing?? Otherwise known as PROCRASTINATION or wasting time doing stuff you don't need to be doing because you're worried about the stuff you do need to do. And how often do you do anything remotely useful when procrastinating?
I suppose you could say this blog post is part of procrastinating since it is not painting walls, buying smoke alarms or unpacking my clothes (which seem by the way to be multiplying all by themselves). But at the same time it is also important, it is part of my long term goal of having a prescence online as a writer.
It's the stuff that isn't part of the long term plan that's the problem. The stuff that isn't inline with where we want to go or what we want to achieve, or what we truly value in life. The stuff we do not because it is remotely helpful or truly makes us happy but just because it's easy or just there. Stuff like watching re-runs of comedies on e4 (Big Bang anyone?), mindless daytime TV, shopping for things we don't need etc. And I'm all for watching TV that we really like, such as new episodes of the x-files as long as it is within reason, and does not take too much of our time away from what is really important in our lives.
If you want to be a writer for instance an hour spent watching TV you've seen before, and don't particularly care about isn't going to help towards that, or probably any goals in your life. But an hour spent researching, taking notes, or writing a mere 200 words is infinitely better use of your time.
So instead of procrastinating, and using my limited time on this earth doing things that are pointless out of fear, or uncertainty, I'm going to try and use my time better. Because I think if I look at it properly I have a lot more time available to me than I seem to at first glance. And it doesn't mean I can't sometimes avoid the things I need to do - I think that part is inevitable - it just means that when I'm avoiding things (perhaps some of the bigger stuff I can't face at the moment), I avoid it knowingly, knowing it can't be avoided forever but instead of wasting my time I spend my time doing something that is useful. So if I can't be bothered painting or tidying I sign bookmarks, or I update my website, or I make notes for my novel, or anything that generally contributes to my longterm goals and happiness in life.
Because we might think all that easy, wasted time makes us happy. That all the avoiding of things makes life easier. But all it does is breed discontent, and leave us wishing that we had done more. Want to write a book in year? You can. You just can't also spend every evening watching reruns of The Big Bang Theory. And yes of course we do need time to rest and time to do things we like just for the sake of liking them - hobbies, sports, new TV programmes, whatever. But then we need to get back on with using or limited time well. Don't procrastinate and waste your life doing useless things. Think about what you truly want in life, and think about how you can get closer to achieveing them. Every day.
Do this and I think you will find you have more time than you think. You will get more useful stuff done, even if some of the useful stuff waits for a while still, you will still have achieved something by using your time well. You will be closer than you were to achieveing your goals.
There is more time than you think, but there is also less... cliched but true, life is shorter than you think. So even when things are hard or busy, use your time to do things that are important... when you look back that will have made you so much happier than sitting on your sofa, staring mindlessly at a time-zapping box.
Let me know how you get on! I'll update how I've been doing in a month or two.
