Tuesday, 30 July 2013 00:00

Time Flies or …. Time Lies?

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Whether it is the best of times or the worst of times, it's the only time we've got
Art Buchwald

The other day, while in the shower shampooing my hair, so many thoughts and schedules were ricocheting around my head that I accidentally conditioned my arm instead of my hair. I kid you not! My first thought was thank goodness no one saw that. Then I pretended nothing had happened and put conditioner on my hair as intended.

But of course something had actually happened and deep down I knew I couldn't really ignore it. It's been a busy time with moving house, arranging a trip away and a booming coaching practice to keep me on my toes. I took this incident as a sign that I needed to slow down.

These days many of us live with a slightly pressured feeling that no matter how hard we strive there is always something we haven't got to or that isn't getting the attention it needs. In fact, the most common concern I hear from clients is that they won't have the time to do what they need to do. In coaching speak, this translates to 'not having enough time to achieve your goals and live the life you want'.

People seem to have two ways of handling this, some push harder, work quicker and get more stressed, while others give up and collapse in a demotivated heap, eating junk food in front of the TV and not bothering to even try.

Happily, there are alternatives! Firstly, as with any change, acknowledging there is a problem and that you are unhappy with the situation is the starting point. It then becomes possible to look at options and find other ways of coping.

Interestingly enough, even when I do have enough time, that niggling feeling of not having enough time is still in the driving seat, urging me to hurry up. A statement like "I don't have enough time" might seem like a fact, but it isn’t. It is a belief and merely something you have been telling yourself, possibly for a very long time. By recognising that beliefs are not facts, we give ourselves space to choose our behaviour.

Experiment by slowing down and seeing what happens. Does the world come to a shuddering halt because you took your eye off the ball? I doubt it. In fact, the opposite often happens, the more relaxed and focused you are, the fewer mistakes you make and the easier life seems to trundle along.
Let me know how it goes.

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Comments  

# Subhadrika Sen 2016-08-06 13:47
Time is probably the only 'thing' which is its own master and the slave of none. at times, we do feel that theres lots to do but very little time and in that feeling we forget what we have accomplished within the time that we had, which is not possible for many other people.
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# - Soul Sense Coaching 2016-08-09 17:41
Brilliant perspective, Subhadrika. I love that phrase, it's own master and slave of none!
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# Ratisha 2016-08-05 18:17
My dad always tell me ' If you don't respect time, time will not respect you'. It has defined me in such a big way that I owe much of my success to it. Sometimes, yes, there are lazy times too and reflecting times when I veg out in my garden for hours at stretch.
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# - Soul Sense Coaching 2016-08-05 19:48
I like that about respecting time, it has a kind of flexibility to it which allows for some time out. Wise man, your dad!
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# Milton Coyne 2016-08-04 19:13
This is really an interesting topic... i personally think that we all have time to do the things we want but the problem is there are factors in life that will always drive us down....lazines s for example can prevent you from doing things you are supposed to do....discourag ement and demotivation can also prevent you from pursuing something...
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# - Soul Sense Coaching 2016-08-04 21:03
Laziness is one I know well, nothing drains enthusiasm like good old fashioned laziness.
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# Ana De- Jesus 2016-08-04 12:38
I feel like I need to pause life because I think that sometimes time does lie and I put off things because I feel I don't have enough time when I do!
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# - Soul Sense Coaching 2016-08-04 16:45
I love the word pause, Ana, it is not stop, it's just taking a moment to catch your breath. Hmm, I think i am going to take one of those right now!
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# Crystal 2016-08-03 18:03
Haha, that's hilarious! I do things like that too where I put a glob of facewash in my hand thinking it was shampoo or conditioner. Some weeks are just so busy, it's kinda hilarious :)
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# - Soul Sense Coaching 2016-08-03 18:24
So glad to hear it is not just me who does daft things on occasion!
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# lex 2016-08-03 10:31
The feeling of not having enough time gives the feeling that time lies,,, hahahahahaha this post reminds me of my laziness at doig things promptly
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# - Soul Sense Coaching 2016-08-03 18:22
Time is such a funny thing, it speeds up and slows down at will and now that you mention it, Lex, I use lack of time as an excuse to rush something I don't want to do. Lol! I wish you hadn't pointed that out...
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# - Soul Sense Coaching 2016-08-03 08:59
Thanks Anmol.
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# Anmol Singhi 2016-08-03 08:29
Great article :)
Keep the good work up :)
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