Here I am, up to my eyeballs with washing my suitcase full of holiday clothes - the downside to holidays for sure. I've been sailing around the British Isles on a cruise ship fit for a King and Queen. It's been absolutely wonderful.
And today, I get to share in the celebrations as my nephew turns 21 and a surprise party is on the card. I can't believe he's 21. Time has flown by.
And that brings me onto the top of today’s blog- time. I wonder?…
Do you use your time wisely?
Are you super duper on it when it comes to who you spend time with?
Are you lacks with the perimeters of your social time around others and wait for them to tell you when it's time to go home? (I'm guilty of this one!)
Well, let's dive into the number one reason you might be running out of time and what to do about it...
WHAT ARE TIME BOUNDARIES?
The number one reason you are always running out of time is a lack of time boundaries. Time boundaries are perimeters, rules and standards that you set for yourself and others when it comes to your valuable seconds on this earth. Depending on how strict and/or lacks your boundaries are, you can run into challenges managing your time and how others treat us.
Here are some examples of how time boundaries show up in our lives:
Example 1:
Situation - You find that the same people are always running late (you know the repeat offenders) when meeting you this could be because you haven't set a time boundary with them and they feel able to enforce their own lax time boundaries with you.
Result - Enforce the boundary by stating that it would be great for them to make an effort to be on time when they meet you as you have waited a while and plus the fun can start earlier too.
Example 2:
Situation- You are at work and you have a big project that has to be finished. You are waiting on a document to add to the project from a colleague. Your colleague knows the deadline but has put other non-important work ahead of the document retrieval.
Result - Having a direct conversation with the colleague about the document and how time is a crucial factor in this and it should be prioritised is key here.
Example 3:
Situation: You will miss the last tube and have to get the night bus if you're friends don't decide to leave now. You don't want to go home on your own but you also need to get have a good night's sleep before work tomorrow.
Result: Speak up and make the first move to assert a time boundary on the night ending. If all goes to plan, you will be glad of the extra sleep, you can get the tube and you would have honoured your needs and time boundaries rather than going with the crowd.
WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF TIME BOUNDARIES?
You are able to honour who you are, what you need, your values and priorities rather than be at the mercy of other peoples' boundaries. It's a way of keeping you safe and most importantly, sacredly guard the most precious resource on earth - your time.
DO I HAVE UNHEALTHY TIME BOUNDARIES?
You will easily find out if you have unhealthy time boundaries because you will always be late, feel rushed in all aspects of your life and feel as though there are not enough minutes to do all that you need.* You could also potentially be adding people-pleasing and self-sabotaging with over-exerted expectations into unhealthy time boundaries too. As these usually go hand in hand.
WHAT CAN I DO ABOUT IT?
Start asserting your time boundaries and be consistent so others know where you stand. It's the simplest answer but can be tricky to navigate at times. However, don't let that put you off. As you move through this weekend, ask yourself these questions:
Where are my unhealthy time boundaries showing up in my life?
How can I speak up and set a boundary where there isn't one now?
Can I be consistent with asserting my boundary?
If not, why?
These questions will bring life-changing insights and if you choose to take action you will have more than enough time to live life on your terms.
Have a wonderful week,
Michelle
* I am mindful that other peoples' needs may affect your ability to assert time boundaries. Especially with non-negotiable obligations such as children and caring for loved ones. Be aware of how you are showing up with your time boundaries and notice if you can make any small changes at all - if any.
