Finding time can begin with finding your heart. That might seem counter-intuitive, but think about it.  So often, when we are busy, the connection to our heart feels fainter. That, in turn, can start a constriction that leads straight to urgency, frustration and feeling that there’s simply not enough to go around.

When you feel yourself tighten like that, don’t panic.  Instead, know that you have found the perfect time to transform your world from the inside out!

Here’s how:  BE gratitude.

This dramatic shift in consciousness generates instant fulfillment. It may sound unbelievable, but give it a try.  ONLY when you experience how gratitude transforms your approach to life will you truly come to understand. You already possess EVERYTHING that you need in order to live with joy. And that is abundance!

Read the rest of this post »

Finding time to de-clutter is something that is often on our To Do Lists.  It can be one of those items that keeps getting moved from list to list – never quite making it to the top.

Why is that?  There are many reasons.  Other tasks can often seem more pressing and take priority.  Add to that the fact that many of us have difficulties with letting go, and you have a sure-fire recipe for procrastination.  I would add that when a task like de-cluttering becomes a “should” in our minds, then that alone can often bring out enough rebelliousness to keep the activity shelved!

Last night when I was putting my work away and getting ready to leave my office, a guest post by Barrie Davenport on Zen Habits caught my eye.  Titled “How to Simplify When You Love Your Stuff,” it offers ideas and insights about simplifying and simplicity that I found very intriguing – most especially her comments on mindfulness and balance.

Read the rest of this post »

Finding time to pause and reflect will always enhance your productivity and boost your energy. As a time management tool, taking a small break, a deep breath, and touching base with yourself is something that you can count on to recharge your batteries and refresh your attitude.

However, there is an entirely different way to engage in this activity that will not only do what’s mentioned above, but also will connect you with your core values and the wellsprings of your being. This is a gift you can give yourself that is fundamentally rejuvenating and transformative.

Not long ago I wrote an article, posted at E-zinearticles.com titled Time Management Tips – How to Energize Your Spirituality by Evolving Your Relationship With Time.  In it, I reflect on the deepening power of the choice that we can make, in each moment, to connect with our deepest selves. Perhaps, as Wallace Stevens wrote, “… the truth depends on a walk around the lake.”

Read the rest of this post »

Finding time to explore life’s mysteries is something that always enriches us in powerful and unexpected ways. It is also, often, the first thing that we set aside when life gets busy.  (And when is life NOT busy?!)

Among the fundamental mysteries of life, our own hearts and minds can frequently present us with some of the biggest puzzles. Do you find that to be true?

• Are there things that you shy away from without understanding why?

• Have you reacted strongly to something and then thought, “Hmmmm, I wonder where that came from?”

• Would you like to tune in more deeply to the stories that you tell yourself?

• Would you like to change some of those stories?  The ones that keep you from being your fullest and freest self … and stepping toward your cherished dreams?

Read the rest of this post »

Finding time to move skillfully through transitions requires that we use a variety of time management tools.  And happily, moving through transitions is something that often gets easier and easier with mindful practice.

If you step back and think about it, we humans are really in a constant state of transition, as is our environment.  Right now the moon is waxing toward fullness, and spring is moving toward summer in the northern hemisphere … while the opposite is occurring in the south.  Here in New Hampshire, our gardens are being planted, birds are nesting, and students are graduating into new life stages.

This morning, as thousands of people on the East Coast of the United States get themselves ready to make the daily transition from breakfast tables to work or school, births and deaths are also occurring in lives all around the world.  Time holds all of this – the most profound and the most mundane moments – in its flow.  I find this so fascinating!

Read the rest of this post »

Finding time to increase your productivity by creating and maintaining time boundaries is a foundational tool for attaining your goals.  But how do you handle those difficult personalities who slow you down? Last week we shared a tip from The Finding Time E-zine that addresses this challenge.

Here are 2 more tips to help you transform dead-end dynamics by creatively rethinking your own time choices when stressed.

1. Locate your power point in “stuck” interactions.

In every problematic interchange, there exists a special power point. Generally, this is the place where you are so stuck you don’t even know you’re stuck! Take space, relax, and invite insights to surface. Keep the focus on your end of the struggle.

Your challenge is to create choices you can implement to improve your situation, regardless of what the other person does. This strengthens your negotiating position immensely.

Notice how the more you focus on empowering yourself, the less resentful you feel about your inability to control the other party!

Read the rest of this post »

Time management can introduce you to completely new and life-transforming truths! That is because exercising your power of choice over your time enables you to step off the daily treadmill and open to the timeless. As you become still, like a moonlit lake, you can reflect, in brilliance. Taking time to reflect is an active component of self-care. Because reflection develops your self-reference, it creates a foundation of wisdom. The more you reflect, the more motivated you become to set time boundaries that keep you in charge of your time.

Each pause provides you with a fresh opportunity to ground and energize yourself. Over and over, you re-connect with the moment, and with the energy that flows from that fundamental still-point. A further aspect of reflection points is summed up in the following quotation:

“Perhaps the truth depends on a walk around the lake.”

Read the rest of this post »

Finding time to engage with tweeps on Twitter, while not losing yourself to cyberspace, is an ongoing challenge.  In previous posts we’ve talked about using a timer to manage your Twitter time (as well as your time on other social networking sites).

If you haven’t found the time to buy yourself a timer yet, here’s an elegant little idea from Inner Twitter for bringing mindfulness to your Twitter time.

How does it work?  When you go to the Inner Twitter site you’re offered three different tweeps to follow.  Each one sends out a “chime” message on different time schedule. As a follower of a user with a particular chime schedule you’ll receive the chime at its designated time, and then you can choose how to respond to it.  Here’s a sample message from @mindful15:

Read the rest of this post »

Finding time to learn some basics about the fundamental language of the web can totally change how you interact with the world of the internet.  Whether you are technically inclined or not, knowing something about the mechanics of the web pages we all visit (or develop) definitely enhances the experience!

I would never consider myself a technical person, but when my VA shared a site offering tutorials where you can Learn HTML and CSS I was interested.   The purpose of the site is to provide “guidance and help about designing and developing websites.”  Their aim is to  “make HTML.net a useful tool for everyone working with web design – either as a hobby or as a profession.

Tools like HTML and CSS can be daunting, but they don’t have to be.  Basically, you can think of the process as very much like learning a new language.  As you practice and explore, the terrain becomes more and more familiar.  The tutorials offered in Learn HTML and CSS are very friendly and accessible … read on!

Read the rest of this post »

Finding time to manage your time and get the most out of each moment is a task that can sometimes run into unexpected roadblocks in the form of the people around you!

To make the very best use of your time, you need to figure out how to handle those “difficult personalities” who slow you down! Maybe they drag their heels, or they heap way too much responsibility on your shoulders. Perhaps they lean on you to bail them out, or they attempt to micro-manage you. Whatever others do, the good news is that you CAN reclaim your power over your time!

The formula is simple and powerful. Focus exclusively on implementing your own time choices. This is where you exercise all the control!  Also, reduce stress by letting go of attempts to actively manage anyone else’s choices. Does this sound daunting? Here are some essential guidelines:

Read the rest of this post »