Will We EVER Have "More Time" Than We Have Today?

How often have you said — or heard someone else say — the following:

"I'll get around to doing that when I have more time!"

High desert with Joshua trees and snow; Joshua Tree, CA

I know it's something I've said at various times... and — as the years have rolled on by — I have come to recognize that it's just something we say, without really knowing or understanding the reality that it's unlikely we'll ever have "more time."

And I'm not just talking about the simple tangible of there being 24 hours in a day — as there have always been — I'm talking about the simple fact that life happens, and just when we think we're going to get to sit down and take a breather... something new tends to cross our path and demand our attention.

Does anybody ever end up with "more time?"

In truth: No. What we end up with might be learning how to prioritize the time we have in a better way; in a way that serves our personal needs in a more structured fashion.

Time for spring!

What Genuinely Matters Most?

Interestingly enough, the idea of creating "more time" for ourselves tend to be a relatively self-ish process.

I don't mean "selfish" in that unpleasant self-absorbed way, I mean "selfish" in the sense of practicing a healthy dose of self care, and recognizing that our own needs, wants and desires do matter, and there's something wrong with a life situation in which some outside factor — whether it be a chronically needy family member or a narcissistic demanding boss — demands that you abandon yourself in order to deal with their worlds!

Of course, if your natural tendency is to be "helpful" and of service to other people, that can be a very difficult adjustment to make! Sometimes the difficulty lies in simply facing that half the world around us actually has us on a "very short leash."

And we may have to face the reality that certain people are more toxic than we like to think, and will become angry with a new "version" of ourselves in which we actually do value our own time.

But priorities do matter. Maybe you don't really need that workplace that regularly demands that you miss your kid's soccer games in order to stay late and work on "important" projects... lured by some "bonus" you might not even get!

Of course, choices do have consequences. There's no getting around that. When you choose one thing, you typically have to forego another. And that's where we end up with this whole time issue, because we have created a version of "modern life" in which the one thing we typically don't put into our schedules is alone time or free time or relaxation time.

And even when we do, it often takes the form of some "scheduled" activity, whether it be a yoga class, or grabbing a quick lunch with a friend.

In other words, there are no natural "gaps" in our time schedules.

And I think there's just something fundamentally unhealthy about that!

Although the "time issue" is likely more pronounced in North America than in most other parts of the world, there's still little doubt that our lives feel like we have less and less time.

Even my relatives back in Denmark tell me that they feel like they have "less time" than they used to, because there are simply more things that have to be accomplished in the same amount of time. And even though they might have a three-week summer holiday, they also find they need to use some of that holiday just to catch up with things, rather than for purely relaxing.

So what can we do, to "make" more time?

Personally, I have found one of the most effective things is to step back and question myself and my motivations, every time the words "I HAVE to _____" go through my mind.

It's something we likely all say... but how often is it true?

Or is it more correct to admit that we choose to, and that our reasons for making that "choice" are sometimes more based in routine and obligation than actually wanting and needing to?

Once we become more aware of our own patterns and rationalizations with respect to all that keeps us so busy, it also becomes easier to start re-prioritizing our time!

Thanks for stopping by, and have a great remainder of your week!

How about you? Do you often feel like you don't have enough time? Do you believe you'll ever HAVE more time? Do you keep a close eye on how you prioritize your time? Leave a comment if you feel so inclined — share your experiences — be part of the conversation!

(All text and images by the author, unless otherwise credited. This is ORIGINAL CONTENT, created expressly for this platform — Not posted elsewhere!)

Created at 2024.03.27 16:11 PDT
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