I am forever losing five minutes.
When I plan my schedule so I can arrive on-time, usually I run about five minutes late. This doesn't work well when your business depends on meeting people in a timely fashion.
The doctor's office, hair stylist, and teacher don't appreciate it much either.
Too often than I care to admit, I am apologizing for being just a "little late." I try to blame it on traffic lights, or a last-minute phone call. But the truth was I didn't plan well.
Where do those pesky five minutes disappear to?
It's such a mystery. Or is it?
You see, I like to think I have most everything I do timed. I know how long it takes to get ready. My GPS has my trip planned out to the exact minute, figuring in traffic. No excuse there. Was it the last minute search for the keys, the water bottle filled last-minute, the extra time spent to have a good hair day? Too much time surfing the web, checking one more status?
I guess it's probably a mixture of these and a few other things combined.
It doesn't really matter why I run late. What matters is that I finally build the five minutes into my schedule. A five minute buffer. Well, while we're at it, let's just make it ten.
What would happen if I planned better and arrived five minutes early, not just once, but every time? What would happen to my stress level? It's not difficult to imagine. I would be a much nicer driver. Might even take the time to smile at a stranger along the way and say hi. I could sing in the car instead of white-knuckling the steering wheel.
Wow, five minutes early to everything! What a refreshing thought! Often I blame my stress level on having too much required of me, too much to do and not enough time to do it.
Is the problem really not having enough time? Or is it spending the time unwisely.
I recently read an article about extremely successful people, a list of fourteen ways they think and act differently than the rest of us. What jumped out at me was that they measure their days in minutes, not half-hour or hour increments. And they schedule those minutes on a calendar that they guide their day with. Secondly, they valued time over money. Money, they said, could be lost and gained back. But time, once gone was lost forever.
Is that it? Is that the big secret that highly successful people have over us regular folks? How they view time? How they don't waste it?
Because that's something most of us could attain as well. If we valued each minute instead of squandering them away in five-minute blocks here and there, how would our lives change?
The Bible teaches us to number our days, because it is the one gift we have that can only be spent once.
Now, where did I put my keys?
The doctor's office, hair stylist, and teacher don't appreciate it much either.
Too often than I care to admit, I am apologizing for being just a "little late." I try to blame it on traffic lights, or a last-minute phone call. But the truth was I didn't plan well.
Where do those pesky five minutes disappear to?
It's such a mystery. Or is it?
You see, I like to think I have most everything I do timed. I know how long it takes to get ready. My GPS has my trip planned out to the exact minute, figuring in traffic. No excuse there. Was it the last minute search for the keys, the water bottle filled last-minute, the extra time spent to have a good hair day? Too much time surfing the web, checking one more status?
I guess it's probably a mixture of these and a few other things combined.
It doesn't really matter why I run late. What matters is that I finally build the five minutes into my schedule. A five minute buffer. Well, while we're at it, let's just make it ten.
What would happen if I planned better and arrived five minutes early, not just once, but every time? What would happen to my stress level? It's not difficult to imagine. I would be a much nicer driver. Might even take the time to smile at a stranger along the way and say hi. I could sing in the car instead of white-knuckling the steering wheel.
Wow, five minutes early to everything! What a refreshing thought! Often I blame my stress level on having too much required of me, too much to do and not enough time to do it.
Is the problem really not having enough time? Or is it spending the time unwisely.
I recently read an article about extremely successful people, a list of fourteen ways they think and act differently than the rest of us. What jumped out at me was that they measure their days in minutes, not half-hour or hour increments. And they schedule those minutes on a calendar that they guide their day with. Secondly, they valued time over money. Money, they said, could be lost and gained back. But time, once gone was lost forever.
Is that it? Is that the big secret that highly successful people have over us regular folks? How they view time? How they don't waste it?
Because that's something most of us could attain as well. If we valued each minute instead of squandering them away in five-minute blocks here and there, how would our lives change?
The Bible teaches us to number our days, because it is the one gift we have that can only be spent once.
Now, where did I put my keys?
I can really relate to this! I feel like we're always five minutes late, and I end up rushing the kids to hurry up and often blame them for it. But you're right...as the keeper of my own time, I need to be more intentional about how I spend it. I do feel so much better when we have more of a buffer and don't have to hurry as much. Thanks for sharing your thoughts today- I'm your neighbor at FMF (#13).
ReplyDeleteI am one of those people who are always ahead of time - but I do live who those who are like t=you. One thing I have realised is that being five minutes late is never the intention. Good luck in improving your time management. (visiting from FMF)
ReplyDeleteThe beauty of the word prompts is to see where it takes each of us. And I am so grateful to have stopped here this morning. Thank you for reminding me to use my time wisely, not only five minutes at a time but also numbering my days. I think this is my first time here, so "Nice to meet you!" Blessings!
ReplyDeleteI think it takes a wise and humble person to be able to look at oneself with such honesty. Blessing on your timely quest. :) Visiting from FMF#23.
ReplyDeletePeace.
Patricia
I'm a person who cares deeply about being on time, but often I realise when I stress out and get there a little late that it doesn't actually matter that much... It certainly wasn't worth the tight grip on the steering wheel and the lecturing voices in my head! Hope you can either find peace with the lateness or figure out where those pesky minutes disappear to! Great post :) (Visiting from FMF #66)
ReplyDeleteThank you for the comments, everyone! I guess many of us can relate with the struggle of being punctual, or to have grace for those who struggle with it.
ReplyDelete