Minimalism and Time

 

“Time is the coin of your life. It is the only coin you have, and only you can determine how it will be spent. Be careful lest you let other people spend it for you.”

 

-        Carl Sandburg

 

 

 

If there was ever one thing that all of humanity should be able to agree upon, it is the value of time. You can replace just about everything in your life. Even though some things are less replaceable or invaluable than others, there is simply no way possible to retrieve a moment in time once it becomes a memory. There are no second chances to live today. You only get one opportunity to make this day count.

 

 

You may ask how to possibly make every moment count? The key is to be mindful of your priorities and values whenever you make decisions regarding how your time is spent. Granted, some decisions seem to be less optional than others. However, the problem with most people is that they have far more control over their lives than they believe that they actually do. How do we take the power back? By being intentional, consistent and learning to say no, we give ourselves the opportunity to have far more control over how we spend our time.

 

 

 

 

Be intentional

 

 

 

“If it’s your job to eat a frog, it’s best to do it first thing in the morning. And if it’s your job to eat two frogs, it’s best to eat the biggest one first.”

 

-        Mark Twain

 

 

 

The entire motivation behind minimalism is to amplify those things that bring us joy and to reduce or eliminate those things that do not. Being very intentional with our time is crucial to living minimalist principles. Making sure that each moment we are mindful of our surroundings allows us to exact the appropriate amount of joy from our daily lives. Having a specific purpose that drives forward each and every decision that we make becomes the compass by which we receive direction and focus. Whether we place a reminder on our calendar to block off a set time for one of our priorities or simply asking a friend to keep us accountable, setting ourselves up for success must be done with intention.

 

 

While we try and spend as much time possible on the things that bring joy into our lives, there will always be a necessary amount of time spent on things that we loathe. Whether it is paying taxes, going to the dentist or co-parenting with a narcissistic ex-spouse, there are simply some things that we cannot or should not avoid. If possible, try not to procrastinate on your to-do list. Doing these unpleasant items first prevents anxiety and undue worry about the dreadful upcoming circumstances. Conversely, be mindful of what time of day you reserve to do something that you know in advance will upset you. For instance, meeting with someone argumentative with which you are regularly forced to interact might not be best choice to do close to bedtime. You might end up ranting all evening or taking it out on someone who doesn’t even deserve it. Having a buffer of time between unpleasant stimuli and home life is necessary for your emotional health and everyone’s peace of mind in your inner circle.

 

 

 

 

 

Be consistent

 

 

“There is only one way to eat an elephant: a bite at a time.”

 

-        Desmond Tutu

 

 

 

 

 

Even the most intentional person in the world will not find any measure of success unless they are consistent in their pursuit of purpose. You must sow time into your life that is dedicated towards a particular purpose regularly before you will reap the rewards that you are seeking further down the road. Imagine if a farmer expected a bountiful crop, yet he only tended the field a handful of times between sowing the seed and reaping the harvest. He might find that his yields are not as large or his produce as high quality as he expected. The same holds true regarding the seed time that you are sowing into your future. Though you do not currently see the results, you are able to predict your tomorrows based on your diligence today.

 

 

 

Everyone has that one friend who just seems to be snake bit. These individuals talk a big game about how successful they will soon be, yet they always seem to fall short. More often than not, those people are the ones who do not put the time in to be successful at the goal or purpose in which they claim to be pursuing. Even the most impressive goals can eventually be accomplished with patience and consistency. As the famous quote indicates, it’s all about taking one bite at a time out of the elephant-sized dreams and aspirations you are pursuing. Don’t give up!

 

 

 

 

 Learn to say “NO”

 

 

 

“The shorter way to do many things is to only do one thing at a time.”

 

-        Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

 

 

 

 

Those of us who are hardworking and industrious find it difficult to say no as we try and accomplish more and more tasks each and every day. The truth is, our society glorifies the grind and even mocks those who deviate from the path of working themselves to death. In minimalism, the goal is not to do less, but to prioritize time spent on those things that bring us joy and give our lives meaning. The trap that many of us fall into is when others ask us to devote too much of our time to spend on things that we are not passionate about.

 

 

Like it or not, each of us have a finite amount of time to utilize in order to reach our personal goals and aspirations. For instance, by saying yes to help someone move, then what you are actually saying is “no” to furthering one of your own goals that day. Please do not misunderstand; I am not advocating a life lived entirely for self-edification and introspection. A life lived solely in pursuit of your own needs would be quite hollow and unfulfilling. However, there are those of us who are on the opposite end of the spectrum in which we constantly choose to help others and ignore our own priorities. Neglecting our own search for the necessary experiences to discover our personal joy would be quite a high cost to pay. We must each draw our own line in the sand and take ownership of our calendars. Learning to say “NO” is how we take our power back to recapture the pursuits we have so long ago abandoned.