Thursday’s Time Tip: I’ll have more time later – NOT

Last week I tried to describe the power of now. This week I want to look at that concept from a different angle. We often think we can accomplish something at some point in the future, when there will be more time. We say or think things like:

I’ll get that done after the holidays.
This summer will be good for that.
After the kids complete high school, or are grown.
After I retire.

I think you get the point; there will somehow be MORE time in the future. That is a very big misconception. If things are not being done now, or the very near future, how will the things you want to do be completed later on? Demands on our time are everywhere, and with all this multitasking, at least for me, a sense of accomplishment is harder to find because there is always something left to do!

I have also found that there are new things vying for our attention. So the items going away (after holiday, kids grown, retire) will be replaced with unforeseen items, and the items that you are putting off for the future date will compete with the new unforeseen things.

Therefore, there will not be any new “free time” if anything there will be less of it.

Bottom line, do not think that you will be able to do things in the future. I’ve taught my children this concept. Do things now. Take care of your future self, by dealing with items now. A simple example: put your homework in a binder and place it in your school bag. Tomorrow when you are in class and open the binder, your homework will be there. Thus, take care of your future self. No one else will.