Stop First – Three Tips To Finding Time To Change Your Life

You might be surprised by the title of my blog this week. In this world of go, go, go and ‘have you started your goals for the year yet’ questions, sometimes we forget that we must first stop to regroup before we can change direction.

So, if you haven’t taken the time yet – Stop. Get out of your own head, out of the internal chatter, the self-imposed responsibility for everyone else and as they say ‘smell the roses’.

Now this doesn’t have to be a weekend away to yourself for soul-searching – though it could be. You could have your own private time-out at home – maybe just an hour to start. I can often find this space in my life just after I’ve done something I really enjoy.

What is it you do to get out of the grind? For me its cooking or swimming so if I start by doing one of those activities, I find it easier for my mind to capture the hour of time directly following and I can be more present for myself.

Until you take time to make space in your day and your mind for thinking about your future nothing is ever going to change.

So, here are my top tips to make a start:

Tip 1

 Figure out that thing you already do – that ‘times you out’ and gives you a little recharge. Is it the gym? A walk? Taking time for a coffee?

Tip 2

Tag 30 minutes or an hour onto the back of that activity – now whether you do that once a week or every day will be entirely dependent on your commitment to making changes in your life. Maybe your ‘once a week’ – can be on a weekend when you can devote more time and during the week you only snatch an extra 15 minutes.

Tip 3

Have a ritual for that time. Endless daydreaming probably won’t get you anywhere. Definitely use a journal. Know the questions you want to ask yourself and get writing. Here’s three to get you started:

• What is your biggest challenge right now?
• What would your life look like if you didn’t have this problem?
• What are 3 things that you can do right now to solve or minimise the problem?

Once you start taking some time for yourself to plan your life – you’re going to realise how good it feels and it will be much easier to schedule time in.

You can MAKE CHANGES IN YOUR LIFE STARTING TODAY evenwhen your time is limited – so what are you waiting for?