The PBS Logo
I don’t often watch TV or videos, but recently a PBS video appeared in my life. I suppose it arrived in a timely manner as I have not been managing my time very effectively lately. Although in reality we all have the same amount of time (24 hours per day), I often feel as though I have, or should have, more time than other people since I am not tethered down by a regular 9 to 5.
I guess I’m right in that perhaps I have more free time than people with evil j-o-b-s. Yet at the end of the day, week, or month, I haven’t always accomplished all that I set out to achieve. At first, the reason was because I had an unrealistic number of goals. But after narrowing my focus and reducing my list, things still were left on the list. I was neglecting writing, one of the things I love doing the most! Why wasn’t I making time in my daily life for my top passion?
working non-stop without taking any breaks to enjoy life. Thankfully I attracted this video, Time Management from the Inside Out by Julie Morgenstern, into my life. It began with a self assessment based on 4 questions.
1. I spend way too much time… (working non-stop)
2. I wish I had more time for… (writing and being creative)
3. I procrastinate whenever I… (get frustrated, depressed, or don’t want to do something)
4. If I had a 25th hour, I would… (invest it most effectively by incorporating breaks into my day or doing something I love)
My answers revealed to me I had squeezed the juice out of life and was left with an empty rind without ever having enjoyed any of the fruit. The truth is I don’t need a 25th hour, but the answer to that question and question #2 reveal what is imperative for you to work into your daily life.
The other invaluable tip I learned was I used to write down a list of goals 
without any plan for when I would invest time working on each goal. I noticed this especially with my mastermind group goals. My groups meet every 2-3 weeks. I would set goals for the period, go back to my daily routine, and then have an ut, oh! moment a couple of days before the next meeting when I realized I still had a lot of unaccomplished goals.
After watching the video, I went back to my list of goals and my calendar and 
determined which days I would work on which goals. It seems so obvious to me now that I need to not only consider what I want to achieve, but also when I plan to make it happen. Incorporating time for my top passion and down time has improved my attitude and perception of time. For some reason, I feel like I have more time even though I know I still have the same 24 hours.
If you or someone you know struggles with time management, it may be worth your while to invest 60 minutes determining the culprit(s) and figuring out what 
changes you can make to be happier and more effectively manage your time. And since it’s a PBS video, chances are you may be able to find your answers for free by borrowing the video from your local library. There are no better investments, than the ones you make in yourself!