24 hours. 1,440 minutes. 86,400 seconds. All of us have the same amount of time in a day. But what differentiates those who are successful from those who are just barely squeaking by? The answer is simple. Successful people control the time they can control. What do I mean by that?
Most people work an 8 hour work day. The good ol’ 9-5. Throw in some commute time (especially if you live in the DMV), and that easily adds up to 10 hours per day. Therefore, there are 14 hours per day for us to take advantage of and utilize however we like. The problem is that we all need sleep. Some people like me, get less than 6 hours of sleep per night although the majority still try to get between 7-8 hours. Assuming you get a full 8 hours of sleep, that leaves 6 hours to do what you wish. For those of us with family, approximately 4 hours of that time is likely spent with them during the morning and evening (and often times a big chunk of that 4 hours is getting the kids ready for school, making dinner, doing dishes, getting the kids ready for bed, etc.) That leaves 2 hours. 2 hours to get done what you prioritize in your life. What is your priority? Are you getting your Master’s Degree online or pursuing a certification? Are you trying to lose weight? Are you trying to find a consistent workout routine? Are you looking to start your own side business? Whatever your priorities are, it needs to be reflected in your schedule. Here’s the irony behind this topic. Many of you will say you have priorities such as education, fitness, training, developing your own side business, etc., but your schedule is not indicative of that. In fact, I would venture to guess that most people do not even have a schedule and if they do, they likely don’t have blocks of time in their schedule that say “family time”, “school time” or “gym time.” However, that doesn’t stop most people from watching the newest television episode, aimlessly scrolling through Facebook, or just wasting precious time on the internet each and every day. If you DO have a schedule, do you write down “TV time”, “Facebook Time”, etc.? No? Then why do we do it? I’ll tell you why, because it’s easy. It’s easier to watch Netflix than it is to do schoolwork. It’s easier to tell people you are trying to lose weight than it is to get to the gym and let your actions do the talking. And it’s easier to just eat fast food for lunch than it is to prepare your food for the next day. It’s easier, but it doesn’t mean that it’s better.
This is why I challenge you to control the majority of your day. Your boss/job/profession already takes up about 10 hours of each day. Luckily, you have control of the other 14. Furthermore, I suggest you prioritize what needs to get done first in the morning. Why? Studies have shown that most people are more effective in the first few hours of the day. Our cognitive abilities are higher as well as our energy levels. And putting the biological advantages aside, it just makes us “feel better” when we accomplish something first thing in the morning and it gives us momentum going into the rest of the day. Don’t rely on getting something done during lunch break even though there’s always a chance at work of an ad-hoc meeting. Put it in your schedule first thing in the morning when the only person who has a say in whether or not it gets done is YOU! I often times hear people complain about their situation in life. Whether they don’t make enough money, or they aren’t as skinny as they would like, do you want to know whose fault it is? It is your fault. Yes, I know. This isn’t a popular statement in today’s society where everyone wants to point the finger at someone else. The reality is, if you want to point a finger at someone, then just walk into the nearest bathroom and point at the man/woman in the mirror. The good news is, you can make the choice to change…TODAY!
I believe that many people honestly have the intentions of accomplishing their goals. However, conveniences and distractions in life sometimes take us away from the very things we want most. So stop giving into the things the world tells you that you should want and instead you should make a schedule that gives you the upper-hand and sets yourself up for success! Proper planning prevents poor performance. The 5 P’s. Plan and control your schedule and I promise you that you will begin to move forward in accomplishing your goals.
I hope this helps some of you. God bless you all and have a great week!!!
Coach Rich
Richard Fitzgerald 