Breaking free from busy: the importance of mindset in time management

A time management coach’s perspective

When I share with new people I meet that my business niche is time management, most of them respond with “I would really benefit from your help. I’m rubbish with my time.” (This is not statistically valid research, as in I haven’t recorded the number of people… but my gut feel is that 90% of the people I speak with respond in this way!)

We get asked, “How are you?” and most people reply, “I’m busy.”

I did a quick poll of the audience at my most recent speaking opportunity (Local Business Links networking event in Cambuslang, Glasgow - which is worth coming along to if you’re in the area!) and the majority (80% would be my guesstimate) of the audience of small business owners agreed that they were “busy”, and that they’ve used the phrase “I don’t have time for that.”

Post-event I did a little research, and found some data that did back-up my observations:

Nora Rosendahl, the COO of the performance coaching firm Hintsa, carried out a small social experiment where she documented answers to the question “How are you?” over a week and nearly 80% of the people said “Busy.” (source)

And seemingly 75% of parents in the UK are too busy to read their children bedtime stories (source). (This stat makes me feel sad!).

Our modern world glorifies being busy. It’s seen as a badge of honour (if you’re busy then you are important). 

Kyle Kowalski has shared his hypothesis here with 7 proposed reasons as to why we are so busy, the first of which is that busyness is seen as a status symbol. His article is definitely worth a read, and I can relate to many of his suggestions. Number 7, busyness as escapism, was definitely me in the past!

However, busyness does not necessarily mean productive, and busyness does not guarantee results.

I believe that it doesn’t have to be this way. I believe that we can still get things done (the right things!) with peace and with ease. 

One way that we can reclaim our time is not to do more, but to consider instead our mindset and how we think about time.

Are you intentional with your time?

A lot of people are not intentional with their time. They let their inbox dictate their schedule, and do not plan ahead their days and weeks in advance. 

People who feel they have enough time are intentional with where their time goes. 

We have 168 hours each week. If you sleep 8 hours each night, and work a 40 hour week; your remainder is 72 hours. That’s a lot of time. 

Whilst chatting with the audience at the Local Business Links networking event, I also asked them if they could tell me what they did with their time. And only 2-3 people put their hand up to say that they could. I found that really insightful!  

Our words matter, choose them wisely

The more we tell ourselves and others that we are busy, this is what we will create.

Our words are really powerful.

“If you tell yourself a lie long enough, you'll start to believe it.” - Tony Robbins

I’m not a psychologist, so this is not my area of expertise, but as I understand it this is perhaps in part due to confirmation bias. Confirmation bias is the tendency to look for information that confirms the things we already believe to be true. So, in the example of being busy… if we repeatedly use the phrases “I’m busy” or “I don’t have enough time”, then our brain will seek out evidence to uphold this. 

I’d encourage you to challenge these thoughts, and ask if this is based on evidence or if it is an assumption. 

With all of my clients, one of the first exercises that we will do is time tracking. Shining a light on how you currently use your time can be very impactful. Suddenly you can see in black and white (or in a colour coded spreadsheet if you’re like me!) the amount of time you are spending on your phone or watching TV, or the amount of time you spend in your inbox.

Then we can work to proactively turn it around; can we shift our language around time? Instead of “I’m busy” can you replace this with “I have enough time for the things that matter”. Look for the evidence that is the opposite of the initial thoughts around having no time.

Viewing time as a valuable resource

Viewing time as a valuable resource prompts us to prioritise tasks based on their importance and contribution to long-term goals. We want to ensure our tasks and to do list are aligned with personal and professional goals and values. A great question to ask yourself, which came from one of the coaches who trained me, is “Is your diary reflecting your dreams?”

Recognising time as a valuable resource also encourages effective planning and organisation. We are more likely to invest time in creating thoughtful schedules, setting clear goals, and breaking down large tasks into manageable steps when we know time is valuable and limited.

It also encourages us to be mindful of time when we’re in the mindset of abundance over lack. This involves being present in the moment and making intentional choices about how time is spent. I think it also allows us to allocate time to activities and tasks that bring fulfilment and joy and meaning.

Reclaiming our time with a shift in mindset

In a world that glorifies busyness as a symbol of importance, reclaiming our time and productivity requires a shift in mindset. 

Despite the belief that we're perpetually strapped for time, conscious time management isn't about doing more but about reevaluating our relationship with time. 

From acknowledging the abundance of hours in a week to challenging the language we use to describe our schedules, it's evident that our words and thoughts shape our perception of time. 

By viewing time as a valuable resource and aligning tasks with long-term goals, we can foster a sense of abundance and mindfulness, empowering us to prioritise tasks effectively and find fulfillment in our daily activities. Let’s cultivate a mindset that embraces peaceful productivity.

And if you’d like some support with your time management, then please do get in touch. I’d love to have a chat with you.