Reclaiming Time
How I’m Learning to Manage my Most Precious Resource
I have ADHD. And like many ADHDers, I do A LOT of creative things in spite of being challenged by time-management. And so, I’ve used many hacks over the years that have helped me like lists, day planners, alarms, and calendars. I’m still a work in progress and learning.
Now, I’m listening to my third audiobook by Laura Vanderkam. I learned about her work as I listened to a Mel Robbins podcast video. Inspired by what I heard, finding it was meeting where I felt that week, I sought Vanderkam’s books and began listeningto one after the other, in succession:
What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast: And Two Other Short Guides to Achieving More at Work and at Home
Tranquility by Tuesday: 9 Ways to Calm the Chaos and Make Time for What Matters
168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think
Each one has been life-changing, at least this past week. It’s helped me to think of my time differently. I see time as finite, precious, and limited, but I learned that it can be E-L-A-S-T-I-C. This means a lot to me. I’ve been challenged by teaching— my full-time job of elementary music teacher and teacher-librarian— and writing also a full-time job. I’ve been doing some iteration of both for the last ten years, but this year, I hit a wall of sorts.
I was ready to throw in the towel.
My capacity is reduced—
My body is changing while my to-do list grows.
I’m seeing the signs… I’m getting older.
As a young adult cancer survivor, these changes hit different.
I’m grieving these changes.
What is helping me?
At the present moment, master my time is one answer.
Here are three tips that I’ve learned from Laura’s books that have helped me this week:
Plan on Fridays.
Lesson planning the next week, after my Friday workday, helps me relax over the weekend, reduces my Sunday scaries, and relaxes me on Monday mornings.
Three times a week is a habit.
Trying to do something everyday to create a daily habit can be daunting… even with the best of intentions. However, aiming to do my goals three times each week do count. And because brains love momentum and consistency in the formation of habits, these actions are more likely to predict the next one… making it stick.
Upgrade your bits of time.
At the start of the year, I had a list of several personal goals which included playing the 15-20 minutes piano daily on two songs, Arabesque and Clair de Lune by Debussy. Sadly, my keyboard at home and the grand piano in my library were gleaming and beautiful, but untouched… until, I decided to play for five minutes. That’s right! Five minutes made the difference for me. I set my timer and I’m happy to say that I’ve been playing piano 🎹 consecutively for the past 6 days— on both songs and scales too. These five-minute sessions have taken place before the start of the school day, early morning (before 6am), and evenings. They work well during my 5 minute breaks using the Pomodoro Method.
I’m now applying this approach to tasks I have difficulty starting, namely chores like folding laundry, emptying the dishwasher, watering plants… I also have some big projects ahead of me that I’m also applying this approach to— my Fringe play, grant and award applications, email, taxes,… you name it.
I’m also thinking about Laura’s suggestions about how to integrate more whimsy, adventure, and fun into my every day.
Thank you, Laura! And thank you US congress woman Maxine Waters for popularizing this phrase, “reclaiming your time”.
Do you have any useful time hacks? What has worked for you?