Protecting Your Time is SO important in a world that will take it if you don’t tell it where to go. Time is your most valuable asset. Treat it at a higher value than your money. Where are you spending your time dollars? Unlike actual money…you can’t just make more when you run out.
I’ve been searching for an answer lately. My dilemma? How do I feel like I get more done at the end of the day, more often? Probably 3 of my 7 days a week I go to bed feeling like I’ve had a VERY productive day. How do I turn that into 7 out of 7 days a week?
First, I told myself I was just being lazy…but how can that be when I’m one of the hardest workers I have ever met? Still, I told myself it was my diet and lack of consistent exercise (if you know me, that’s kind of a joke, too) that resulted in me calling it quits by 5:00pm, most days, rather than being productive through 8:00pm or 9:00pm.
Now, to be clear, I acknowledge and am factoring in “productivity” including proper rest, time with my family, and hobbies outside of this business as protecting my time.
With that included, how do I still feel 4 days out of 7 to be “medium” instead of “epic” in self-development?
When I thought about the 1-2 hours a day I spent on social media, it didn’t seem like a ton. After all, I had already left Facebook and Insta was my main source of “social” activity. I love to be social through a screen. It feels safe and I feel like what I say is valued.
However, that 1-2 hours was not consecutive. It was 5-10 minutes sprinkled through out my day. Chances are, the same goes for you.
Whenever I felt like taking a brain break from whatever I was doing, that’s where I went. 9 times out of 10.
Did you know, it takes the average person 23 minutes and 15 seconds to get back on task AFTER a distraction has occurred?
Source: How Distractions At Work Take Up More Time Than You Think.
That means, my 1 hour (best case scenario) per day, of Instagram use sprinkled throughout the day in 10 minute increments, results in 2.5 hours in LOST productivity. That 1 hour on the gram, is now, on average, a 3.5 hour commitment.
So, I’m taking 3, maybe 4 hours a day back for the things that make me feel fulfilled by taking five giant steps back from social media.
What if that were not on the table? What would I turn to for a brain break, instead?
I’m not 100% sure yet. But I do know, when I left Facebook, I did not double my time on Insta. I blogged more. I spent more time with my family. Eyeballs to eyeballs. The company booked more brides at higher rates resulting in massive growth and better service. I read more, played piano more, and journaled SO much more. I am happier. And more focused on the things that matter most to me. What if I can make that EVEN RICHER?
I wrote down the “Growth” factors for this company. Social media doesn’t make the cut for my goals.
Where is this business headed?
I want to win awards at WPPI. I want to enter other international photography competitions in Australia and Japan. Anywhere wedding photographers can be recognized for exceptional skill and artistic application. Not People Magazine or “The Knot”. Not “Seattle Bride”. Those publications will still be cool some day! But I value most, the opinion of THE BEST in my industry. Not the most popular, but the most skilled.
I don’t want to be in a popularity contest. I want to be in a photography contest.
So, here we go! Back to the roots. Let’s refocus and get to work. I’m Protecting My Time.
