CREATIVITY ZONE:  (full story)
Make Time Work For You! ...

One of the challenges we all face is, Time. There just doesn’t seem to be enough of it, does there? For all we want to do, where we want to go, who we want to see … “Life is too short,” we’re inclined to say.

This conundrum is especially frustrating when we really need to do something and can’t find the time to squeeze it in to our schedule that is already packed with paperwork, meetings, after-school activities, more meetings, dinners with friends and associates and everyday life-stuff that needs to get done. “There’s just no time!” we scream.

So, how do you make time work for you instead of against you?

Time Is Elastic

Well, first of all, you need to remember that time is a notion; it’s an agreed-upon concept of reality. Look at every timepiece wherever you are right now. Do they all read exactly the same time? Hmmm, probably not.  In reality, time is relative. It’s elastic. And, you can bend it and stretch it to suit your needs. Time is one of those parameters in life that you can view as a hard line of logic that restricts you, or as a dotted line of creativity you can use to empower yourself.

The logical way to approach such a fixed reality as time would be to add. To just squeeze another activity into the fixed, 24/7 cycle of your life.  But there’s a more effective way—the logical creative way--to accomplish the same result, and with less stress. Rather than squeezing and cramming the activity into your already-crammed schedule, you collapse the parameters of Time by including the activity in your day, in your life.

Now, this is not just a play on words. It is a complete shift in perception. Instead of seeing whatever it is you want to find Time for as an “add-on” to your life, you deem it already included, as part of your life. Just like brushing your teeth is included in your hurried morning ritual. If you were really rushed one day, would you say, “I just don’t have time to brush my teeth this morning”? I don’t think so.

By declaring it included, it is no longer an option for you to choose to brush your teeth, or whatever the activity is. It is assumed that you will do it. Of course, the change in perception will require an adjustment of your schedule to accommodate the new activity, but that’s just a matter of details and choosing priorities. Done. Welcome to the logical creative management of your life.

The power of this approach is that the shift in perception affects not only the physical rearrangement of your schedule and the always-needed review of your priorities, but it occurs internally, as well. By declaring that you are including an activity, you alert your creative self and unleash your creative power to find the time to pursue whatever it is you’ve just included in your life.

Here’s how it works:

1. Decide. Determine what you want to be doing that you are not and prepare to include it in your schedule.

2. Declare. Say to yourself—out loud--that you are including the activity in your schedule. The power of this step is that there is no longer a choice in the matter. There’s no longer any question whether or not you will take on this activity. You already have. What’s more, the struggle and angst are removed about how you were going to manage this. There’s no more “trying” and being disappointed that you weren’t able to get it done,  as you are now afforded a brand new, realistic view of your priorities.

3. Discover.  Now the adventure begins, as you trust your creativity to do its work. There’s nothing for you to do now except to be alert to opportunities that your creative self presents to you for engaging in the new, included activity.

Have Fun With It

So, let’s say you want to exercise more than you already do, but there’s just no time. You’re already booked to the max. So, you decide that you want to exercise more. Then, you declare it included in your life. You’re not really sure how this will happen, but you trust your creativity to help make it happen and are prepared to discover this.

So, next day, you find yourself riding the elevator to work or to some other meeting. You’re standing there, counting the floors or thinking of the millions of things you’ll do when you hit your desk. Suddenly, with your new creative awareness, you see an opportunity to begin curling (lifting, with just your wrist and bicep) your briefcase or handbag or any package. You do this for the rest of the ride up and determine to do it on the way down as well. Then, next day, you realize that you could get off the elevator a floor or two early and walk the rest of the way. Then, you discover ways to exercise even while sitting at your desk or on the phone (pacing while on the phone works well). It’s fun to see how this happens.

Or, let’s say you want to find more leads to build your real-estate practice, but you just can’t add in any more conferences or other events to your schedule. Don’t add, include. Decide that finding more leads will be an activity that you will pursue.  Declare that it is now included in your schedule. Allow your creativity to find the ways to make it happen and discover them. Perhaps you will meet someone you can hire to attend these events for you. Give them a pocketful of business cards, a briefing on your business and what you’re looking for and give them a percentage of each deal that turns out. You can even hire people in other cities.

The point is that by collapsing the parameters of limitations (like, Time), you will see your business and your whole life in new ways. By including rather than adding, you will empower yourself by what Stewart Emery refers to as “the genius of ‘and’ rather than the tyranny of ‘or’.” In effect, you are expanding time. Doing so, you automatically increase your wealth because you are investing in and benefiting from the most valuable asset of all: Time.

I invite you to change your perception this month. Consider the things to do and people to see that you have wanted to add to your schedule. Decide to include one of them, declare it done and discover how your creativity makes it happen.

Neil Tepper, aka, “The Creativity Doctor,” is a former creative director for The Coca-Cola Company, Universal Television and The 1996 Olympics. He is also an award-winning songwriter and photographer. He coaches individuals and consults for companies across the country, teaching them to harness their creative power to improve all aspects of their business and personal lives. Neil is the host of “The Creativity Salon”, his weekly Internet radio show streaming on www.radiosandysprings.com and the author of “Open Your I’s™: 10 Steps to Unleashing Your Inner Creative Power©” (not yet released). Visit his Web site at www.neiltepper.com or www.thelogicalcreative.com.