***Build on Successes and Create Positive Habits to Find Time!

Making the most of the time you have isn’t just about making successful choices – it’s about integrating those choices into your life so that they become positive habits. Usually by the end of a month of continuous daily repetition you will develop a successful habit that will lead you to welcome challenges and expand your energy and confidence. It’s a powerful and ever-widening spiral that enhances your efficiency and effectiveness, as well as adding to your enjoyment of each moment. So let’s start by taking a look at the successful experiences you’ve had with finding time. This is a great exercise because it helps you see your strengths more clearly, actively appreciate them, and find more ways to make use of those strengths in your everyday life. • Make a comfortable place in a quiet space and relax. Now, make a list of successes you’ve had. Sentence completion is a helpful tool for getting the ideas flowing. Work quickly and be inclusive. Here are a few sentences to try. Take one you like and brainstorm as many ideas as you can using that sentence. o "I am so glad I make time to __________________." o "People can count on me to ___________________." o "I feel good about finding time for ___________________, whether I'm in the mood or not." • Now, review your sentences and step back for a wider view. What characteristics do you have that contribute to your successes? The skills and values that help you build your effectiveness are strengths to nurture and build on. These questions help you become as specific as possible. And the specifics are like raw materials - giving you more and more to build with! o What strengths lead to your success with certain tasks or activities? o Do some of them come naturally? Use innate energies as powerful fuel for the success habits you’ll be developing. o Which strengths have you built for yourself and how did you do that? These reflect your capacity to transform problems into opportunities – a strength that stands you in good stead no matter what. . o Think about how your strengths reflect your values. As you build your success habits, you deepen your commitment to whatever matters most to you. • Your next step is to take what you’ve learned and build one new "positive habit" into your life, right now. Start by visualizing a typical day. Think about the places where you tend to get stuck, and quickly list 3 positive habits that could help with that. o Choose one activity that draws on your strengths and will help you live your day more successfully. o Make sure that it’s realistic. Keep it simple. An example would be walking and stretching for 15 minutes before work. o Tell yourself how this will enhance your life. This keeps you motivated to create a new habit by connecting your activity to what you value. o Identify the time you’ll need to pursue your new habit. Tip: It’s very important to be clear about where the time for this new habit is coming from (i.e. know what it replaces). o List anything you need to do to ensure your follow-through. Do you need to turn off your computer? Plan breakfast the night before? Invite a buddy to join you in an activity? o Collect any supplies you might need. You don’t want a missing detail to derail you! o Make time for this in your calendar, and if you need uninterrupted time, be sure to let people know in advance. Be a cheerleader for yourself. Your ability to find time and live your moments fully gives you a whole new sense of what is possible. This is a very powerful gift to give yourself. And to move toward your Heart-Based Time Success, sign up for our free gift, the Finding Time Success Kit, which includes "The New Finding Time Boundary Template: 9 Simple, Sequential Steps to Find More Time and Recharge Your Energy!" Using a workbook format this powerful and practical time template helps you progress beyond disappointment and frustration. Discover that 24 hours really are enough! Offered by Paula Eder, Ph.D., The Time Finder Expert.