The protagonist in the book I'm reading for book club decides to take a scientific approach to understand adults better. It is currently science fair time, and it was the bane of my kids' existence. This week, I've been part of several discussions and events, yet I feel apart like a scientist observing events under a microscope. I think taking a research-based approach to our week may yield new insights and takeaways. A more simplified approach begins with making an observation. What should I observe? The incredible Lauren Yee made an observation about our boundaries with time. Perhaps this week, I should obverse how often I do not honor the time I have set aside for myself. I always start my day with the mantra that "I have enough time to accomplish all the things that are important to me." Is this true? Let the experiment begin!
After you make the observation, you then form a hypothesis. The question is, why do I abdicate my time? A theory involves research, so what should I focus on as I research this topic? Most of my time goes into work and responsibilities. I think I not only give up my time, but as a result, I also steal time from my family. I have tried to block out my calendar in the past and often get derailed by competing concerns. I will borrow Lauren's strategy about buffer time and see if it will help me to remain intentional about time. My theory is that I do not honor my time because I am not intentional about it. We shall see how this plays out during the week.
The next step is to make a prediction about how well the theory will work. I believe it all depends on what I do today. If I set aside the time to plan my week and what I want to accomplish, I will be more mindful of the time and also have a better understanding of how long it takes to do specific tasks. I will struggle with doing vs. being. I love to go go go and often forget to build in time to process what I have done. What will I consider a success? If I can manage my time to get my work done and also increase my step count, I will consider my hypothesis to be valid.v
The final step is to conduct the experiment. What can help me to stay on track? The first thing that pops into my head is that I do not need to wait until Monday. I can start today. When I finish this blog, I am going to reflect on what went well and what I could do differently. I will also then be intentional about my next step. (Full disclosure, my squirrel brain saw something shiny and immediately wants to jump into something else. I will fight!) Focusing on quality versus quantity may help me to be successful. I normally cram every waking moment with activity. This is tiring and I may get a ton done, but am I getting the important things done? Tune in next week to see how this experiment goes and please share in the comments if you plan on giving it a whirl. Namaste.
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