Time Is Precious

Time is Precious. We can't bank it like money or roll it over like our cell phone minutes. How we spend it becomes one of the most important decisions we make day-by-day, moment by moment. The choices we make show how we value it and how we value ourselves. For example, one of my monthly tasks is to write this newsletter, so today I have chosen, in this glorious 70-degree sunshine, to sit outside as I compose my thoughts and write this article. Being in the sunshine is a wonderful way to spend my time - being creative is another, and today I have both.

Each of us gets the same number of hours in a day, no matter who we are or what our circumstances, time is the one thing that unifies all of us. What differs is the number of days we get on this earth, and how we use all of our minutes, hours and days.

In my work with clients, what often comes up is a sense of restlessness with how they are spending their days. We want it all - plenty of time with family, friends, recreational activities, work, etc, yet we are often not willing to let go of what's not working to focus on more of what is. I believe we can all feel as though time is on our side instead of seeing it as an enemy. Instead of racing against the clock, to hurry our future or wishing we could turn back the clock because we were happy then, we can flow with it, being present with our experiences and making the most of each moment we have.

How do you spend your time? How do you make the most of each precious moment?

Devote Time to What Matters to You

Are there projects you want to accomplish? Those you know if you just begin it would propel you forward to completion? Maybe you want to spend more time with your family or friends, really enjoying the moment instead of worrying about what isn't getting done while you are having fun. Do you have big dreams for your life and are tired of waiting for "someday" to realize them? When you look at your life, what do you have the strongest burning desire for? Choose that as a place to begin.

Recently, a friend of mine - another coach - and I were talking about this topic. We each had projects relating to our business that we wanted to accomplish but realized we kept putting them on the back burner because other things took precedence. We decided to do something about it and arranged to meet at a coffee shop and spend 3 hours together, each working on our own projects. We began by spending 30 minutes each sharing our goals for the 3 hours, and then got to work. We sat quietly together, with no distractions, diligently focused on our work and at the end of our time together, we had each made great progress. That day I started my "virtual coaching" e-mail. That start inspired me to keep going until it was completed - in much less time than I thought - and it is now available to all those who purchase my workbook.

What do you have a burning desire to accomplish or achieve?

Break Down Big Ideas, Goals and Dreams into Small Pieces

How many times have you wanted to try something new or doing something big, but because you believed it to be a huge daunting task you did not even know where to begin? What if you were to break apart that big idea, goal or experience into tiny pieces, pieces so small, they could be handled in a few minutes? These many small tasks, accomplished each in only a few moments in time, add up very quickly to a large accomplishment. What had once seemed like a monumental endeavor may really take very little time and could even be easier than expected.

A couple of months ago, VocationVacations.com asked it's affiliated coaches (I am one of them) to write a blog for their website. My first thought was, "I have never written a blog, that's going to be a lot of work, I don't have time for that, I already have so much on my plate" I took another look at the request, and decided to break it down into manageable pieces. I would write an outline first of the topics I could write about, then write a few words each day. Well, I did that and before I knew it, I had written my first blog. It only took 30 minutes after I realized it was simpler than I was making it out to be. It also felt terrific to have accomplished something that was new to me - a step out of my comfort zone.

Try it, choose one of your dreams or goals and break it down into small pieces, then take action on the first piece!

Stefanie Zizzo is a career and life coach, author and speaker who works with non-conformists, those who love to forge their own path and are now ready to achieve bigger goals and create their "best fit" career and life. With 14 years experience in career counseling and life coaching, she works with people from all over the world through one-on-one coaching and a variety of seminars and workshops. She is also the author of The Journey From Comfort to Possibility: A Workbook of Self Discovery and Personal Transformation, which serves as a springboard to those ready to stretch out of their comfort zones and experience more of life. Stefanie is certified as a life coach through the Institute for Life Coach Training and the International Coach Federation, holds a Masters degree in Counseling and a Bachelors degree in Psychology. She also serves as an affiliated coach with VocationVacations, The Coach Connection, ThinkWorkPlay.com, and is on the Board of Chix in Business, Inc., a Triangle-area non-profit organization of women business owners who support and educate each other.

Visit http://www.stefaniezizzo.com and click Join Now to sign up to receive Stefanie's monthly e-newsletter and get your free gift, a free sample of chapter one of The Journey From Comfort to Possibility.