You don’t need many gaps in your weekly, monthly, or daily calendar if you are like most people. Many people have difficulty incorporating more activities and projects into their already entire lives. However, there is one problem that many calendars have. It doesn’t matter what calendar system you use or how automated your calendar is. The problem is not the time or person you schedule meetings with. This is because so few people have regular time in their calendars. You may be wondering what time you can use to do this. You can make an appointment for yourself to think, strategize and set goals. Most people will say that they are too busy to make another appointment. We can easily get lost in our “busyness,” which can manifest itself as tasks.
Meetings and appointments come in many sizes and types. There are both internal and external meetings. The internal meetings include those with colleagues, co-workers, and other departments. Customers, vendors, suppliers, and others can have external meetings. Many times, we are quick to accept appointments and block out time for others without showing the same respect. There are specific meetings we cannot refuse to attend. Sometimes, we mistakenly see busyness as progress and even success. If we can focus on the right things and have a clear plan for what we want to accomplish, busyness can be a positive thing. However, it can lead to being distracted and focused on the wrong things.
These are the three most common types of appointments you might be missing on your calendar. Let me challenge you today: Pick one or more of these appointments and put them on your calendar. You may be surprised by the results!
1. Make an appointment to think.
Spend some time focusing on your personal and business goals. What are you looking to achieve, or where would you like to be in “x” time? It can seem challenging to figure this out at first. You may feel like you are wasting time or not being productive. Keep at it …. Don’t quit.
2. Make an appointment to spend time with your family and friends.
Although this may sound obvious, it is a necessity. If you don’t make time for the people you love, you will regret it. It’s not worth it to be successful if there is no one to share it with.
3. Make an appointment for yourself
Do you have something that you’ve always wanted but were afraid of? Are you ready to take the first step?
Morgan Freeman, in The Shawshank Redemption, pointed out that “Get busy living” is better than “get busy dying.”
