Time Bandits, we all have them lurking around. They are those bandits who try to take up what little free time we have and rob it from us. This month I am on the warpath against time bandits. I want to find out what mine are and how to guard my minutes of each and every day so that I can buy back some of that time for me. And today was my first day of having some time to me. I actually got to read, garden and do some puttering on a puzzle. But as a person who goes to school, works part time, also does volunteer work part time, deals with chronic pain and runs a house I am asking myself, what is the most effective way to get those time bandits at bay.

First I sat down and looked at my week. I have exactly 168 hours in my week. Everyone does, I spend a good deal of that sleeping because as a person with chronic pain I need my rest! Then there are the “unexpected” time bandits. Those chaotic moments when something or someone pulls on my energy and I found that how I react to chaotic moments tells a lot about owning my minutes. Reaction to use of time is crucial to how we use our time. Negative energy can have an effect on my health issues so I have to be careful with negativism around me.

Here is a tidbit to think about. What if, just what if, the culture we are living in is creating the hype that busy and having no time is our reality? Well, let me explain. If I need to get my energy up I turn on my favorite news channel in the morning, CNN to get me pumping. I was really listening to how my body was getting agitated when listening to verbs like “breaking” news or “pandemic” as a possibility from people who self professedly are loaded up on energy drinks. I tried an energy drink and let me tell ya it was no time at all my daughter ripped that sucker out of my hand because I started talking a mile a minute. No way could I finish one! I would have been so high there would be urgently happening things all over the place in that state of being. But! You may say I am so tired and busy and there is so much going on my in my life I need a pick me up.

Well that is where I decided to take a good hard look at all the stuff “going on in my life” and you know what! Oh my gawd! Most of it is self imposed. No one says I have to volunteer, no one says I have to say “yes” to everyone else. But we learn from our culture that we should, that altruism is the quality of a good person. It wasn’t until I started having chronic pain that I realized how valuable my minutes are. I don’t get a lot time in a day where my energy is high enough to relax.

But you may say I need a break! A real break from it all, an island with a large pitcher of Mojitos and some sun. No kids, no job, no nothing!! I agree we all need down time but what I am seeing is most of us just need to change the kind of activity that puts us in a flow. That is our creative place where work is not an ugly four letter word and when we finish a job well done to be satisfied with. THAT, my friends is what I am talking about! Only in America can we run so fast and do nothing.

About six years ago I was living in Belgium. When I first got there I went into major culture shock because I had “time”. Time to relax and I crashed. I simply freaked out because the quiet was too much I was so used to over stimulation my mind went into overtime. Most of the stores closed on Sundays so there was no running like a mad man on my Sunday. I saw people take walks. Strolls with families or friends to be exact on Sunday, no kidding and I lived in Brussels. That is a huge busy city! I found I had a hard time just sitting, reading or taking my time simply grocery shopping. I was missing the urgency of America’s busy, busy, go, go with the cell perpetually on your ear and the computer going all the time with CNN (or your favorite show) continually streaming out the world’s problems. No wonder my body is responding so drastically. And so here I am, six years later spinning back out of control. And I want my time back!!!

So I am starting with my hours in a day. Deciding when to say no and dear readers this is a tricky one because usually when a person asks, “will you do this or that” there is an implied expected yes from you. How shocking when I started saying no, that doesn’t work for me. Oh sure you will have to put up with the temporary judgment and confusion but just because we can do something for others doesn’t mean we have to! So the next time you feel overwhelmed think about what you have to do and what you are doing and how the environment is pushing in on you and just ask yourself, how will I want to spend my 168 hours this week. I am and it is refreshing!

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