Add Through Subtraction

“A man too busy to take care of his health is like a mechanic too busy to take care of his tools” -Spanish Proverb
“It is not a daily increase, but a daily decrease. Hack away at the inessentials.” – Bruce Lee
“You will never reach your destination if you stop and throw stones at every dog that barks.” -Winston S. Churchill
“My success, part of it certainly, is that I have focused in on a few things.” — Bill Gates
“The man who chases two rabbits, catches neither.” ~ Confucius
When working with patients and customers, I have heard it countless times: “I’m to busy” or “I just do not have the time”. I talk about the changes they can make or go about things differently. However, they revert back to those reasons. From one perspective, these reasons make sense. We all have stuff to do. We all wish we had more time. We all feel overwhelmed and overworked at times.
However, at the root of it, WE ARE NEVER TOO BUSY. I hate to be a cliché here. But, we all have 86400 seconds in a day. Every single person on earth has the same amount of time to take advantage of. However, we have a choice to decide on how to use that time! I have been reflecting on this a lot lately. How did we become so busy? How did we become so overwhelmed? Why is it that most people cannot manage their time well or be the most productive they can be?
From experience and observation, I have learned that we are a DISTRACTED society. Over the last few years, we have gained access to an unlimited amount of activities to take our time away from us. We have countless choices of TV shows, books, websites, restaurants, video games, and cell phone apps just to name a few. We sabotage ourselves out of doing the work and important activities required to make changes and settle for distractions. It’s so much easier to turn to social media or watch a movie instead of working out or making a diet plan.
I am not a saint when it comes to this. I had a difficult time writing this post today. I found myself scrolling through my social media and watching videos online instead of writing my thoughts down. I took a nap this afternoon. I wasted time and can’t get it back. However, I recognized that I slipped up. I am committing myself to limiting time and money wasters, as should you!
I recommend that you “Add Through Subtraction.” We all have the same amount of time given to us daily. We cannot pay attention to every single thing and think we will accomplish it all. Make sure you’re using your time wisely. How you ask? First, recognize where you have extra time in your day. Do you tend to mindlessly browse social media for hours on end? Do you watch TV once you get home from work until bed time? Do you tend to oversleep when you not have anything planned for your day? Chances are that you do. Next, reflect on what you are willing to take out of your life. Consider cutting social media down to fifteen minutes a day. Or, choose to watch only one TV show at a time. Or, limit your sleep time only to the recommended eight hours.
On a side note, you can apply “Add Through Subtraction” to other aspects of your life. Feel tight on your money? Take a look at your expenses and cut anything that you don’t use or isn’t necessary. Viola! More cash in the bank. Feel as though you have friends who waste your time or are not reliable? Or, are you pulled in a million directions by having a large group of friends? Cut the ones who do not support you or make time for you. Then, you can put more time into the friendships that actually mean something to you. Sound harsh? Maybe. But, in reality, you are making yourself a priority and making your friendship a privilege, not a right. Only you can decide how to use your time and resources. Make sure you’re using them wisely. Above all, Eat, Move, and Improve!