Heyaa
How often do you feel like giving up? Giving up everything and starting afresh? An entirely new life. In a new world. Among a new set of friends (or even none).
Is it every week? Every month? Umm every 13 hours?
If you think about it, there often are days when you're done with your life. Thereās nothing new; itās the same old routine. You donāt feel like giving your worst; forget your best.
Those are the days when I pick something new to do.
You want to, too? Donāt have time?
You aren't alone. I hear a lot of people saying they donāt find the time. They're packed. Yup, some days can be. Some days so packed, you canāt wiggle your butt.
You canāt do anything about the packed days.
But if you want to try something new, you need to make time. You need to prioritize it on your to-do list on a not so packed day. Wiggle a bit and slip it in.
I have got many friends who take care of their hobbies, side by side to their day job. And no, they aren't only freelancers who can play around anytime they want.
Of course, you canāt do everything every day. Some days wonāt allow you to. Thatās why I said you need to āmakeā time.
Now, I hear you screaming HOWWW?
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OK, back to my storyā¦
If you're looking up to me for advice, sorry Iāve none.
Hereās what I can offer today: my day in brief. How I juggle client work, reading, blogging, and everything else.
Now, many friends have said Iām good at time management. The truth is Iām not. I don't know how to manage my time. What I do instead is to manage my capabilities, testing them gradually.
I started freelancing with one project a day.
Today I handle three a day. And hereās something Iāve noticed about myself: I can deliver three articles in three days, but I canāt deliver one article per day. Occasionally, I have. But one article every day is too much stress.
Another thing I know now is three major tasks a day is my limit. I can squeeze in four (have even done five) if they aren't a lot time-consuming. But I mark only three major tasks in my daily to-do.
Yes, like everyone else, my daily to-do is 6-7 or 10 tasks long.
Prioritised tasks are only 3-4. For example, if Iāve to start on 3 client projects someday, I don't try to write anything for my own site on that day.
In between the projects, usually afternoon, I take care of my daily reading. Even if itās for 10 minutes, I do it. Itās the one consistent thing, Iāve been doing for 3+ years now.
Thatās me making time even when there seems to be none.
Sometimes, I do feel like sending everything for a toss. Just like today. I didnāt feel like writing this newsletter. I had to do it first thing in the morning. But now, itās almost eight. Evening.
You know, once I had to design a 27-slide carousel. I procrastinated for a month. I didnāt find the two hours needed for it. Then, one day, I thought Iāll do one slide a day. Just one. I completed three instead, and within ten days the entire carousel was complete.
Thatās me testing my capabilities and learning new things.
And thatās how you can squeeze out a few minutes, a few more minutes, a few moreā¦ and gradually you can generate new hours in a 24-hour day. It does get tough sometimes. But you can do it.
Bit by bit, they say. Bit by bit. You can find tiny blocks of time throughout the day. Use them to your benefit.
Start by mentioning the task in your daily to-do. It acts as a constant reminder.
You can take care of it during the day or in the last 10 minutes, before going to sleep. But if itās on the to do, and you really want to pursue it, someday youāll make time for it.
You might not notice the small changes daily. Look back after a year, and you'll see progress. As Jame Clear says, āYour results are largely a byproduct of your habits.ā
So, shove that new habit into a five-minute slot. Add it to your to-do, and keep adding it daily, until you get into the habit.
You can start today or wait for it to start on 1st Jan (and fail). The choice is yours.
Leaving you with that today.
Bidding adieu.
Live long and prosper.
See you next week, with another story.