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Do a
Don't Do List!
"I
know that keeping lists can be beneficial in terms of helping us figure
out what's important. But if, as many of us did, you got carried away
with your lists, you may have to reconsider and cut your lists back
to more realistic proportions."
Source:
Elaine St. James, Living the Simple Life (Hyperion, 1996)
"Reducing
the volume of our activities makes it possible not only to ease time
pressure but to get more out of life overall."
Source:
Ralph Keyes, TIMELOCK — How Life Got So Hectic and What You Can Do
About It (HarperCollins, 1991)
STOP! Before you read any further, take out a piece of paper. Draw a large
circle.
Ready now?
Look at
the circle you've drawn and think of it as a clock with 24 hours. Halfway
around would equal 12 hours.
Put a dot
at the top of the circle and label that dot with the time you get up to
begin your day. Put a second dot at the point on the circle proportional
to the number of hours later when you go to bed. Draw a pie-shaped wedge
to the center of your circle from the two dots.
For example,
if you sleep about eight hours, your "sleep section" will fill about one
third of your 24-hour clock.
Next, quickly
think through a typical day. Divide the rest of the clock into wedges
that show how much time is spent in other activities. Label the different
areas: work, eating, meal preparation, commuting, personal grooming, work
around house, watch TV, etc.
Do You Need a "Don't Do" List?
If you're
like most people, your circle could use a few more hours to accommodate
your daily "to do" list activities. Or, you might wish for extra hours
to accomplish personal goals such as learning to speak another language.
Rather
than adding "take a time management class" to your "to do" list, consider
starting a "don't do" list. You may discover what the authors cited at
the beginning of this article found: Doing LESS can bring MORE enjoyment
to your life. Especially if doing less allows you to spend time doing
more to contribute to your health and happiness!
Exercise
and diet are two areas often given short shrift in the typical time-squeezed
day. Yet they are important for our overall quality of life. Free up your
time so you can achieve your personal fitness goals.
What Can You Stop Doing?
"Great
idea," you may be saying, "but how?" Here are some tips from time-savvy
ADA registered dietitians who were asked: What one or more things have
you STOPPED doing to have more time to focus on eating healthy and exercising?
Perhaps one will trigger a "don't do" for you.
"The
most helpful thing that I can think of that I have done to make more
time is that we moved our TV set out of our living room on the main
floor of our home, to the rec room in our basement. I watch very little
TV now that I have to make the intentional decision to go downstairs
to watch it; what I do watch is usually planned watching and not something
I just happened to get interested in because the set was on and it caught
my eye.
"I also refuse to buy any clothing for me or my family members that
requires ironing."
- Carol
Selden Jackson, Michigan (Currently a full-time Mom)
"I stopped painting my fingernails to have time for a Master's Swimming
program. I used to spend one night a week on my nails and now I spend
it swimming instead.
"I
replaced styling my hair, mousse and hair spray and got a wash and wear
haircut so I can work out during my lunch hour and still get back to
work.
"Instead
of getting together with girlfriends for birthday lunches, we get together
for birthday runs or bike rides."
- Lizann
Powers-Hammond Benton County Cooperative Extension Kennewick, Washington
"Don't
stay up late watching lame shows on TV. Go to bed early, get up early,
and head to the gym to exercise. You'll feel better all day long."
- Jane
Erickson, Food Service Director St.Joseph's Medical Center, Brainerd,
Minnesota
"Don't
go near the kitchen or any place else there's food while you're on the
telephone."
- Shari
P. Mermelstein, Editorial Assistant/Nutritionist Good Housekeeping
Magazine
"Don't
try so hard to please your family with all the proper food groups and
favorites when pushed for time -- whole-grain cereal with milk, fresh
fruit, yogurt, juice, and peanut butter are favorites for all family
members, take just minutes to put on the table, and can fulfill all
of the food groups. The five course meal will have to wait. "Don't
keep searching your calendar for an hour block of time to go to the
gym or health club and away from your family -- look for those opportunities
to play and be active -- it counts!!! Playing in the park, biking, walking
at the zoo, raking and playing in the leaves are all fun for kids and
provide a chance to be active. Physical activity . . . it's everywhere
you go!!!"
- Barbara
Fraser, Cardiovascular Health Program Nebraska Department of Health
and Human Services
"I
no longer answer the phone in the middle of exercising. Important messages
are now left on my answering machine -- other callers simply hang up!
I can always return a call, but . . . I may not return to exercising."
- Alice
Henneman, Extension Educator, University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension
in Lancaster County
Now. Go
back to the circle that you divided into time spent on daily activities.
Look it over and ask "What can I leave out?" Start thinking "don't do"
and start "don't doing" it NOW!
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