In this Coffee Break Coaching, learn the top four time transformation turnarounds! Simple and effective. 

If you prefer to read about it instead of watching the video, here ya go:

Today I want to talk to you about what I call the language of time transformation.

Some of these tips sound really simple; they are simple, but the effect that they can have in your life can be profound. So I want to share them with you today.

Top Four Tips to Transform Your Time

I have four tips that I’m going to share with you. I'm going to share my top four with you: the language of time transformation.

"I don’t have enough time" becomes "I have too much to do"

The first one is something that we often say that is not particularly helpful to us. And that is “I don't have enough time.” And it may be true that you don't have enough time. But when we turn that around to a more helpful statement of “I have too much to do,” it empowers us to change what we're doing.

Because we don't have control over time. There are 24 hours in a day, there's 168 hours in a week. And we can't change that. But what we can change is what we spend our time doing and what we're doing, we can also change who's doing it.

So you know, I'm a big advocate for delegating, right. So changing, “I don't have enough time” to “I have too much to do.” All right.

"I’m so busy" becomes "I have lots of opportunities"

The next statement that I really don’t like is “I'm so busy.” I don't want to continue saying that. Because it's not helpful to us. It makes us feel like we're running around. And even if we are running around, and what it does is it often puts everything in a negative light. What I like to change that to is: “I have lots of opportunities.”

And so, again, why do I like that turnaround from “I'm so busy” to “I have lots of opportunities”?

Because it empowers us to start making decisions about whether to take on certain opportunities or not. You know, not every opportunity is the right opportunity for us. And even if it is the right opportunity, if it's not the right time, then it's not the right opportunity.

So changing “I'm so busy” to “I have lots of opportunities” puts us in a mindset where we're going to start making decisions about what we're going to do and not do. And really focusing on priorities. So that's my second turnaround.

"I have to…" becomes "I get to…"

My third turn around is changing “I have to” to “I get to.” And this is about gratitude and shifting our perspective. It's very easy to get caught up in, for example:

• -I have to get up at 6:30 in the morning.
• -I have to fix breakfast for my family.
• -I have to clean the kitchen.
• -I have to do the laundry.
• -I have to drive to work.

I have to do all these things. Even if it is true that you must do those things so that you have to do them, when we can shift that to “I get to” do a thing, it can make us grateful that we have the opportunity to do it.

“I have to get up at 6:30” becomes “I get to get up at 6:30.” Not everybody gets up every morning, right? Some people don't make it through the night. They don't get to wake up. Not everybody is in a nice warm home in their cozy bed. You get to wake up in that bed and get up.

I get to make breakfast for my family, spend some time with them. I get to choose and have a little control over what they eat, and make sure it’s healthy.

We get to do so many things. And when they become obligations, it's easy to forget to appreciate them.

"Always saying yes" becomes "Saying yes only when it aligns with your values and goals"

And then the last turnaround that I have is: instead of saying yes to things that you don't want to do, or to things that don't align with your values and goals, anytime that someone asks you to do something, or you're presented with an opportunity to do something, ask if it is aligned with your values, or moving you toward your vision of your life.

Now, if you're not clear on what your values are, or your goals or the vision of your life, then maybe that's some homework you need to do. And there's actually the Thought Book that can guide you through a bunch of questions to help you determine what your values are.

And if you've read my book, in chapter one, there's a whole chapter on defining your values and coming up with your own personal values statement. When you can get clear on those things, it's easier to know what to say yes to and what to say no to.

Summary

I hope you find these turnarounds are able to transform the way that you think about time, what I call time transformation, and help you handle all your obligations and things that you need to accomplish in a day.

This is from Coffee Break Coaching, which happens (nearly) every Wednesday late morning (around 11:30 am ET) as a Facebook Live video. Make sure you never miss one, and see all the ones you’ve already missed by following @LawyerLionLaundry on Facebook and joining my private Facebook group, The Calm in the Chaos Community.

I hope to see you there next week!