Learn to Analyze Situations and Save Time Every Day

Focus only on the things you can change

If I had more time, then surely I would be able to do this and that…

How many times have you heard that? And how many times have you said it also, trying to convince yourself?

Let’s be honest, that is not the real problem, so let’s stop using that line. Instead, we will use a simple practical habit and learn to save lots of time every day.

Time is the same for all

The richest man on earth, the most miserable man on earth, the happiest one or the most depressed, all of them have only 24 hours to live every day, right?

So, why do some people find ways to do many things and others can only handle a few? Why do some are able to do what they consider most important and others feel they just do a lot of insignificant things?

If time is the same for all, why does that happen?

What is different?

If we look deeper, the real problem is our lack of skills to do the best use of the time we have available — the main problem is how bad we are managing it and how good we are at finding ways to waste time.

The main difference between those who succeed or do not succeed in managing time properly results fundamentally from:

• how they analyze the situations;
• how they react to the difficulties they encounter.

How to gain time?

A powerful time saver technique you can use to overcome the daily challenges and difficulties is to learn how to distinguish two aspects of any specific situation:

• what is not in your power to change;
• what is in your power to change.

In fact, if you practice this habit you will start gaining time almost immediately — just think, how many times do we spend the same amount of time thinking, talking, arguing, protesting, about these two so very different aspects of a situation?

In practical terms, what is not in your power to change is already solved. So, if there is nothing you can do about that aspect, just accept it and move on.

By acting this way you will:

• save/gain the time you would lose discussing it;
• save/gain the energy you would lose discussing it

As a result, you will have more time and energy to dedicate to the things you can change to overcome the challenges that every situation presents you.

And, in this aspect, the most important is to focus on the resources you can activate, on the skills, knowledge, and means that you already have or that you can develop to reach your goal. This is what in your power to change, and if you dedicate your time and energy to it you will have a much better chance at succeeding because it depends solely on you, on your efforts and actions.

About this matter, Alan Watts explained very clearly that your attitude can make all the difference:

“Life and business is like the changing seasons, (…) you cannot change the seasons but you can change yourself.

(…) don’t wish for less problems, wish for more skills, don’t wish for less challenges wish for more wisdom, that’s the key”.