Often we fail to recognize what we have until it’s gone. If we were to make a list of things that fit in that category, time would surely top most of our lists. Time never stops -- for anyone. The only limit to what we can do with our time is our mental capacity to conceive what can be done and our efficiency at performing or delegating those tasks.
By now, nearly everyone has heard of multitasking. That is the effort to accomplish more than one task at the same time. Multitasking is usually done on purpose. You know you have multiple things to do and only so much time to do them so you multitask. Some people are better multitaskers than others. I have two friends who try to multitask when we are talking on the telephone. I can always tell when this is happening because there will be a long pause after I speak, followed by a general reply that fails to match my previous comment. I usually call them out on it for fun.
Often, there are times when we are waiting for something to be completed and the completion time is beyond our control. This creates what is called meantime, the time between two events. For instance, taking your car to the mechanic for an oil change normally takes less than an hour and does not warrant dropping off your vehicle. So for about one hour you will be sitting in the shop’s lobby while the mechanic does his job. In the meantime, you can choose to do nothing, sleep, read a magazine, talk on your cell phone, or watch TV. All of these activities, though relaxing or entertaining, are essentially non-productive. You can use that opportunity to do some of the things for which you never seem to have the time. Bring your laptop, tablet PC, or smartphone with you to work on your long-term projects or to review your list of goals. Bring some elastic bands and a pair of sneakers to do a quick workout. Bring your copy of “It’s Always Today” and change your life in 24 hours. Planning is the key to capitalizing on your meantime.
Remember, meantime is different than multitasking in that you are not obligated to do anything else but wait for something else to happen. It may be as simple as how my children eat cereal and brush their teeth while they await their clothes to be ironed. It may be as complex as interning or volunteering in the field in which you are seeking your college degree until you graduate. Maximizing your meantime is a choice that is based on how quickly you want to reach your goals. Everything that it takes to accomplish your goals will still need to be done, so why not do those things during the time that is technically delegated to another task?
Rest, relaxation, and recreation are essential elements of healthy living. If you absolutely need to do those types of activities while you await other things to transpire, by all means exercise your liberty. If not, make the most of the meantime and watch how your productivity and efficiency increase exponentially.
-- Linwood R. Butler, Jr.
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Wow, man, this is awesome. I always knew you had it in you.
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