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The witching hour is almost upon us, and time seems to be flying at warp speed on that broomstick! Time is one of the top three reasons why people don't get things done- the others being money and energy.

Truth is, if we're clear on what we want, and commit to it, we can find the time, energy or money to do it. Often we need to learn to better manage our time, money or energy first. When I first meet my clients, most of them say time is the biggest reason why they haven't done what they say they want- yet, when we look at how they are spending their time, we magically find they do have time for it! We all truly have 24 hours in a day- regardless of who we are- and how we choose to use it is up to us. As H. Jackson Brown said, 'You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Michaelangelo, Mother Teresa, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson and Albert Einstein'.

We don't actually manage time- time is consistent- 60 seconds in a minute, 60 minutes in an hour, 24 hours in a day. What we manage is what we do with our time. How we choose to spend our time will determine whether we are living a fulfilling life, and going for our dreams, or whether we are incredibly busy doing lots of 'stuff' and questioning what we've done in our day, feeling like nothing has been accomplished. We control our time, time doesn't control us. It becomes all about choice- how we choose to use our time. Do we choose to use it in pursuit of our dreams and goals, or by filling it up with whatever comes our way?

We need to set our priorities. As Goethe said, "The things that matter most must never be at the mercy of the things that matter least." What is most important for you to work on right now? Schedule your day around the priorities- put them in first, then if there is room for anything else, add them in. Too often we get busy doing 'little things' and never get around to the important tasks. As Stephen Covey said, put the big rocks in your bucket first, then after they are in, you can add smaller rocks and sand. When you fill your bucket up with sand first (the tiny things), there is no room for any big rocks (what we value most right now).

The next thing you need to do once you determine your priorities for the day is to maintain focus on completing them. This often includes setting boundaries with others- saying no instead of yes to requests asked of us if they do not fit in with our priority. W. Edwards Deming stated 'The average American worker has fifty interruptions a day, of which seventy percent have nothing to do with work'. It's about focusing, staying on task and completing what we are doing. This applies to our personal as well as professional priorities.

Many people work well by scheduling their entire day (all waking hours), all personal and professional commitments, and allowing some flexibility so changes can be made if needed. There are great time management systems and organizers out there; if this appeals to you, find one and go for it! The key is to use it- I often meet people who have bought a terrific system, but don't use it. For others, that type of scheduling is too rigid, and taking time each morning to determine the top 3 intentions for the day works best. Personally, I use a combination. I have a palm pilot, and schedule in all my regular meetings and appointments. Because physical fitness is important to me, at the beginning of each week I schedule in my run and workout times. Each morning when I get up I review my schedule and determine what the top 3 things are I want to accomplish, and set those as my goals for the day. I have not been spending much time with family lately, so that is a new priority for me to add in. The key here with priorities is to review them regularly, and make adjustments when necessary.

We often need to give some things up in order to have time to do what we want to do. Often when we look at our day we will find some habits that aren't a very productive use of time- common ones I hear are playing games on the pc, surfing the net, or checking emails each time they come in. They may be enjoyable, but in the big scheme of things, do they provide you with long-term fulfillment, or short-term gratification?

'Do, dump or delegate' is a great rule I use. When something comes across my desk, if I do it, dump it or delegate it right away, it's dealt with. When I leave it to sit, it piles up and multiplies! Sometimes it's delegating it to a 'do next month' file, but at least it's out of my way! (This is a tool I've forgotten lately that I'll be reinstating!) Oftentimes I find with my clients they are still doing everything- when paying for someone to do their books or clean their home would free up time for things that they really want to be doing.

Brian Tracy says the key to time management is to continually ask yourself, "What is the most valuable use of my time, right now?" He believes answering that question is also the key to overcoming procrastination. I think it's a great new habit to develop, to continually ask ourselves that.

Remember to make balance a priority as well! We need to feed our body, mind and spirit regularly or our whole system goes way out of whack! I leave you with a beautiful link on our precious commodity, time, by a fellow Canadian, Scott Stratten. The poem was not created by Scott, but this beautiful movie was. Enjoy!

>> Time

I have just passed the half-way point of my marathon training and fundraising. Am I ever learning lots through this process! Thank you so much for your support. Support isn't just about the money- it's about the supportive thoughts and words as well. I truly appreciate them! I have a terrific coach, Lisa Hopper, who is fantastic at respecting where I am at and pushing me to the next level, while reminding me to hold the vision. She's an incredible role model, a woman who has completed 5 Ironmans, and couldn't have done it without arthritis medication. The research the Arthritis Society has done has made it so she can live a rich, full life, run, inspire and coach others to run as well. She volunteers her time each year to train Joints in Motion runners, and fundraises as well for the Society. She volunteers for other organizations as well, the more I find out, the more amazed I am! She is busy with many different things- family, career, volunteerism, and is truly amazing! Lisa knows what is important to her, goes about quietly doing incredible things, and truly makes a difference in this world. Lisa's tag line is 'Choices make a difference in life.' Thank you for the choices you make in life Lisa- you truly make a BIG difference in many peoples lives. I am truly blessed to have met you!

I am still offering a month's free coaching to anyone who donates $250 or more to the Arthritis Society. It's a charitable donation, so you will get a receipt from them for tax purposes. If you've thought about coaching but couldn't justify giving yourself the gift, give to the Arthritis Society and get the gift of coaching given to you!

If you could forward this newsletter on to others who may want to donate to this worthy cause, or may be interested in coaching, I would greatly appreciate it. I thank you in advance for your support!

Please donate to the Arthritis Society

This section is reserved for articles, pictures, quotes or ? contributed by readers. This newsletter is for you- please contribute what you would like to share!

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I am Norma Reid, a Certified Executive Coach, and owner of From Dreams to Reality Success Coaching. My dream is to help you fulfill your professional and personal dreams and live the rich, full life you are meant to! I want to reawaken you to your magnificence!

If you need some help in creating more balance in your life, connecting with your vision, values or purpose, or creating an action plan to get moving in the direction of your dreams, call me for a sample coaching session.

Thank you once again for letting me share part of your journey with you. Until next time, enjoy the incredible wonder and beauty this time of year blesses us with! If you haven't taken the time to play lately, add some playtime to your daytimer and your life! Let your spirit soar and make it incredible!

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