I have an associate who is always complaining of not having enough time… to respond to emails, to return calls, to eat lunch, to take a holiday, to exercise, to read, to be with her family etc. etc. In case you are wondering, she only has time for her business. Does that sound familiar? We all give that excuse every now and then, don’t we? I believe the real reason behind the excuse is one of the following:

1. No commitment. One of my favorite quotes: If you are interested, you will do what’s convenient. If you are committed, you will do whatever it takes. This is often the reason why people can’t follow a diet plan, or exercise regularly, or do the things they know they should do. They are just not committed.
2. No priorities – or wrong priorities. Like in the case of my friend, her only priority is her business. She believes everything else can wait, until she is a millionaire. When I have difficulty leaving the office on time, with unfinished work, I ask myself: When I am 70 or 80, will I regret not spending enough time in the office, or not spending enough time with my family?
   
3. No time management. Everyone has 24 hours in a day but some people get a lot more out of these hours than the others. Think about 86,400 seconds being given to you right now. And you have 24 hours to use it or lose it, forever. Check out the 4 D’s of Time Management.

I overheard a dialogue in Kung Fu Panda that my kids were watching last night. The wise old turtle tells the panda: Yesterday is gone; tomorrow is a mystery; today is a gift – that’s why it’s called present.

Let’s make today count. Let’s stop telling ourselves or others that we don’t have the time. Because we know we do.

[Photo taken during a hike in Tung Chung, Hong Kong]

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