Are you spending your time in a way that is consistent with your life plan? Or do you find yourself wasting your precious minutes, doing things that you don’t enjoy?
National Take Back Your Time Week, held during the last full work week in January, is designated for self-reflection. Participants are encouraged to analyze whether their time is being spent the best possible way towards their life goals.
National Take Back Your Time Week also promotes a less hectic lifestyle to protect the planet by saving carbon emissions and reducing the number of hours that Americans work.
WHO STARTED NATIONAL TAKE BACK YOUR TIME WEEK?
Take Back Your Time Week originated as a one-day event to raise awareness of a sustainable future.
“We believe Americans (and Canadians) need to chill out by reducing working hours and unnecessary consumption, thereby at the same time helping to cool the climate of the planet,” according to the Take Back Your Time website.
HOW CAN YOU START TAKING BACK YOUR TIME?
There are several steps towards taking control of the time in your life:
• Figure out your short and long term priorities, and which activities are most important to you.
• Analyze how your time is actually spent.
• Let go of any unnecessary responsibilities that steal your free time.
This involves making difficult decisions. Some long-time activities must be dropped from your schedule so that you can make space for healthy habits that affirm your life goals.
Experts also call this “de-cluttering your lifestyle.”
HOW IS NATIONAL TAKE BACK YOUR TIME WEEK CELEBRATED?
National Take Back Your Times Week should be spent avoiding burnout by simplifying your schedule and making time for something fun.
Where should you begin taking back your time and helping to protect the environment? There are many non-essential activities in most peoples’ lives, and anyone can do the following:
• watch less television;
• decrease the time spend on other non-essential technology, including cell phones and computers;
• say “no” to volunteer activities that you really don’t want to do;
• take short cuts while fixing meals;
• multi-task when necessary.
HOW CAN YOU PROMOTE NATIONAL TAKE BACK YOUR TIME WEEK?
National Take Back Your Time Week inspires people to reclaim their time, energy, and lives while supporting the planet.
Most adult neglect hobbies that make them happy. Instead, they spend time on stressful activities that negatively impact their health. So by replacing “have-to activities” with “want-to activities,” you are reducing this stress and living a happier life.
You can also promote National Take Your Time Back Week in the community by organizing discussion and education groups to discuss the issues.
In addition, you can write include letters to your government and to newspapers, asking people to support bills and policies that reduce working time.
For more information, see:
Do you need a career and life change?
The Take Back Your Time website
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Comments
I have tried to do this for years. Somehow I spend more time thinking about the things I enjoy and not doing them.
As a teacher I spend too many hours working on plans and correcting papers. This summer I vow to do the things I want.
Through the years i have kept up on the things I love. Basketball, Drums, watching sports. In fact my wife says I do these things too much. Imagine that.
Donna, thanks for the reminder. I forget to smell the coffee because I'm out of grounds. (:
A great idea! It would be wonderful to see schools using this occasion to focus on only assigning homework that has a clear purpose (not busywork) and for parents & children both to say no to activities (clubs, volunteering, sports, visits, etc.) they do out of habit or obligation.
It's so important to cultivate true interests, and to teach kids not to over-extend themselves.
I can't believe I missed the whole "NATIONAL TAKE BACK YOUR TIME WEEK". Now I feel ripped off. What a great idea,
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