"Time"

We all have the same number of hours in our day. Why do some of us around, constantly stressed, complaining we "don't have time" while others seem to approach life a relaxed and happy state but still get plenty done.

Though we all have responsibilities and obligation, this often comes down to choices.

Many of us make poor exchanges on our time on a daily basis. Each time we say yes to something, we are effectively "saying no" to something else. The problem is, we often say yes to too much. This is where a balance starts to tip.

Instead of feeling in control of our calendar, our time is all accounted for. We rush from this commitment to that, never really feeling like we're truly present at any of them. We squeeze over more into our days but feel we have less time to do the wings we really want to do, or see the people we want to see. We have less space left for ourselves.

Time is a finite resources, once spent, it's gone. We can't get back but we can be selective and intentional with the time we have.

We can take control by saying yes to less and appreciating the white space in our diary. We can protect our precious time for the activities and people that give our lives the most meaning and joy. Of course, reclaiming your time isn't always this simple. Some of us are working several demanding jobs in order to pay the most basic of bills. Maybe we are bringing up a young family, caring for aging parents, or perhaps looking after a loved one who has physical or mental health challenges.

Finding time for anything in these scenarios can be especially tough. Even if we do have time, we feel a heavy sense of guilt if we spend it doing something for ourselves, because it seems selfish. Besides, exhaustion can hit us right when we have these small windows of time, and sleep or the TV may beckon.

If we're limited in this way, a good start is to fine small pockets of time to invest I our passion projects, our hobbies, and ourselves. Five minutes here, half an hour there can add up over a period of time. Though we maybe caregivers and breadwinners for others, we need to remember to care for ourselves along the way. We can do this without neglecting our responsibilities. In fact the more we can look after our own well being, the better equipped we are to be of service to others.

Another step that we can take is to try to change our situation. Maybe we can work closet to home or look to simplify and reduced our bills, and perhaps even work a little less. In the case of loved ones with challenges, maybe we haven't exhausted our options in terms of additional help from friends, family or care groups.

They can help us to get some information about what our plans are?

These are all tough and very real challenges of some us face, and I will not make light of them here. All any of us can do is look to make the very best of our situations and be great full for what we have instead of focusing on what we don't have. Sometimes we need a little outside support from others to help us along. Where there is a will, there can be a way.