In his book, Full Catastrophe Living , Jon Kabat Zin outlines four ways to free ourselves from the ‘tyranny of time’ which I find helpful.
1. Remember time is a product of thought – minutes and hours are conventions so we can meet, communicate and work together. How we think about time can make all the difference as to whether we feel we have enough time, too much time or not enough time.
2. Live in the present – stop musing about the past and worrying about the future. Be present and time will disappear. If you want to reminisce about the past or plan for the future then do that with awareness as well. Remember in the present and plan in the present.
3. Take some time each day to step out of the flow of time – sit still or meditate – preserve some time each day for just being.
4. Simplify your life – what are you doing with your time? If you fill all your time you won’t have any and you probably won’t even be aware of why you don’t. A useful way to simply your life is to prioritise the things that you have to do, want to do and choose to do. It may also mean having to learn to say no sometimes.