Are you looking to create an abundance mindset in your daily life when it comes to your calendar?
Do you want a thoughtful way to practice better time management at work?
As an entrepreneur, you know that time is money.
Time is truly the only resource that can never be created, renewed, or generated.
But if time is constantly flowing into and out of our experience, how can we best make use out of it, right here and now?
Sometimes, changing your approach to what seems like something fairly ordinary can have an extraordinary effect on your life.
In this article, you’ll learn about an abundance mindset, how it relates to time management, and how you can apply this knowledge to better manage your schedule.
What is an Abundance Mindset?
An abundance mindset is a mindset where you believe there is an ample supply of something within your life experience.
This type of mindset is focused on growth, expansion, and improvement.
You believe there is a continual supply of something available for yourself, perhaps others and the world at large, and then some!
And in case you were wondering, there are different types of mindsets.
The opposite of an abundance mindset is a mindset of lack.
This particular type of mindset is one where you believe there is a limited supply of something within your life experience.
This type of mindset may be expressed by thoughts of something declining, constricting, stagnating.
You may believe there is a finite supply of something available for yourself and others.
You may even believe whatever is available is only meant for a select few.
So how does these mindsets apply to something, say, like your business?
If you had an abundance mindset, you may believe there’s more than enough clients, profits, and professional relationships available to you.
And if you had a mindset of lack, you may believe there’s not enough clients, profits, professional relationships available to you.
What is an Abundance Mindset in Time Management?
Now that you know about the concepts of an abundance mindset and a mindset of lack, how does that relate to time management?
As a time management coach, I like to describe an abundance mindset as how you think about and perceive the subject of time.
Chances are you already have some sort of existing mindset when it comes to time, but haven’t given it much thought.
Let’s say you believe there’s plenty of time available for you to use.
You don’t worry or fret about the bigger picture when it comes to your schedule. You believe there’s a time and a place for things to happen as they should.
When things don’t go as planned, you make corrections as necessary, and move forward. In this case, you have an abundance mindset when it comes to time.
But what if you believe there’s not enough time in the day for you to use? You may experience a constant sense of worry or dread when it comes to your schedule.
You may believe you have to overtly force things to happen in your schedule, no matter what.
When things don’t go as planned, you may make a big deal of things, feel stuck where you are, and regularly fret about the situation. In this case, you have a mindset of lack when it comes to time.
If you have a mindset of lack when it comes to time, don’t worry.
The good news is that you can change your mindset to one that is of time abundance.
What are the Benefits of an Abundance Mindset in Time Management?
Having an abundance mindset allows you navigate the ups and downs that naturally come with having a calendar.
Keep in mind, an abundance mindset isn’t about ignoring the passage of time, being reckless with your calendar, or not taking responsibility for one’s actions.
Rather, it’s about being aware of the passage of time, honoring the time you have, and consciously making use of it.
A person with a mindset of lack might think five minutes is a worthless amount of time to do anything. Or they may think that taking a break is a sign of weakness in one’s work.
But a person with an abundance mindset would respect those five minutes and use it to their advantage.
They might choose to complete a brief task or take a much-needed break. They understand that there’s more to time management than meets the eye.
The benefits of having an abundance mindset in time management may allow you to:
- Thoughtfully manage busy and slow times during the year
- Plan your professional and personal schedule with improved clarity
- Better visualize tasks in relationship to your overall goals
- Consider different ways to utilize available time in your calendar
- Quickly recover from scheduling delays, upsets, and setbacks
When you understand, value, and respect your time, it becomes a precious thing. That in and of itself is true abundance.
How to Have an Abundance Mindset When it Comes to Time
Now you know a bit more about having an abundance mindset when it comes to time.
So how do you put the pieces together to ensure you make the most out of the time you do have?
Here are five smart ways to practice time abundance in your business on a regular basis.
Note that these tips do require some planning and patience on your part, but the results are well worth it.
Set specific work hours for yourself
Working day and night may seem like the only way to get things done as an entrepreneur.
Yes, you need to do your work, but if you’re constantly overworking without regular breaks, you’re coming from a mindset of time lack.
If you haven’t yet done so already, create specific beginning and end work hours for yourself during the week.
And if you already have hours in place but haven’t yet followed them, make it a point to follow them now.
Do keep in mind, this isn’t to say there aren’t times in business when you need to finish up work because of delays and circumstances outside of your control.
But you do need to create consistency for yourself on a daily basis so you have ample time to rest and relax.
Leave blank spaces in your calendar
Not filling up your calendar may seem counterintuitive. But doing so allows your schedule to breathe.
With sufficient breaks and white space, you can clearly and easily discern appointments, meetings, and other calendar entries.
Your schedule doesn’t have to look half empty.
Simply add buffers of time from one part of your day to another.
This ensures you’ll have sufficient time to review, plan, travel, and rest as you move from one appointment to another.
Be 100 percent present during conversations
Your presence in conversations goes far beyond your physical body taking up space in a room, your hand holding a phone receiver, or your face appearing in an online conference video.
You need your mind and focus to be fully present as well.
Respect others during conversations by giving them your full attention.
By being fully present, you can not only have more meaningful conversations but also cover more details than if you were otherwise distracted.
Schedule future follow-ups with confidence
A rejection of any kind can stop you dead in your tracks.
But that doesn’t mean you can’t move forward in your work.
Sure, you can try and push your way through a situation, but in some cases the timing is wrong.
Things have to unfold in their own time.
And sometimes the best course of action is to put a task aside and come back to it later.
Take a moment now to add a task or follow-up to your calendar or tickler list.
Not only will you have the time to follow up with the item later, you’ll have time now to focus on other items.
Communicate your availability to others
Does it seem as if people are always contacting you at all hours of the day?
Perhaps you’re experiencing the exact opposite.
You haven’t heard from someone in a long time and are wondering about their status.
Let others know when you are specifically available for meetings, reviews, consults, and discussions.
Beyond showing yourself time is always flowing into your experience, this ensures you’ve created the physical time and space necessary to work with others.
The task doesn’t have to be complicated.
An in-person conversation, a phone call, a text, or an email shows you understand the passage of time, and the importance of connecting with others in real time on a regular basis.
Learn How to Cultivate An Abundance Mindset
Running a successful business requires thoughtfulness, tact, and mindfulness when it comes to time management.
If you want clarity when it comes to being mindful in your business, book a free 30-minute video strategy session with me today.
How about you? How are you going to reframe your mindset when it comes to time? Join the conversation and leave a comment below!
A version of this post originally appeared on Inc.com.
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