1,440 Minutes to Manage

Our world revolves around time. What we do in a year to a month all the way down to seconds. It can seem like we have such little time when we feel overwhelmed and stressed out. So why focus on the minutes? A minute is enough time to concentrate and complete an activity. You can do 30 squats or push-ups. You can give a kind hug to someone. In the workplace, you can send a thank you or encouraging note to a coworker. You can come up with the next big idea to propel your business forward. These small moments can lead to large gains in the long run.

Now I’m not recommending you plan out every minute of your day. Instead, take a look at your day and try to find the times when you have empty minutes. See if you can fill them with something meaningful, and yes, this even includes resting or simply breathing.

As a social young professional living in DC, I find myself constantly on the move with a full schedule of work, happy hours, networking, and volunteering, on top of finding time to invest in myself. It seems like if I don’t put something in my calendar it won’t get done because something else will quickly take its place. While at times this lifestyle can be exhilarating, it can also be detrimental if not carefully managed. There are many times when I’ve felt stress build up as I’ve put things off or have failed to stay organized. I’ve found that the most important thing about time management is not necessarily the scheduling, but rather the mindset that brings me to that organizational pattern.

If you can shift your mindset to prioritizing yourself and thoughtfully planning, you will be successful. You can also be empowered to help others because you feel like your best self. Sometimes that means cancelling on a friend or special event because you just need to rest or mentally process. This also means taking advantage of every minute. Keep a log one day of how many minutes outside of sleeping you complete mindless tasks without planning. See if you can fill at least 10 of these minutes with something thoughtful that you planned. And then schedule it in. A minute of mindful meditation, a minute to stretch, a minute to call a friend or loved one and leave them a meaningful voicemail. The more you can see the positivity in individual minutes, the easier it will become to manage 1,440 minutes and make the most of your day.

This month our content writers focus on essential health habits and practices that can help you devote some of your daily minutes to manage stress. Check out the links below for more.