I do have the time, it's just not a priority

Hello -

It’s happened. The nights have drawn in, it’s darker and colder, getting out of bed is harder.

Less daylight, and later mornings / earlier evenings knocks how productive and energetic I feel, and since running a half marathon, running has slipped big time.

The habit has started to slip, and I can never seem to find the time to run any more.

But, here’s the truth (which I learned from this great video).

‘I don’t have time’ is usually bullshit.

I tell this to myself because it’s an easy get out card.

What I’m really doing is:

A) Lying to myself

B) Taking away power and autonomy from myself to make the choice to do something or not do it

Realistically, I do have time. If you offered me £1m, I’d obviously find a way to do go for a run by making time (and shoving some other stuff out of the way).

The problem is actually the fact that with everything going on, a full calendar, trying to have a balanced life, potentially a bit of a hangover - the thing ‘I want to do’ isn’t a priority.

The other stuff - staying in bed, scrolling instagram, going to the pub - is.

Which gives me two ways forward.

The first is to reframe the issue and get a bit of control over my life back.

Whatever circumstance I find myself in, I always have the option to reframe my situation in a different way, by going from ‘I don’t have time’ - to ‘it’s not a priority for me right now’.

More importantly though, this works so well as there’s plenty of research showing that if you feel you have more autonomy, you feel like more self-determined and feel like your life is more under your control - which makes you feel better.

Telling myself that I’m choosing not to make the time, rather than ‘I can’t because I don’t have the time’ affirms a sense of having more control.

Autonomy is important for humans. We’ve evolved to need it, so by satisfying this need, it has a positive halo effect on other areas of life = happy days.

The second way forward is linked - by being conscious of how I’m prioritising my time, I’ll prioritise the right things. Like finishing this email instead of trying to finish Red Dead Redemption 2.

Progress!

By the way - bit of a delay since the last one. Who knows when the next one will be? Probably sooner, to be honest. But it’s good to be writing again. See you soon.

This week I'm: ⬇️

Some interesting stuff worth sharing.

🪄 Listening to Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire audiobook. You probably read the books a decade ago and haven’t touched them since. Listen to the audiobooks, you will not regret it.

📰 Using this interesting news website that presents news stories from the left, centre and right sources so you can get a holistic understanding of how the story is being shared.

📸 Looking through winners of the world’s largest annual photo competition from back in September. The theme was ‘Our world is beautiful’. I shared a photo competition in my last email, didn’t I? Maybe I’ll make it a habit. They are always great. In fact, while I’m here, here’s the famous Fat Bear Week competitors - some absolute units there - and this isn’t a photo competition but it is a cool photo - the longest photo ever taken on Earth, from the Pyrenees in Spain to the French Alps. Reminds you that the planet is actually a pretty small place.

🎮 Trying and failing to finish RDR2. It won’t end!

📺 Finishing The Bear S2 - WOW, incomparable to any other series. Up there with Better Call Saul, OG Narcos as something completely different and brilliant.

📱 Neither enjoying nor not enjoying getting the latest iPhone. It’s weird how, despite all of the reading we do, we still think that new, shiny stuff will make us happy in the long term. It doesn’t really do anything. Though the better battery is very convenient.

✍🏻 Reading this guide to packing for a backpacking trip across the world. Makes me soooo nostalgic about my trip through South America. Though I took a 70L bag and far too many t-shirts. If only I had this guide! *sidenote. I’ve just reread this. It’s a bit extra. But it’s fun.

🧑🏻‍💻 A brilliant brilliant guide to freelance writing.

🐟 Optimistically enjoying the future of successful ocean clean up.

☀️ Returning to one of my favourite websites - Time and date. Why, you ask? Because when it’s cold and dark, I can count the exact number of days remaining until it’s light again at 6pm. It’s a coping mechanism! (the answer is 125 days from today).

💬 And finally, a quote

We have to actually do the thing vs death by overplannning.

Thanks!

If you found this interesting and useful, feel free to share with a pal who might enjoy it too.

And as always, feel free to reply to these email with any thoughts or opinions.

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In the meantime, you can find me on Twitter, Instagram and YouTube, and have a look at what I’m reading on Goodreads.

📸 BONUS: Photo of the Week