The Subtle Art of Manage Yourself

Why does it seem like some people get everything done, while we others struggle? How come the same people have time for their hobbies, taking vacations, nurturing their careers and seem to live a life in perfect harmony?

You may be really good at managing other people but are you equally good at managing your own life and your own time? If you feel that your life is dictated more by others than yourself then this series of articles may be exactly what you need.   

We always hear people saying things like “Life is short”. “There is so much to do and so little time”, “I wish I could turn back time” etc. All of them are true, time is precious, limited and should be cherished.

I am sure that you are struggling, just like me, to cope with expectations, commitments, obligations, all the “musts” and deadlines, things we have to do versus things we would like to do. Life is not fair so get used to it!!! But hey, is there anything we can do about it, or should we just accept it?

Over the last year I have spent a lot of time thinking about life, what matters, what makes me happy and how I can make other people happy. The pursuit of happiness is in my mind a myth. Many people quantify and define happiness in wealth, material aspects, dream jobs, financial freedom etc. They are so preoccupied and focused on realizing their dreams, pursuing their vision of happiness that they do not get to enjoy their everyday life, which are filled with moments of happiness. Maybe these are not “big” enough in comparison to your dreams or goals – but without appreciating those moments you will not feel a sense of accomplishment, fulfilment, or gratitude. All which are ingredients of happiness.

The everyday life is for most people filled with self-inflicted stress caused by their desire to meet demands and expectations from themselves and others, their boss, spouse, friends, children etc. A stressful life is not a happy life. We all know that we perform our best when we are under a bit of pressure, but when the pressure becomes too much it causes stress. The feeling of having too much on our “plate” causes stress. Stress in turn affects us negatively, both physically and mentally, and prevents us from living a happy life. No one is going to change it for you – you have to do it yourself.

This series of articles are not about the philosophical aspects of how to achieve a happy life or challenging the pursuit of happiness. There are many other books on these topics and may give you inspiration to change your mindset of achieving happiness. At the end of the day, it is all about You, and your attitude towards life and what matters in your life, and what brings you happiness.

Nevertheless, an integral part of becoming a happier person, living a more satisfying life is how we leverage what we already have. Making the most of it. There are only a very few people that have the means to live their life as they want to live it, for the rest of us it is a constant battle of what must be done versus what I would like to do. How do we get the most out of our time?

My goal is to share my experiences and thoughts with you, to provide you with practical tips on how you can change your life, both at work and at home, to get more done, become more efficient, meeting demands and obligations, exceed expectations, and thereby get to feel the sense of accomplishment and at the same time free up time for things that you would like to do and thereby achieve a happier life. If this sounds interesting to you then you should not miss these articles published on a weekly basis.  

In the next chapters we will debunk some myths, give you the inspiration how you may change your behaviors and attitudes, become more efficient in managing your own life, with the ultimate objective of living the life to the fullest.