The importance of time, your time

I WAS recently tagged by Louise Bolotin who wrote an interesting piece about the 'embarrassing' products she uses, despite having a keen eye on the environmental side of things.

I must admit that I don't use a great deal of stuff that might be considered dangerous in an environmental way, I'm a fan of bicarbonate of soda and the various recipes you can create with it, especially after reading my pal Tracey's writing in The Book of Rubbish Ideas.

The one thing that really annoys me, and I've no idea how to recycle them, are razor blade cartridges - I even called up Gillette and asked them if they could be recycled, they said they can't, now that shouldn't be allowed.

But if there is one thing I am 'embarrassed' about from a wasteful perspective, it is the lack of respect I give to time.

There are only so many minutes in the day and I've come to realise that I am terrible for following the next link, refreshing my feedreader or getting involved in Twitter conversations.

So I've been taking some time out, only ten or fifteen minutes, to try and free up the mental clicks and links sitting at your computer generates to try and focus on the job at hand.

The video clip at the top of the page is a presentation in Google's offices about how being too busy can leave you with no time to think, especially important if you are in a creative environment.

I have also read a couple of times now a piece by author Paulo Coelho which looks at the importance of meditation, not in a religious or spiritual way but more as a technique to help generate new ideas and get things done.

Do not try to force one’s concentration, that will only cause anxiety; when we meditate properly, true concentration emerges.

I hope Andrea, Phil and Working Mum may offer a few thoughts.

Comments

[AKA PR]

Hi Craig I've nearly finished the blog, check it out! http://www.akapr.typepad.com

Lydia

[Louise Bolotin]

Craig, thanks for another thought-provoking topic which I have been pondering all afternoon. I guess we don't consider time's eco qualities because it's an intangible. But no less important for that.

I'm horribly aware that I squander time by faffing around on the internet (usually Facebook, Twitter and Journobiz) when I should be buckling down to work. I've noticed that on the days where I sit around in my dressing gown for ages before showering, I'm far less likely to be productive and much more inclined to waste time. The days I get dressed early are the days I use time less wastefully and achieve more.

I absolutely agree on the need to take time out to let ideas flow. I often get great ideas when twittering with others but instead of stopping right away to work up a pitch or whatever, I think "I'll come back to that later" only to find that later the idea has faded... I'm not sure I'm ready to meditate but I am determined to make more time for reading books in the evenings.

[Craig McGinty]

Hi guys,
Thanks Lydia for the message, good to see the site taking shape, I knew you were taking notes ;-)
And I must admit Louise that I'm not in the meditative state yet, just trying to 'unhook' for a few minutes and read more like yourself.
Take care
Craig