Taking Your Time

Taking Your Time

Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need.

Luke 12:31

Michigan Governor Granholm issued an official proclamation recently in her state: “On behalf of the citizens of Michigan, Governor Jennifer M. Granholm hereby proclaims October 24 as ‘Take Back Your Time’ Day. Whereas too many are suffering from overwork, over-scheduling and time poverty . . . and whereas, many Americans are working extremely long hours, taking shorter vacations and suffering from stress and burnout, . . . and whereas, time pressure has a negative impact on family life, . . . therefore be it resolved, that I, Jennifer M. Granholm, Governor of the State of Michigan, do hereby proclaim this day as ‘Take Back Your Time’ Day.”

We’d never heard of such a proclamation. It almost made us want to pull up our roots in Seattle and move to the Great Lakes State. Who wouldn’t want to live in a place where even the governor wants you to not be so busy? If only it were that easy. Unfortunately, it takes more than a proclamation to actually win the war on busyness. So here is a simple suggestion for doing just that.

Are you ready? Here it is: Slow down.

No duh! Right? Of course, the cure for hurry sickness is to slow down. Lily Tomlin’s quote is one of our favorites: “For fast-acting relief, try slowing down.” If you prefer a more contemplative thinker, here’s what Gandhi said: “There is more to life than increasing its speed.”

Okay. So we all know we should slow down more often, but how? Well, at the end of reading this sentence, close your eyes, take a deep breath, and put your hand over your heart and feel the beat for about fifteen seconds. Did you do it? If so, you know how something as simple as this can slow you down.

But if you didn’t, if you kept on reading, let us ask you a question. You seriously don’t have time to pause for fifteen seconds before completing this paragraph? If so, we have a more challenging assignment. Try not wearing your watch tomorrow. If you’re really brave, take the clock off the wall. Just for a day. You’ll be amazed to discover how tuned into time you are and how your watch speeds you up more than you think. It’s a little exercise that can’t help but get you to ease your foot off the gas pedal of your day and slow down.^a

For fast-acting relief, try slowing down.

—Lily Tomlin

^a 137