time management

In my last few posts, I have heavily advocated ordering and managing your world. At work. At home. At night. During the week. You get the picture.

Managing your time is a good thing. You have been gifted with a life to live and it is your responsibility to be a steward for the time you’ve been given. So make the most of it by being organized, prompt, and efficient.

But I don’t want you to get the wrong idea. I do not plan every single thing I do.

In fact, I believe everyone needs a few YOLO moments in their lives.

You heard me…YOLO.

If you do not know what it stands for, YOLO means, “you only live once”. Wikipedia defines it as “similar to carpe diem, it implies that one should enjoy life, even if that entails taking risks.”

YOLO has a bad rep for being something younger people say to justify doing stupid things, but I am not advocating base jumping off the closest high rise or seeing how fast you can go on the highway. My YOLO moments are a bit tamer than that.

They often include going somewhere with friends that I had not originally planned on, spending a little bit of money on a surprise date when I had intended to save cash, or doing something else unplanned.

When life gets in a rhythm of planning and organizing and rigid structures, you lose something. You lose a certain spark that comes with not knowing what will happen next or where you’ll be in 12 hours.

Working YOLO moments into my life is not easy. It does not come quite as natural to me now as it did in college. I start to believe at times that I have too many responsibilities, too many people depending on me, too much to do. I don’t have margin in my life to spend time doing things that may not line up with my agenda.

But there is always time. It is just whether or not we are willing to get out of our comfort bubbles and into the world of YOLO every now and then. I am sure that the friend who called you and wants to get dinner is far more important that watching Monday Night Football or the most recent episode of your favorite show, regardless of the fact that this friend lives a solid 40 minutes away.

I am not trying to tell you to schedule YOLO moments, but rather be open to them. When an opportunity arises and stretches you beyond your comfort zone, take enough time to really consider your options. Do not shoot it down upon first contact. Allow it to come through your barriers before you shoot it down.

Be willing to sacrifice your comfort for the YOLO moments. They help remind us that we are alive and keep us focused on the things that matter most in life.

 

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