It’s funny because this is one quality that gets under my skin. People who do not take accountability for their actions. So here I am driving to work and listing off all the things that felt wrong at that moment in time....
- I have a long list of things I need to accomplish at work and at home, and there is no way I will get it all done.
- Because of this there’s no way I can feel successful and I will continue to let down my team, leadership, my family and myself.
- I feel soft and out of shape. I haven’t been working out as much as I would like and I’m not eating well.
- I haven’t practiced yoga as much as I would like. I’m lucky if I get it in one day a week.
- I love writing, and yet I haven’t had time to write at all.
Life is just demanding too much out of me. In these moments I can feel life washing over me, angry and bitter at my surroundings, the people who are demanding things of me, the commitments I signed up for that I no longer want to do.
As I’m mulling over all of this and feeling a bit sullen, I started to do what I always do when something isn’t working for me. I ask myself, what do I need to do to change the situation. What adjustments do I, Jill Perovich, need to make to modify how I’m feeling? The answer came to me quite quickly.
OWN MY DAY. I need to own my day.
This starts first thing in the morning. How awesome will I feel if the first thing I do every day is for me? Exercise. Practice Yoga. Write.
The initial thing I need to do is create a schedule, set an alarm for my day to start earlier than it would if I’m just going to work. This must happen. How amazing will I feel to walk into my office knowing I have a full day ahead of me, but I already accomplished something for myself?
The second thing I need to do is create boundaries with my screen time. My phone has become somewhat of an extra appendage. To put it even more bluntly an addiction, a way to numb, a way to procrastinate, a way to escape and avoid.
My husband I just watched a 60 Minute feature on screen time and the impact it has on kid’s brains. Jean Twenge a psychology professor from San Diego University conducted a study and found in four years from 2013-2017 “the percentage of teens who reported drinking and having sex fell. But the percentage who said they were lonely or depressed spiked.”
“It's not just the loneliness and depression from these surveys. It's also that ER visits for self harm like cutting have tripled among girls age 10 to 14.”
Shit. I know I feel more depressed the more time I am on my phone. But what can be done about this? It’s like my relationship with food. It must be a part of my life and I want the best of it, but how do I eliminate this feeling of ownership it has over me?
I decided to utilize the iPhone app that tracks how much time you spend on various applications and also allows you to create time restrictions. I have been using this for the past couple weeks and so far it’s worked beautifully.
The third thing I needed to do was define what helps me to feel good. What do I need in my life so the best version of me shows up every day?
- Exercise
- Yoga
- Writing
- Meditation/Prayer/Reading
So there you have it, my goal for 2019 is to own 30 minutes every day for 365 days this year. Own my 30.
Maybe it will be more than 30 minutes or a multiple of these options some days, but it will never be less than one of these or less than 30 minutes. Each day I get to choose.
I live a very blessed life with many, many wonderful opportunities surrounded by an incredible community of loved ones. I can and will prioritize 2% of my day to ensure I can approach each day with a grateful, warrior mindset. This is my life to own and it starts with….
30 minutes 365 Days a Year.
How will you own 2019?