Time Management and the “Inner Child”
Time management might be well put into the "adult" category of perception. The "child" wants to stay in bed, stay up late, watch cartoons instead of doing homework in a "timely" fashion. So the "time" construct is critical for project management involving other people. Team building in the adult world.
Resistance to this notion is common, and totally understandable. But if I accept a contract to turn a book in on Jan 1st, the editor has made time in her schedule to evaluate and give notes, the publisher has commitments to suppliers, printers, shippers and bookstores. Those who can deliver ON TIME with a moderate level of competence will actually be preferred over people who deliver late but a little better than average. And if you are REALLY sloppy with time, you'd better be a genius.
People would wait YEARS for a Harlan Ellison book, because when and if it eventually came out, it would be a sensation. I'd not suggest you aim at this. Better to learn the discipline that enables you to produce or finish or build or arrive ON TIME, or that plane leaves without you, and that newspaper goes to bed without your story…
And oh, yeah, your date will get tired of waiting and leave.
If you don't take care of this, your child doesn't get to dance and play. The artistic life you crave will escape you, and your "child" self ends up working for people who CAN control their "adult" self, at some 9-5 job where your passion slowly dwindles and dies.
Because you refused to be an "adult" in this sense, you end up working for someone who is. And if THAT person isn't happy with their lives? You're in trouble. I often wonder if some of the antipathy between executives and creatives is that adult/child split, where the execs think the artists are children, and the creatives think the execs are heartless, soulless bean counters. You know…"adults."
So that's the day's thought, as we are 11 days into the 90-DAY LOVE FEAST, for everyone, whether or not you have a partner. Create a safe space for your heart. This will demand strength, and strategy. You don't have to remember your task schedule. There are watches, alarms, smart phones, journals, calendars, partners and assistants. You can "farm out" that aspect of "executive function" to some form of support. Pop-ups on your computer, for instance.
With Jason, I'm using a wall calendar and a journal. If he sets alarms on his phone or computer, better still. But I KNOW he doesn't want to, and it will take some combination of love, pattern interruption and discomfort to get him to check his journal morning and night, which is really all he has to do to get on the Adult Train in this regard. Me, I have to look at my daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly goals every morning, just a few seconds, and be sure the next two weeks are straight, and today and tomorrow are in line with my goals. Do that, and I can play a LOT more, because the "adult" Steve took care of business so that "little Stevie" can play.
I LOVE little Stevie, so I want him to be safe, and have LOTS of playtime, as well as play-dates with appropriate friends. Got one next Monday with Larry, and have to get ready for it, so that's all for right now.
But please consider: what do YOU need to do to create a safer space for your "child"? Can you improve that by 1% today, perhaps just by making a list of possible actions?
Namaste
Steve
