One of the hardest things I’ve had to learn to do was be able to let unfinished projects go. I carried many unfinished projects with me for years expecting that I’d go back and finish them. Despite my best efforts a thickening layer of dust didn’t increase my desire to finish them.

Now I try to keep better record of what it is that stalls the project, whether it be time, or an actual hurdle. Keeping the notes helps me look back and see where some of these problems arise. They also give me some insight on how long I might spend on the project, letting me schedule a time to fully dive into it.

[...] like this thought process. A lot. Click through to read the original article:There’s Never Enough Time Go Ahead. Giving Is Good!MoreLike this:LikeBe the first to like this [...]

I think you have accomplished a lot during your retirement and I am very happy for you. My days don’t seem long enough either. I notice I tend to put all my projects to the weekends and by the time the weekends come those days fill up too. I have been told by certain people in my life that I take on too much. I am starting to actually understand what they are talking about… Living each day for yourself rather then for other people helps minimize the projects and priorities. Great post once again. I am pretty proud of some of the projects we have accomplished together. (especially the garden)

Here’s to many more manageable projects… Like maybe a house someday with a big kitchen and lots of windows!!!

Hey Dave,

I really like the quote, “I no longer have 8-10 hours a day sucked up for the gain of someone else.” This is so true in the working world and is literally making me ill these days. Oh how I wish I could get out of the rat race and see what else I could do with my time.

[...] November 01, 2011 at 11:15AM from Almost Bohemian Click through to read the original article:There’s Never Enough Time 34.750833 -112.116679 Go Ahead. Giving Is Good!MoreLike this:LikeBe the first to like this [...]

Often there seems to be a cyclical trend going from “not enough to do”->”too much to do”->”not enough to do” and so forth that can be hard to break. For example, after quitting my 65+ hours/week job half a year ago, I rubbed my hands together and said “Aaah, now I have time for everything”. Well, pretty soon I felt I didn’t have enough to do and overcompensated by getting involved in all sorts of projects until once again found I was swamped. After I while I started getting rid of projects and felt guilty because I was so used to being busy. The instinctive antidote for this would be to once again dive head on into all sorts of stuff, but what really takes discipline is picking your battles and learning to enjoy so-called “non-productive” time as well. At least that’s my personal challenge.

Oh, snap! I have had many reviews to abandon the glut of things I am passionate about. I keep realizing that no matter how hard I push there will always only be 24 hours in one day!

If you are like me this is something you will have to keep doing because as soon as you clear and de-glut your time, things just start creeping back in there! It comes with having an ever curious, interested personality, so that’s the positive side.

Feeling this same thing – right now it IS my job that is sucking away time and mental energy from the things I want to do. Working on that.

But I have become more critical about the things and projects I spend time on – and I ask myself the intention or motivation for completing it. Is it out of some sense of obligation? Is it for others or myself? Is it to maintain an image or to be who I am? Does it align with my best intentions?

Examine each project through a critical lens of alignment…

Great post!

I know this feeling well. I am impressed that you have so quickly “named it.” I also applaud you for making the decision to do something about it – to change the ridiculous expectations we set for ourselves.

As two fairly driven and passionate individuals, Kent and I can tend to feel like we are not accomplishing enough (despite also feeling like we have so much to be proud about). However, we have come to appreciate the value of down-time and now fully realize that it is an integral part of our success. Down-time is the space we often need to allow our ideas to macerate and then fully gel.

It sounds a bit silly to be quoting Fiona Apple, but one of her lyrics has always stuck with me… “I don’t believe in the wasting of time.”

hmmm, i’m not fully abandoning the time i spent on freelance projects. after all, i still have some to finish up. but on the contrary, i find myself taking on MORE. full time job (which is 50 hour weeks over here) on top of the side hustle.. it’s a lot to cram, especially when i only had the parttime web stuff before.. i guess what i’m finding though, is that i function better with structure and really suck at giving myself structure on my own time.. when i had more time to work on things, i actually spent less time doing it. but now that my schedule is packed, i tend not to waste as much time…

I’ve reached a similar conclusion via my inaccurate diagnosis that time was the bottleneck causing me to not accomplish all I wanted to .

I think it speaks to a broader point of the value of determining (with precision) the variables that are within your control. It’s way too easy to blame time. It’s more difficult to look at yourself.

Hi Dave,

I am new here.

Like you idea and lifestyle now. Actually not having enough time in your situation is good. You are having not enough time to do what you love now. Some people never have enough time doing what they do not like for the longest time. Consider this your privilege.

Your art of abandonment is certainly the new way to go. At the end of all your abandoning, I am sure you will find great satisfaction knowing that you have spend your time wisely doing the things that you love.

Life style become very fast , so we didn’t find time for our-self. We have to do our work at-least 9-10 hours a day including traveling to the office and come back. Not getting time for other family members also.

I admit that, many times I don’t things due to lack of time. I don’t know weather it’s my perception or real. I accomplish my passionate things just like that, with out any second thought. I wish to make my to-do list with things that will passionate and admire me.