Is lack of time holding you back from making your dreams a reality?
If you have had a dream or a plan in your head but haven’t yet done anything about it, try the thirty minute rule.
Is it possible to make significant changes in your life using just 30 minutes of your time each day? Yes. It. Is.
How To Achieve Your Dream in 30 Minutes A Day
When I’m coaching, or running courses, I often find that women do know what they want, but feel they don’t have the time to make it happen. That’s no big surprise given that women still do most of the housework at home, and still carry all of the emotional load of relationships (ie remembering everyone’s birthday and organising the shopping list). There is also that irksome thing of women not often putting themselves or their own needs first. We don’t always prioritise what we want over everybody else’s needs, both at work and at home.
If that sounds like you, try the thirty minute rule.
Identify What You Want to Change
First, identify what it is that you want to change. Let’s say it’s your job, for example, (says the woman who finally plucked up the courage to change her career in her late forties). You are feeling OK-ish in your job and you could, without a nudge to do otherwise, possibly stay there for years without too much effort. It might not excite you, or challenge you, but it’s OK, and with everything else you have to do who has time to think about changing jobs?
If this sounds like you, it’s possible that your confidence has taken a bit of a dip, as it will when you’re not fully realising all your talents. This can lead to a feeling of not being quite good enough so you stay where you are and think better the devil you know.
Here’s your first thirty minute exercise for day one – list what you like about this current role, and then list what you don’t like. That’s all. Put it away now until tomorrow. Congratulate yourself on having made a start.
On day two, take 30 minutes out to browse the internet for possible job ideas. Don’t worry about whether they are practicable. Just get a sense of what is out there. Let the thoughts percolate around overnight.
Day three, update your LinkedIn profile.
Day four… you know what to do now.
Small Tasks Add Up To Big Results
Whatever it is that you want to change, break it down into several small tasks each lasting about thirty minutes. The important thing is to do something every day (week days, I’m giving you the weekends off) and in no time you’ll be well on your way to achieving your goal.
If you have a dream to be a senior manager in your organisation, (and I really hope that you do) think about your first steps. Maybe you need to find a mentor? So many of the successful women that I have interviewed have stressed how important a mentor was to them in their progression. Take your first 30 minutes to jot down a list of all possible candidates for that role. Then take another thirty minutes on the next day to compose your request, either email or face to face, whatever seems appropriate in your case. In a week you should have a mentor.
Three Weeks To Create A Habit
You’ll find that after about three weeks it becomes something of a habit and easier for you to remember to do.
It works for all sorts of things. Things you want to do but haven’t got around to, and things you don’t want to do and keep putting it off. 30 minutes is enough time to achieve something worthwhile, but not so much time that it feels too daunting.
Just one word of caution; this doesn’t work with trying to lose weight… says the voice of experience.
RenewYou, My Tried and Tested Career Booster!
RenewYou has helped thousands of women make positive and lasting change in their lives. I deliver it one-to-one as part of a bespoke coaching package for women looking to move into leadership, to progress their career, or who wish to be the absolute best version of themselves.
Posted on October 26th, 2021 by Jane
