Space and time can get away from us unless we stay aware of them and use them with intention.
Do you feel like you’re always short of time? You’re always busy, but the work never gets done on time? You consistently work hard, but the results don’t meet your expectations?
In the midst of all the busyness, let me ask you: Are you conscious of space and time, or have you become a slave to them?
Our amazing brains have the ability wander to the past or the future and travel wherever we want in our imagination. Our bodies, on the other hand, are bound by time and space. Being able to use and manage time and space so that we can create what we want in the physical world is also an important ability and role of the brain. For this reason, the fourth rule of the Brain Operating System (BOS) is:
Become a master of time and space.
What’s the Brain Operating System? If we liken the physical brain—all the neurons and the connections and spaces between them—to the hardware of a computer, we could call the mind its software. Each of us has an incredible, high-performance computer inside with infinite potential and creativity.
While how the mind works has been studied by psychologists, philosophers, and others throughout much of human history, I’ve outlined five simple rules for its operating system. Following these rules lets us make the most of our mind and brain, both the conscious and unconscious parts, so we can turn thoughts into things.
Things You Need to Master Time and Space
1. Recognize who we really are.
People generally tend to live lost in their own emotions and desires, or they become preoccupied by trivial events without being aware of space and time. That gradually leads to viewing themselves as small, weak beings and to living dominated by time and space. So the first step to mastering time and space is recognizing that our essential substance is energy, which transcends space and time, and thus is infinite and eternal.
2. Define your purpose.
Even though our essence is infinite, why are we living in this time and space? Answering this question will help us define a specific purpose and meaning in life. Having a purpose then defines our values, and our values determine our priorities.
3. Focus on your priorities.
Living without being driven by time pressure is a matter of priorities and timing more than anything else. Does what you’re doing right now serve your purpose, and does it align with your values? By establishing what we need to do based our values and constantly checking how we’re using our time, we can make sure our time serves us well. We can avoid being busy, spending our days only dealing with the most urgent tasks, wandering aimlessly without moving forward.
4. Get the timing right.
If we catch the right time and place to do something, we can do it with much less effort than if our timing is off. We can go with the flow instead of working against the current.
5. Organize your time and tasks around yourself.
If we say we’ll act when a particular thing happens or when someone else does something, ultimately we’re making ourselves dependent on outside conditions. Whatever the task is, we need to plan so that we spearhead it. Then, it will also much easier to elicit cooperation from others who need help, which helps us use time more efficiently.
6. Take care of the condition of your body and mind.
We need to be productive and creative to use our time more efficiently, but we can’t do that when our energy is depleted and our minds are filled with tangled thoughts and emotions. Our body needs energy and vitality, and our mind needs to concentrate on the work at hand. Then we’ll be able to do in a few dozen minutes what would normally take several hours. Because we’ll be dealing with things speedily with lucid judgment, creative ideas and solutions will pour out. People who’ve mastered time remember to devote some of it to self-management and self-cultivation. This gives them an unshakable centeredness and the composure to handle work efficiently with a smile and a passion for life.
Everyone’s brain always contains a BOS. The problem is that we don’t make good use of it. The brain is busy performing according to the habits it remembers instead of our intentions, and so it is not operating properly. On the other hand, if we earnestly focus on our purpose and values, in that moment, our brains overcome the power of habit to carry out our wish. If we remain true to that choice, our brains will catch the right time and place to take action and be able to manage these important resources.
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