Don’t Let Time Get Away from You

We are wrapping up the first month of the year. Are you glad to be moving forward, or are you wishing time would slow down?

The saying “Time flies when you’re having fun” doesn’t seem to need the quantifier of “fun” for me. Time does seem to pass by quickly when my attention is intrigued or my mind is entertained. But it also seems to be gone before I know it, even when I’m bored or my mind is still.

My downtime and leave of absence from work are coming to an end, thankfully. I have spent the past 3½ months recovering from a broken femur, surgery, and the rehabilitation needs that come with both events. If all goes well, I’ll be back at work a week after this column is published.

Although some hours and days have felt slower and longer than others, these months have come and gone rather quickly.

I’m excited to get back into a routine and be a part of things that are bigger than myself. I’m looking forward to deadlines, stressful projects, and the pressure of exploring new ideas. But I’ve seriously enjoyed writing my own schedule every day, waking up mostly when I want to, and spending my energy on the things that are important to me.

When I first wrapped my mind around the likelihood of being off for an extended period, I thought it would be the longest three months of my life. I like to be busy, and I thrive when I’m doing things. The thought of being stuck at home and limited in my abilities was daunting and disheartening.

The past three months have been very basic, mostly boring, and fairly uneventful (save for that time my wheelchair rolled away from me). To be honest, the quiet nature of the past few months has probably been the most important element of my recovery and possibly the most significant time in my life right now.

Of course, rest alone is an absolute for healing.

Beyond the significant effect this season has had on my body, it also has given me time to evaluate what I’m doing and how I’m doing it — in my career, my advocacy efforts, my friendships, and my finances. The quietness has allowed me plenty of opportunities to ask myself, “Am I glad to be moving forward in this manner, or do I wish I was doing something different?”

I think that’s why we usually want time to slow down: to allow us time to change something with which we aren’t satisfied.

The best way to identify those areas in our lives is to set aside valuable time to evaluate ourselves and our efforts. Why wait? The end of a day, week, or even the end of the month are perfect opportunities to evaluate where we’ve come from, where we are, and where we want to go.

If January has snuck by you, don’t beat yourself up. Instead, pause and identify ways you can better succeed in February.

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