Mapping Time

Time is typically thought of as a measurement, sometimes thought of as an asset that many of us believe is the most valuable thing we have. We are given a set amount in this life and it is physically impossible for any one of us to get more than we will be given. 

Since beginning grad school I noticed that I suddenly put a higher premium on time. Between the stress of school and the flakiness of people these days, I began to notice that I had developed a hyper sensitivity to those who wasted my time. This first year of grad school has been one of the hardest and most stressful years of my life. I started to wonder why I felt like I never had enough time. Why I wasn't able to make time for what I really wanted to do or needed to get done. 

I decided to map my time using Kumu, which is the graphic you see above. This is a simplified map, it only includes work and school commitments, it does not include activities I do for wellness, enjoyment, or self fulfillment. But mapping my professional commitments helped me see why I felt as if I had no time. 

If you want to know what's important to you, find out where you're investing your time. You're probably not investing your time the way you think you are. The priorities you think you've set are probably not the priorities in your actions. Get serious about what you want in this life and how you're going to spend the precious amount of time you've been given.