Your internship was just rescinded. Your work has died down recently. You were furloughed. You decided to push back your applications for an MBA program.
Unexpected events are happening to each and every one of us. And these unexpected events will undoubtedly have had consequences.
While you can’t control whether Lady Fortuna brings good luck or bad, you can choose to make the most of it.
An unexpected setback may have given you the perfect opportunity to reflect, pivot, or change certain habits.
Let’s start out with a quick exercise…
There’s 24 hours in a day, 168 hours in a week, and over 8,000 hours in one year.
Think about the last seven days. How have you allocated your 168 hours?
Health and Fitness
- Did you exercise?
- Did you spend time researching and adhering to the perfect diet for yourself?
- Did you cook more now that you’re spending additional time at home?
- Did you learn more about the affects of sugar, what personal health indicators you should be tracking, or how to live longer?
- How did you manage your recovery time? With Netflix or meditation or some other way.
- Did you get enough sleep? If not, what changes did you make to improve your sleep habits?
Career
- How much time did you spend working towards your career goals?
- Did you work on improving your professional skillset?
- Are you working in the perfect career? If not, did you think strategically about what your next steps need to be to get there?
- If you’re an entrepreneur, did you think of ways to adapt your business to thrive in the new business landscape that emerges after COVID? What action did you take?
Hobbies
- How much time did you spend on your hobbies?
- Did you even spend time on your hobbies?
- What exactly ARE your hobbies?
Relationships
- Did you catch up with friends via Zoom?
- Did you speak with your family members? Why or why not?
- How close did you become with your loved ones?
Financials
- Did you think about your current income and whether it’s enough to satisfy your personal needs and meet your responsibilities?
- Did you take steps to differentiate yourself in the marketplace so that you can earn the income you desire?
- Did you plan your budget at the beginning of the week? How close were you to hitting it?
Personal Development
- How much time did you spend on personal growth? Was it enough?
- Did you read any self-help books?
- Are you currently enrolled in a personal development course?
- Did you think about the personal qualities you want to develop or did you just cruise through the week?
- How mentally challenged did you feel each day? Were you exhausted at the end of the day with a feeling of accomplishment because you pushed your capabilities to the max? Or were you frustrated and bored because you are just treading water?
Adventure
- Did you feel a spirit of adventure last week?
- Did you get out of your comfort zone?
- Did you try a new game, cook something new, or create a new experience?
Contribution
- How did you give back last week?
- Was your focus more on yourself or others?
- Did you feel that you were impactful? What would have made you feel impactful?
Now take a second and imagine that your last seven days is a reflection of how you will spend your weeks for the next year. Now think about the next 3 years. 5 years. 10!
Is that who you want to become?
How are you going to spend your time going forward? THINK about it!
Now, take it a step further and write down where you want to spend your hours going forward. Reallocate that time regularly. Plan your time in blocks that make the most sense to you. Maybe you check in daily or weekly. Or maybe it’s the first thing you do each month.
Either way, the unexpected events of the last few months have given us all an opportunity to step back and really think about where our time should be spent. Don’t waste this valuable opportunity!
Cameron Hector is a bay area native soon to be dedicated consultant at L.E.K.’s Chicago office. Former semi-professional soccer player turned competitive long distance athlete.
Image: Pexels