Time Thieves

Every so often, I clean up my email and social feeds.

You may not like me and enjoy the attention, but watch out! Before long, all you will be doing is fielding requests to participate in their quest to garner your attention.

What just happened? Someone has stolen the most valuable resource you have: Time.

When you give your email address away to get something free (a book, checklist, action plan, etc.), you have opened up your input stream to a host of noise. You will get bombarded by everything that can be thrown your way.

When you “like” a page (I’m sorry if I ask you and then fill your input stream with junk – that’s not my plan) or follow someone’s request, you open yourself up to a potential inundation of noise.

Everything you do to feel connected will open up your input tray for anything and anyone to fill it up.

Time Thieves are everywhere!

How do we control this problem? Trim the ranks. Toss the waste. Take control of your input. Distractions will go away. Have a plan. Know the problem.

This morning, I dumped a dozen or so input requests that want me to look at their world, follow or buy, and spend precious time being distracted by their pretty baubles. At one time, several of them were valuable resources. Today? They’ve morphed into something I’m no longer interested in.

Keep In Charge of Yourself

There is no better thought than learning to recognize that your time has been stolen.

Be your own watchman standing on the wall and gatekeeper in charge of the time thieves.

This works for all those sneaky dollar thieves. Before you know it, you’ve registered for services you never intend on using – just because they had a special.

I spend an hour per morning with a routine that serves me well. Perhaps we all need a periodic routine that looks out for those time wasters.