4 Ways to Maximize Your Idle Time​

I’ve always enjoyed reading. I think mostly because I’m nosey and I’m a sucker for a good story. (no judgement lol) It doesn’t really matter who the author or narrator is, I’m all ears. When I started high school I was introduced to those erotic urban books and boy did I have a ball! You name it… I probably read it. The Coldest Winter Ever, Bad Girlz, The Heat Seekers and the list goes on. I obviously had to sneak and read them on the bus ride to school or late at night when my parents were asleep… they weren’t having that!

Besides getting the inside scoop on all the sexy stuff that I was way too young to know first hand, the plots were captivating and the characters came alive and nearly jumped off the page. Needless to say, once I read the first page, the novel wouldn’t let me go until the end. I have nothing against the “sexy books,” however, during my junior year of high school I had an epiphany. I realized that many of the novels I read paralleled with the lives of those around me.

My classmates and I used to huddle up in the easy classes with the lenient teachers who didn’t care what we did, and talk about life. I didn’t bring much to the huddle but my ears were perked up and ready to hear some juicy stories! The funny thing is, my classmates could have written some of the stories from the sexy books. The stories were damn good but after reading or ear hustling my classmates’ conversations… there was absolutely no value added to my life. There was nothing useful that I could take back to make my life better or to enhance the life of someone else.

That’s when I began to seek out books, experiences, conversations and opportunities that would leave me enlightened and knowledgeable. The first personal development book that I purchased for myself was Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki. This book changed my life; but not more than my new philosophy to feed my mind sustainable food. Food that could enhance the quality of my life and offer new information. I was tired of juicy stories and cheap entertainment and my mind thanked me for it.

Now don’t get me wrong… I’m still going to catch up on my celebrity news and watch my #TGIT shows, but balance is essential. All the little decisions, the small quiet choices that we make when no one is looking, will ultimately decide our life’s course. After all Maya Angelou said it best ,” we are the sum total of what we’ve seen, heard, eaten, smelled, been told, forgot…” So, what are you feeding your mind?

4 Ways to Maximize Your Idle Time​

​1. Rise Early- We’ve all heard some variation of the quote about how Oprah and dem have 24 hours in a day just like us. The major difference is how we spend our time. Rising early to accomplish a few tasks can be the difference between you reaching your goals or constantly trying to play catch up. Plus, mornings are quiet, peaceful and conducive to productivity.

2. Create a Mantra or Use Ours– Focusing on each weekly mantra has done wonders for me since I introduced them to the blog on New Years. I’ve found that the mantra’s have allowed me to subconsciously focus on feeling positive, powerful and proactive as I begin my day.

3. Map Out Your Week Before the Week Begins- One of my personal development mentors shared a powerful quote in an interview… He said, “Deciding what to do in the moment is the worst thing you can do in business.” It’s the same in your daily life. Trying to create your to-do list once the hustle and bustle of the week begins can be a bit tough. Focus on goal mapping and to-do lists the night before or over the weekend, you’ll be clear headed and less tense about what needs to be done. As they say in the military (my parent’s are Veterans) Proper Planning and Preparation Prevents Piss Poor Performance.

• Aimlessly tuned into the morning radio show when you could be listening to a personal development CD or podcast?
• Randomly surfing the net
• Browsing through your emails to waste time
• Engaged in unnecessary or unproductive conversations
• Watching too much TV