I have a hack for slowing down time. 

One of my biggest pet peeves is the phrase: “where did the time go.” 

Of course, I utter these words far more often than I would like. And the phrase frustrates me because I secretly understand *why* I feel like time is going by too quickly; I’m simply going through the motions. 

Routines are a great way to make a lot of progress in a short amount of time (plus get everything done). But they are also *ruthless* for numbing our actions and taking away any opportunity for uncomfortableness - AKA, a key ingredient we ALL need to experience growth.

Think about the gym.

If we hit the gym 7 days a week, go through the dance of waking up, getting ready, then go about the same routine over and over; we will never push ourselves hard enough to level up.

Inherently, I believe we all know this. Oftentimes *justifying* this never-ending cycle by saying things like “hey, at least I went.”

Instead, ask yourself:

What if we were more intentional about our workouts.

Or, in other words, what if we had a bigger plan for the results we are aiming for. Then tailored *each* workout *each* day to getting one step closer to that ultimate goal?

Imagine the progress if we were more focused on results than action.

Athletes do this all the time. So do goal-driven people who want to improve instead of just feeling busy.

After all, busyness does not equal effectiveness.

I like the gym example because everyone knows improving health involves being consistent with activity around 5-7 times per week.

But this concept applies to *everything* we are trying to get better at. 

Point is, eventually, going through the motions just won’t cut it anymore.

Because once you get to a certain point, we become too skilled for the actions we're doing routinely, then retort to what's *manageable* instead of pushing ourselves harder to get to that next skillset.

Starting is one thing. But continual growth is a whole other ball game.

The way I slow down time is two-fold:

First, be more intentional and focused during your actions.

Soak up as much as you can from them, thinking hard about the process (like the art/form of lifting weights) and find better ways to improve productivity (like how can I put in less input while doubling output).

We all have limited hours in a week, so it's critical that we meet everything we do with undivided intention.

If you are working out, you are working out. And you are intentional about the present, because it's right in front of you.

That means not texting in the family group chat or scrolling through Twitter when you're at the gym. You are ONLY focused on working out.

Just like if you are researching a topic for a blog post, you are proactively choosing to discipline yourself by only focusing on what we are trying to learn. Instead of getting sidetracked by random nonsense on the internet.

Operating with intention and focus is hard, not to mention it takes more energy. But as a nice little trade off, it will slow down time.

Why?

Because it takes effort. Applied effort makes our brain and bodies work harder, thus making us more “in the moment.” As you get better at this, you will quickly begin to realize how “on” you need to be to get through a day.

Plus, you're making more of the moment.

The second way to slow down time is to document the journey. I recommend journaling (or simply taking notes on everything you do), because it can be the lifeline you need later down the road when you begin feeling discouraged or that “time has gotten away.”

Use your journal to reflect back on what you’ve accomplished for that extra motivation. And use it when needed to put your life into perspective.

Remember: what gets measured gets managed.

If journaling isn't your thing, another fun way to document is by taking a lot of pictures and videos. You don’t have to post them on social media, and can use them as a nice memento to see how far you’ve come later.

Progress pics for the gym are a great example.

All in all, being more intentional, having a plan, and focusing hard on the micro actions alongside the macro big picture can help you stay on track with your goals. And keep motivated knowing that you're actions are on the right path.

If something you're putting time into is not helping your ultimate mission, then course correct. Documentation will help you make that calculation.

Here's to an epic week ahead,

-Beavs