Blog Archive: November 2008

Unless you are an Alien from another Planet, we all have the same number of hours, minutes and seconds as everyone else on earth!!  It's how we choose to use that time that determines what we do, what gets done and hopefully, how you enjoy the time you have.

And while we can't stop the hands of the clock moving around - no matter which part of the world you live in - how you think about the time you have - or feel that you don't have - can make a significant difference on your physical and emotional well being.

In the same way that we talk about the weather - how good it is, or how bad it is, and how that affects us, those thought don't change the weather. Similarly the way that we talk about time doesn't change the passage of time, but what it does affect directly is how we feel, and importantly, can have a direct, and often immediate effect on the chemicals that run around in our body.The good ones and the baddies (those stress hormones that wreak havoc on our bodies).

For example, if you 'think' that you have not enough time to get something done, that can be just the incentive you need to get a move on, work smarter and faster and achieve what you didn't think you had time to do.  Very satisfying and leaving you feeling pleased with yourself and releasing some of those feel good hormones and chemicals in to your body.

However, put too much pressure on yourself and really feel that you are 'up against the clock', 'way behind schedule' and that 'time is against you', then you can start rushing and make mistakes, put your self under immense mental pressure, and release many of the stress hormones in to your body, that stay there long after you got done what you had to - 'on time' and not thinking about it any more.  Those thoughts can have a powerful impact on your physical well being. - for good or not. 

Similarly, stuck in a traffic jam (which you could not have avoided) and worrying about being late does NOT make the traffic disappear, and getting angry at the car and driver in front, will not make it go away.  But, having those thoughts will release chemicals in your body which do you absolutely no good. So you arrive at your destination hassled, annoyed, worried etc etc etc!!!  Try just accepting what is happening, enjoy the rest of the journey and arrfive arrive refreshed.  Make good use of the time you have in the traffic jam - take time to think about new ideas, plan your evening meal, sing a song, smile or look forward to the weekend whatever it takes to make you feel good about the time you have.

So how we think about time doesn't change time itself, but thinking about it in a positive (or at least a neutral) way, does change what happens inside of us - for good or not.  It is, quite literally, the thought that counts. 

So next time you are feeling stressed or feeling under pressure and it all gets a bit too much, take a second to take a long relaxing breathe in, then another one, and ask if there is anything you can do to change the situation you are in, and if the answer is yes, then do it.  If the answer is no, then change how you think about it and you will start to feel more relaxed.

Take a look at the T.U.G. technique which might help you stop getting manic when time seems to disappear.

T.U.G.  - something different to help stop your chatterbox mind running away with itself.!!! 
(so,  not what you though it was about!!!)

Neuro Scientists would have us believe that thousands of thoughts run through our head every day, most of which are just the same ones being recycled, and don't serve any useful purpose.  In fact, it can often be the case that we might start the day with some niggly thought which keeps nagging us throughout the day, and stops us enjoying what we do, or fully appreciating the good things that the day has to offer.

Those niggly thoughts can be about anything, or anyone/ real or imagined.  You might be thinking that the day ahead will be difficult, some things you have planned may not succeed, the bus might be late, some work colleagues are bound to disagree with your ideas, or don't like you, or that you don't have enough hours in the day to get every thing done.  And so the list goes on, and those recycled thoughts begin to take on a life of their own, and get bigger and bigger, louder and louder in our heads until we become totally oblivious to the world going on a round us, and just be obsessed with the thoughts!

And what's more, you can't find the off switch, or the volume control to turn the noise down, or switch to another "channel" to listen to. 

Well, think of the T.U.G. technique as a kind of OFF switch - at least to allow you a moment stop and think about what you are thinking about - BEFORE they take over your day and world!!!  And those three letters stand for

So, it works like this.  Whenever you become aware of thoughts that you have had before, which bother you, make you feel irritated, cause you to think negatively about a situation or person, STOP and ask yourself these three questions:

Is what I am thinking TRUE?  ( and if you answer YES, ask yourself "How do I know it is true?" - you may not know but just assume you know!!)

Is what I am thinking USEFUL?  (in other words, does it help me clarify something or just confuse me more?)

Do those thoughts make me feel GOOD? (in myself, about myself, about others, about the situation)

If the answer to ANY of the above questions is NO, then think about something else that does make you feel good.


The trick to the technique is to stop yourself the SECOND you become aware of those niggling thoughts, and TUG at them.  Don't allow them to take control.
Nip them in the bud.

And of course, sometimes we do have thoughts that keep coming back time and time again - so it might be that they are useful thoughts which need to be looked at, sorted out once a for all, so that you feel good for doing that.

So, keep on TUGging at those niggling thoughts, and start to choose the thoughts that you want to have which are true, very useful and make you feel really good.