Life is just flying by, my goals aren’t being achieved at the rate they used to. What happened? Yes, it is social media. I find myself constantly scrolling on my phone or laptop, moving from one ‘interesting’ post to the next. Then, I get so engrossed in something, that I lose all sense of time. It is making me too distracted, affecting quality of work, output and rate of work produced. This is making me feel unhappy with myself, because I know I can do better. How can I change that? I have to sort myself out first. Find simple doable ways to catch up on my personal projects. That would definitely make me feel better and more satisfied with my life.

Right now, I’m trying to figure this out, before its too late. Basically, its this habit of scrolling on my instagram and YouTube shorts. Perhaps, I should increase the distance between my phone and my hand!

I’ve always been into Time Management. But honestly, I’m finding it hard to manage my time now. One day begins, and within minutes, its’ over. In this way, the last day of my life will arrive, and then I’ll feel, ‘where did my time go?’

Who took my life?

I had planned to do so many things, so why aren’t they done. What happened?

At sixty-eight I’m looking back, and am making a list of all that’s been done in these years. Well, I’ll confess, the list isn’t bad at all. But, I also know that it could have been much better. So, while lots did get done – a lot more could have been achieved. I can say, ‘Well, that’s’ life, and that’s how it is.’ Or, I can say, ‘I’ve got to find ways to improve myself, and my output.’ Once, my output improves, I’m sure I’ll feel much better. Deep down, we all have accompanying feelings that keep giving us feedback on how we are going!

Biggest current problem

I guess, it is a sort of desensitized feeling towards one’s own work. Other’s work seems more exciting. naturally, one’s own unfinished work doesn’t feel that pleasant. Oh yes, it is a loss of Grit. Remember that book in which the author said, that all the great people who did achieve their goals, did so, not because they were more talented, but because they had more grit. They were ready to do a thing again and again, till that perfection was reached. It is a definite lack of Grit.

Is it the same with you too?

Delete apps and use airplane mode

How to get that grit? Remove distractions cold turkey. Straight off, there are two things that come to my mind, which can be done immediately:

1. Delete the apps.

So, I did that with Tik Tok and with X, and am clear about not being too active on two others; FaceBook and LinkedIn. You can do that too. Reduce number of apps, by deleting them. Choose why you are on certain ‘places’ and why not? Be clear. Delete all the rest.

There is a limit to what and where we can do, and for how long. Why spread ourselves so thin? I felt so much better when I removed Tik Tok. Honestly, a big chunk of my life I retrieved by that alone. You can do the same, depending on what you like to do, and where you post the most. In my case, there is Instagram and YouTube.

2. When you start any work, put the phone on airplane mode. The world can wait. Your work can’t. Every time, you start working, put the phone off.

The time factor

Do you know if I give ten minutes to one activity daily? It’ll take 3650 minutes in a year. So, if I’m giving two solid hours to it daily, I’m giving 365×2=730 hours; That means 43800 minutes, a year. (Most of us know, that we aren’t just spending 2 hours a day on social media, it is much more.)

Wait a minute – lots of good deeds

It isn’t all bad news. You and I are doing a lot of useful stuff too. For instance, sharing knowledge and information. Most important of all, doing the charity work that I do, is all done on social media. Every day for the last six solid years, every day, we have been giving food to underprivileged people in our community.

Also, we give a humble marraige package to underprivileged families to aroud 8-10 families every month. We have helped more than 470 families now.

As I write, we collected over a million rupees for an open heart surgery of a 17-year-old Saher in this Ramzan, (yes, with that war going on between US, Israel and Iran). Just now I’ve received the call from hospital, saying she is now being discharged from hospital. I’ve received a sweet video of hers too! All because of social media, a very underprivileged person was able to get best open heart surgery and treatment.

Naturally, I cannot tell you how this makes one feel. We all who have been actively involved in these projects have felt over the moon for having achieved these goals.

So, when we control how we use this social media, and blend this ‘distraction’ with our goals in life, it can become a great achievement too!

NOTE: I DO NOT DO MEDICAL CASES NORMALLY. SO PLEASE DO NOT REFER ANY CASES TO ME NOW.

Here, I’m just showing you the power of social media, when used correctly.

How to be more focused

Well, back to this problem of not having enough output. Is this your problem too? We all behave as if all the great persons in the world had only that work to do, none of the stuff we face. Well, they had no electricity, most of them, worked with slow means of transport, diseases, and what not! Still they achieved their goals.

We have so many more facilities now. So, we need to be able to achieve more now.

It is our lack of focus, which is keeping us off track. That’s why we end up feeling as if we didn’t achieve enough. Once we are more focussed, and clear about our lifetime goals, we shall do better. That will definitely make us feel like we have conquered the world altogether!

Realize that life won’t be for ever

Hurry up, get focussed and clear about short term and long term goals. Align yourselves accordingly, and get moving. I’m telling you we shall feel great once we are fully on that road. Life is precious, because it is limited. More so, as I have no idea when the great whistle will blow. More reason, for me to do the important things first.

Let us make that ‘to do’ list now

See it first thing in the morning, and do at least one thing on it. All the way from one to ten, or more. Start the work, ticking each one. I know it won’t be done in a day, but only when you start, will it get done ultimately!

Keep trying and encourage yourself

Send good messages to yourself; ‘You can do it!’ and ‘this is just a piece of cake for you.’ Remember, previous accomplishments, and encourage yourself.

Meanwhile, stay blessed, inspite of this war which might be growing into WW3…… or not.

Let’s hope it doesn’t.

Meanwhile, stay blessed.