It’s the one thing we never have enough of: this ancient and non-renewable resource that is time. But here are two new time magicians on the scene to help you transform this slippery flow of time into something more viscous and meaningful. Meet Melissa Ambrosini And Nick Broadhurstauthors of magic of timea resource that not only shares methods to amplify creativity and perfect your productivity, but also incorporates wellness tips to make the life you have… the best it can be. Melissa took the time (pun intended) to share with us her inspiration for writing the project with her husband, tips for getting started, and some of her favorite time management tips.
Fidget: Your book is full of completely accessible and easy-to-implement methods that simplify many everyday tasks. But as you know, humans almost always choose to continue doing things the way they do, even if they know that a change in habit might be rewarded. What do you say to people who are hesitant to make the first effort to make a change, whether it’s downloading a new task management app or adopting a new mindset? How would you encourage them to overcome this first obstacle and embark on a new path?
Melissa Ambrosini: If you’re reluctant to make a change, it’s important to acknowledge your feelings and not beat yourself up about them. Change can be difficult and uncomfortable, so it’s completely natural to feel some resistance at first. At the same time, change can also lead to personal growth and evolution. It’s the bridge between where you are now and where you want to be, so it’s worth persisting with!
Having a good mindset can be a very useful first step (which is why we dedicate an entire chapter to it in the book). In particular, it is essential to adopt a growth mindset. This means having an integrated understanding that your skills in this area are not fixed, they can improve. Research shows that having this mindset can radically increase your chances of successfully creating change.
Another helpful tip is to start with a habit or skill that you enjoy or tap into your natural strengths, and break it into manageable chunks. So start small, and as you start accumulating wins, you can gradually add more and more changes.
WL: You and Nick have a diverse and deep background exploring wellness and guiding your community to optimize their lives. When did you realize that crystallizing your learnings in a book focused on time management would be the most powerful way to distill your magic?
MY: If you had told us a few years ago that we would one day write a book about time and how to use it, we probably would have laughed. After all, we weren’t good with the weather! And we never had enough: Nick was a single dad heading toward burnout and had no time for his son, while I was a busy people-pleaser whose Time was always swallowed up by the priorities of others.
When our relationship began over a decade ago, so did our journey to change our relationship over time – not only so we could “do more,” but so we could create a spacious life that leaves enough time for the activities and people we love.
Eventually, we became so good at optimizing our time that people around us (friends, family, followers) started asking us “How the hell do you do it?!”
We didn’t know we were doing anything special, but they could see that we were accomplishing a superhuman amount of work while having a life filled with joy and meaning.
So, after being asked the same question over and over again, we finally realized that we needed to bring all the tools and techniques that had become second nature to us into one place, so that others could also benefit. It was then that the idea of magic of time really took root.
WL: Concentration (and honing concentration-related skills) is a recurring theme in the book. It seems especially important for this digital generation, who grew up in a world of technology and notifications, to practice discernment and learn how to direct their attention to something. What advice would you give to parents, teachers and guardians regarding the best method(s) to help little ones develop their concentration muscle?
MY:Our daughter is two years old. One of the ways we develop the ability to concentrate with her is by not interrupting her independent play. If you start paying attention, it’s actually quite funny how often we, as adults, feel the need to insert ourselves into our children’s solo play. This is usually done with the best of intentions, but an unfortunate side effect is that it can interrupt their flow and prevent them from developing the very important skill of concentration. So of course we play a lot with our daughter, but if she is doing something on her own, we do our best not to disrupt her concentration and let her explore the world uninterrupted.
WL: What is the one time-saving tip that has made the biggest difference in your life?
MY: The one hack that has saved me time and made the biggest difference in my life is the deep understanding that the way we spend our days is the way we spend our lives. It was a major turning point for me when I truly understood that there is more to life than the big moments and “important” days; life is now, in the random minutes and hours we are given each day. It’s incredibly empowering when you finally get, at the heart and soul level, that by being intentional in how you spend small units of time (your minutes, hours and days), you can change the course of your entire life and ensure as you create a life that is aligned with your highest values and vision.
On a more specific level, the productivity system we developed – Tick or Flick™ – freed up a lot of mental bandwidth, relieved me of a lot of stress, and allowed me to do the right things every day. This is an incredibly powerful system and elegant in its simplicity. If your brain is feeling overwhelmed, or you’re forgetting tasks or deadlines, I highly recommend giving it a try!
WL: You and Nick worked together to write this book, so you clearly agree on the best ways to make the most of your time together as partners. How important is it for a person’s primary partners (spouse, business partner, co-parents, roommates, etc.) to be on the same page with these methodologies?
MY: It obviously makes life easier when you’re on the same page as your spouse, coworkers, or boss regarding your approach to things like time management, planning, and organization. But if they have different views than you, don’t let that stop you from taking action. There are many habits and techniques you can implement yourself to improve and optimize your time, so take action and lead by example. (When they see everything you do, and with so little stress and hustle, you might just convert them!)
That said, people are allowed to have different approaches and there is no one-size-fits-all solution. When you encounter a situation where different approaches are causing tension, harness the power of what I call “BCC” – crystal clear communication. Communicate openly, transparently and without ego to ensure everyone is clear on their responsibilities and deadlines, even if they use different methods to get to the finish line.
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Karina Mackenzie is a writer, producer and wears many hats at Wanderlust. As Senior Director of Programming and Content, she recruits talent and designs experiences for Wanderlust events, manages the Wanderlust TV platform, also contributes to editorial articles as a writer, and creates content for social projects and video. After more than a decade working in the yoga field, she still can’t do a handstand away from the wall.
She served for over 5 years on the board of directors of the nonprofit organization Yoga Foster (now Wellemental), whose mission is to make mindfulness elementary in public schools across America, and has co-chaired the Brooklyn Public School Green Wellness Committee when her kids were pee-wee.
She now lives in the New England woods with her two favorite little humans and her husband, learning (awkwardly) to adapt to country life.