During the years I spent working aboard commercial U.S. Flag Merchant ships the time spent at sea seemed endless. Yes there were days at sea where we never saw another ship. There were times when the sunrise and the sunset were magnificent to witness.
Another aspect of these months at sea was the freedom it gave me to have earned months of vacation which had to be taken.
Through the course of these years I was able to complete my MBA Degree.
In addition, three of us – all merchant mariners – partnered and purchased a pub which we redesigned and ran for a number of years.
We coordinated our periods of time off and our time at sea so that at least one of us was always around to run the business.
There was clearly a new level of learning from the course work in the MBA Program. However, the real life practical experience of daily running and operating a business – the pub – was tremendous from a business perspective as well as from a people point of view.
Now this week’s question for you to consider is this:
Before the Covid-19 virus what was your daily schedule?
Take a shot and draw out a day. Now compare this to your daily schedule now.
How much extra time do you have now? Be honest.
For example: a few people in my area were spending at least three hours a day Monday through Friday in their commute round trip – door to door. This is sixty hours a month! Two and a half extra days.
When the question is asked of them they really don’t have an answer.
They just say they have no extra time, they have filled the time. When asked for specifics they really have no answer – they don’t know.
Here are a few other facts to consider.
The lunch time break when working from home is important yet it can clearly be brief. The endless meetings which accomplished nothing have mostly gone away. A three hour daily round trip commute door to door is probably somewhere in the middle as many people spent more time in their commute pre-Covid-19.
The challenge is to work toward something important to you with this extra time.
Do your best not to just let this time be filled.
It might be a course or degree. Maybe the time could be used to learn a trade such as plumbing, electrical work or carpentry.
What will you do with this precious extra time?
Think about it this way – when time goes by it is gone. You cannot buy any more. You have the opportunity to start now. Nothing is going to change any time soon. Therefore take action now and accomplish something with your extra time.
Mitch Tublin is the CEO and Founder of Wenkroy International LLC a boutique consulting company with a main focus on adding value to people. Through Speaking, Training and Coaching we change lives. Our passion is to take people to the next level in their life and in their career or business.
