Valerie M. (time management)
Nurse
Austin, TX
I've had problems with time management my whole life, but it got really bad after I left the air force and I didn't have that structure anymore. I got a much higher anxiety job and I just lost the ability to be punctual. I felt out of control. When I was late, I always convinced myself that I would do better the next time and I never did. It affected everything in my life. I wouldn't get things done when they needed to be done and then everything was crazy. I wouldn't have food prepared because I hadn't planned and I would end up hungry, and grumpy, and late, and guilty.
I drove my husband nuts and it messed up my self-confidence because people couldn't depend on me to be on time. It made me feel chaotic and unprofessional and it was affecting my work. I was showing up late and in an anxious chaotic mode, so I got off on the wrong foot and I wasn't able to think clearly. It gave a really bad impression.
There was a huge mental block that I couldn't overcome. I tried to fix my problem by looking for advice on the internet and I even bought a book about perfectionism, but it didn't really help with this. I set all of my clocks forward, but I would just do the mental math and figure out what time it really was and still be late.
I saw a flyer on the IGA board and I thought about it. Six months later, I saw it again at Sun Harvest and I'd had a particularly bad week of being late, so I decided to call. I started to notice a change in myself when I no longer wanted to risk a few more minutes and go to the edge of the cliff before leaving for work. I started to leave early for my appointments and I felt a lot better and less stressed. Now, I notice that I work better because I get there on time. I feel more in control and it feels really good. I know that I can be sure that when I tell myself I am going to do something, I know that I will do it without any doubt. I feel more confident because I can trust myself now.
In my professional life, I present an image that can be taken seriously and I really feel in control. Being organized and on time was such a hurdle for me and such an important goal to achieve. I feel more confident now that I've overcome my issue. I would recommend A New Day Hypnosis to anyone who feels like their behavior is beyond their control because when it's something that feels deep-seated in your psyche; this is a good method to overcome it. I'm confident that I'm not going to be unrealistic about my expectations and that I will continue to be organized and on time.