5 ways to create time and space for your success

I believe that I create time and space for my success. I create the time by making choices about what I am willing to do or not do, and so do you. I have several friends who have, at various points in life, assured me that they do not have time to {insert thing they claim they want to do] here. Yet they are always up on the latest Twitter beefs, viral TikToks, all the latest popular shows on Netflix, HBO Max, Apple TV, and more.

If you feel called out by that particular point, then good. I have nothing against Netflix, Twitter, or any social media rabbit holes out there. In fact, I can (and do) make the case that taking some time to entertain and inform yourself in that way is important to you feeling connected to others and staying current.

But if you tell me that you want to write, or make art, or declutter your hall closet, or learn to make puff pastry from scratch, but you “don’t have the time,” then I’d suggest that maybe you just aren’t making the choice to pursue that thing you want to do.

There are tons of reasons that you believe you don’t have the time or space for your success: because you can’t do it in the way that you’d prefer (meaning that you can only have 20 minutes here and there to do it, instead of hours at a stretch). Because you are worried that you might fail. Because you are worried that you might succeed.

You only fail if you don’t pursue your dreams and goals.

And while fear of success is a real thing, it’s just your inner critic trying to wave you off from changing anything because we humans don’t like change. You can still create something, take an online course, and more, in limited time increments. You can still paint or write or cook or create a home office with very little available space.

Don’t let your fear stop you from making a start and doing the damn thing.

So, here (in no particular order) are 5 ways to create time and space for your success:

1. Claim it.

Tell the people or animals who share space with you that you are doing it. It can sound like “hey honey, I’m going to put my headphones on for half an hour to work on my memoir/article/novel.” It can sound like “sorry, kitty, I need my lap for my laptop right now.” Or “I’m heading outside to start digging that garden bed I want to put in.”

It can include instructions, such as “please don’t interrupt” or “make sure the kids don’t draw on the walls”. But it shouldn’t include apologies. And in most circumstances, it shouldn’t involve asking for permission, though if you could use assistance and want to ask for help, that is highly encouraged.

2. Unsubscribe.

If you don’t have the time to do what it is that lights you up because, for instance, you are on three different volunteer committees to help others, consider letting one or more of those volunteer positions go (at least for the time being). Think of it as reclaiming your time.

If you don’t have time to things because you spend too much time dealing with email, declutter your inboxes as much as you can. If it’s social media, set a timer for yourself so you make your own work the most important priority—social media posts will still be there later, once you're done your own successful work.

If you don’t have the space to pursue your dream or goal because of clutter, make decluttering a priority. Here’s a post with some guidance. Here’s another.

3. Set up a reward system for yourself.

Let’s face it, we all like to be rewarded for what we do. This doesn’t have to be anything fancy. It can legit be as simple as buying yourself some stickers and putting one on your chart or calendar for every session you spend doing what it is that you dream of doing. The motivation is simple: get a sticker. But you then also get the motivation of “not breaking the chain” if you’ve put stickers on something for a few (or more) days in a row.

Or, give yourself the reward of something you have deferred in order to pursue success. If you spent an hour working on your website for your business, perhaps you would then reward yourself with a show on Netflix. Or a cookie. Or a nap. Whatever feels good and motivates you.

4. Start small and build.

When you first start pursuing your goal or dream, you might only be able to squeeze in 15 minutes of time per day. Over time, try to stretch that. Maybe 20 minutes, then 30, then 35, then 45 . . . As people get used to the idea of you taking up space and time for yourself, they will honor it more. That remark is aimed at you as much as at the other people in your life who you think you might be inconveniencing.

Also: please re-examine that particular belief about you “inconveniencing” others by pursuing your own goals, dreams, or joy. The world wants and needs more of you and your special sauce, so anything you can do to maximize that is a good thing. I am 99% sure that you are doing everything in your power to make sure that your partner, your kids, your friends, your co-workers, and possibly even some folks you don’t actually know get a chance to follow their own dreams and goals and live a life that makes them happy.

Set the example, my friend. Make your own self happy first, and then act from that empowered place to help all those other folks along. Putting yourself and your needs last all the time isn’t what you, they, or the world in general needs right now.

5. Don’t forget to schedule breaks and rest periods.

It probably sounds counterintuitive, but often the reason that you don’t have enough time and space for your success is that you are depleted. You have likely heard the phrase “you cannot pour from an empty vessel,” and it comes into play here.

If you are not allowing yourself time for rest, I can pretty much guarantee that you are (a) not making your best possible decisions in any given moment and (b) too burnt out to figure out why that is.

Rest is not just sleep, though sleep is of course very important. It can be 5 minutes of just sitting, and not doing anything, except maybe drinking some water or a cup of tea. Five minutes of sitting, without numbing out by scrolling through your phone or watching television. Five minutes of sitting and looking out at the trees outside (bonus points if you are sitting outside, since nature is so very good for you).

It could be five minutes of meditation. Or five minutes of conscious breathing. Or five minutes of reading something diverting (a book, a novel, a magazine)—just for you, just for fun. Or five minutes of coloring in a coloring page, or drawing a mandala.

That sort of “time out” from doing ALL THE THINGS is super key to allowing your brain and body to take a break from stress. And adding rest and breaks into your day will actually give you the fuel to do all the other stuff more efficiently (i.e., in less time and with less struggle), so that you weirdly end up with more time for yourself.

I hope you will give it a try, and I’d love to know how taking breaks or rest works out for you. I’d also love to know which of these 5 tips spoke to you most clearly, so please leave me a comment!