Slaying that Time Dragon

Take control of your time, take control of your life

"Time can either be your friend or your foe - think of time as a Dragon.  Are you scared of the Dragon?  Have you learned how to work and cooperate with Him?  Once you figure out that the Dragon is your friend, you are ready to fly!" - Creating Opulence

Time is the one resource we all have in equal measure each day, yet how we use it defines the quality of our lives. The hours, days, and years we’ve been given are precious, and it’s our responsibility to use them wisely. Of course, downtime and moments of doing absolutely nothing are just as vital—if you’re fortunate enough to have that luxury. However, there’s a fine line between enjoying restorative rest and falling into the trap of wasted time. And when that line is crossed, the person it hurts most is yourself.

I created the JEMM, Slaying the Time Dragon, primarily for me—because I needed it. If I’m being totally honest, I’ve always been the kind of person to push tasks to the very last minute, proudly claiming that I work best under pressure. But as I worked through the exercises in this JEMM, something became painfully clear: I’ve wasted so much time avoiding what needed to be done. This isn’t just a recent issue; it’s a habit I’ve nurtured since high school.

And you know what? I refuse to be someone who throws up her hands and says, “Oh well, that’s just how I am.” My life, my goals, and the people I care about deserve more. They deserve the best version of me, and that means learning to conquer my own time dragons once and for all.

In creating the course Natural Vitality, I use the clock as a metaphor for how we manage our time and energy. Moving clockwise—what I like to call "Righty Tighty"—symbolizes the negative aspects of the mind, body, and soul: negative thinking, a fear-based mindset, stagnation, a sedentary lifestyle, and a lack of faith in a greater purpose. In contrast, moving counterclockwise—"Lefty Loosey"—represents positive traits like an optimistic mindset, regular exercise that strengthens the body, and unwavering faith in a higher power, trusting that everything happens for a reason.

Balance is key, of course. Life isn’t about going completely in one direction or the other. However, the premise is that if you’re constantly moving clockwise, you’re essentially speeding up time, accelerating the aging of your mind, body, and soul. On the other hand, moving counterclockwise helps slow time down—cultivating these optimistic, life-affirming qualities keeps you youthful, vibrant, and full of life.

I’ve incorporated this concept into the Time Dragon analogy, which is illustrated in a worksheet from Creating Opulence. The top dragon in the diagram flies clockwise, its wings spread wide and its body taking up most of the circle it creates. This represents all points of focus, including distractions and time-wasting activities that dominate your awareness and prevent you from dialing into mastery. When you engage in distractions, the Time Dragon consumes the space in your life, leaving little room for growth, creativity, or meaningful progress. In essence, your life becomes defined by these unproductive habits.

To counteract this, look at the bottom dragon in the diagram. It flies counterclockwise, resembling a complete circle, leaving the interior space entirely clear. This symbolizes what happens when you take control of your habits and reverse unproductive patterns. By conquering your Time Dragon, you create a more efficient, streamlined version of yourself. The result is a dragon that moves with purpose, opening up the central space of your life—space that you can now use to build, create, and thrive.

The first step in conquoring your Time Dragon is to identify what distractions and time wasters are eating up your time. For this, you really need to step back and be honest with yourself. For me, I don't have to take that far of a step, I already know that I spend way too much time on things like social media; while I tell myself it is to see what's happening in the world and I use it as inspiration for my writing, I also acknowledge there are times when I can viscerally feel addicted to my phone. Every time I'm in the middle of working on my projects, or tackling a project at home, there is this incessent need to reach for the phone "just to check" even though I don't really know what I'm checking on. And that's how I know it's become an addiction.

To counteract this, I know I need to find a healthier addiction - I do have an addictive personality, and I've come to terms with the fact that it could be a good thing if I just redirect my energy into addictions that are good for me. I have stopped going to the gym for a while now, and I know it's time that I get back in a routine. I also need to touch grass and be social again - isolation time had it's place in 2024, but for this new year, I would like to reconnect with friends and meet new people. I'd also like to get back to doing fun things outside - I know I'm planning to go somewhere warm, so I'd like to take advantage of the Canadian winter while it's around...if it ever shows up! Sceduling trips to go skating at Arrowhead, and getting out of the city for winter hikes should take up my time more than the time wasters. I am also committed to dancing more in public again!

If you would like to identify your own Time Dragons and how to counteract the effects, you are welcomed to use the suggestions below. I go into more detail in the book, Creating Opulence, where we discuss the different types of dragons we tend to use and why we use them, but this is a good starting point.

Identifying Time Dragons

1. Track Your Time

   • Spend 3–7 days tracking how you spend every hour. Use a journal, time-tracking app, or spreadsheet to document your activities honestly.

   • Highlight activities that feel unproductive or leave you feeling drained.

     
     

2. Notice Patterns

   
   

   • Look for recurring distractions, such as excessive social media scrolling, binge-watching shows, or overcommitting to unimportant tasks.

   • Pay attention to triggers (e.g., procrastinating after feeling overwhelmed, boredom leading to mindless scrolling).

     
     

3. Evaluate Energy Levels

   
   

   • Identify activities that leave you feeling energized vs. those that make you feel depleted. Time dragons often lurk in activities that drain your energy.

     
     

4. Define Your Priorities

   
   

   • Compare how you’re spending your time with your personal goals. Are your current habits supporting your aspirations, or are they pulling you further away?

     
     

Reversing Time Dragons

1. Replace, Don’t Eliminate

   • Substitute unproductive habits with constructive ones. For instance:

     • Replace mindless scrolling with 10 minutes of journaling or stretching.

     • Trade TV marathons for a single episode followed by a walk or hobby.

       
       

2. Set Boundaries

   
   

   • Limit activities that waste time by:

     • Setting timers for social media or games.

     • Creating "no-distraction zones" for work or focused tasks.

     • Saying “no” to commitments that don’t align with your goals.

       
       

3. Batch Similar Tasks

   
   

   • Group similar activities together to avoid constant context-switching. For example, respond to all emails at a set time instead of throughout the day.

     
     

4. Prioritize High-Impact Actions

   
   

   • Use methods like the Eisenhower Matrix to prioritize tasks that are important and not just urgent. Focus on long-term value.

     
     

5. Create Rituals

   
   

   • Develop daily habits to counteract procrastination, such as:

     • A morning routine that sets the tone for productivity.

     • Regular breaks to recharge and prevent burnout.

       
       

6. Visualize Progress

   
   

   • Reflect on the counterclockwise dragon (the clear circle) and imagine how reclaiming your time creates space for growth and creativity.

     
     

7. Celebrate Small Wins

   
   

   • Acknowledge and reward yourself when you successfully conquer a time dragon, reinforcing positive change.

May we all conquer the Time Dragons that have been devouring our precious hours, turning distractions and procrastination into opportunities for growth. Let us ride these dragons, not as obstacles, but as powerful forces that propel us toward lives of purpose, efficiency, and meaning. By mastering our habits and reclaiming our time, we unlock the space to create, dream, and thrive.

Remember, every moment reclaimed is a step closer to becoming the person you are meant to be. So take charge, harness the energy of your Time Dragon, and soar into a life where your time is no longer wasted but cherished and used wisely.

See you next time, fellow Warrior!

xoxo One Love xoxo

P.S. As I focused on this JEMM today, this has been the quickest I've completed a post in the last two weeks! I should really hide my phone next though!