"We have a lot of empty spaces in our lives. I call them INTERSTICES. Say you are coming over to my place. You are in an elevator and while you are coming up, I am waiting for you. This is an interstice, an empty space. I work in empty spaces. While waiting for your elevator to come up from the first to the third floor, I have already written an article"
-----Umberto Eco
Author- The Name of the Rose
These are the words of an award winning Globally recognized writer whose book 'The Name of the Rose' sold more than 50 million copies worldwide. We all can agree that becoming an award winning writer cannot just be a matter of chance or luck, it needs dedication, commitment and perfect utilisation of one's time.
Experts, philosophers and expert philosophers across the world have wisely said that Time is our most valuable possession; but they have also argued that it is our most wasted resource.
But talking realistically, aren't we always out of time, how can we waste time? We are always busy, so busy- meetings, work, socialization. Yes of course we are "Spending" time in some or the other way so sometimes, it is difficult to differentiate between the time we are wasting from that we are spending. Unknowingly, we come across a lot of interstices and before we figure out what to do, they are already gone.
Let's identify some ways in which we can fill these interstices to live a more productive, more fulfilling and a more successful life:
1) COMMUTING- Our commute time is practically the best but unfortunately the most underrated example of an interstice. No matter which mode of transport you take- public or private, commute time can be leveraged in so many ways. While you are on the bus or train, read that best selling book which you always wanted to or listen to that piece of new instrumental music which your colleague recommended. Enhance your motivational levels, be more productive or learn the art of living a contended life by listening to some great audio programs while driving to work. Above all, light music is known for making people calmer so can it can be highly beneficial while driving where it is important to be patient and keep al your senses active.
2) WAITING- In the world of smartphones, tablets and on-the-go internet, it is easy to find something interesting anytime & anywhere you want to. So the next time you are waiting for your cab at the office reception or for you loved one at a restaurant; check out the latest research article on a topic related to your profession so that you can stay ahead of your competition, take a quick look on the latest blog post on how to make your loved one feel special or take the initiative to make that phone call to an old friend to whom you wanted to talk for so long.
3) QUEUING UP- Right from depositing our utility bills to the check-in process before a flight, waiting in queues have become a part of our daily routine and that's again an interstice which most people cannot fill up. Robin Sharma recommends a good way to fill this gap- 'Carry a book wherever you go'. Yes it might seem awkward at the beginning to start reading at every place where you expect to stand in a queue, but think about it, isn't it worth it? So while the person in front of you is shouting on the top of his voice due to an extra cent charged on his last international call, you would be improving your patience levels with some wonderful meditation harmonies, visualising a beautiful scene from a story or might just make a new friend by simply striking a conversation with a person next to you.
4) CREATE YOUR OWN- Good people are a blessing and communication is a gift. We should consider ourselves lucky if we get an opportunity to spend time with some good friends over lunch or at a social gathering. But something equally sacred is- "Silence". Yes, you can create your own interstice and use it the way you want to by simply saying a Strict NO to Distractions and a Polite NO to people when something more important has to be dealt with. Don't worry about sounding offensive just because you turned down a dinner invitation to take a long walk in some fresh air or to write a beautiful poetry. A "True Friend" will always understand and respect your situations which require some personal time and will support you with the same.
So now that we have identified our 'Time Robbers' let us avoid making excuses about our so-called busy schedules and start spending that quality time doing the things we love, with the people we love or simply just simply for your own love.
Aim for Nothing but the Peak!
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