Time Mastery
- Amelia DS
- Sep 28
- 3 min read
Part Four: Reviewing the Fundamentals and Previewing the Workbook
This is my last blog in FY 25! Let’s take a moment to reflect.
We are often taught to reflect in December to prepare for the New Year (calendar year) but over the years I learned I was missing out on opportunities that happen on the new fiscal year.
Grab your journal and your The LOTUS Within book (https://www.amazon.com/LOTUS-Within-Purpose-Ignite-Passion/dp/B0DDRDXB89 ).
As we continue on this journey of wellness and intentional living, Part Four invites us to pause, assess, and re-align.
Reviewing your fundamentals isn’t about perfection—it’s about progress. Taking a moment to reflect on your habits, time management, and goals can uncover small tweaks that make big differences. It’s a powerful form of self-care to ask yourself, “What’s working, and what’s not?”
Let’s get honest and practical.
A Personal Assessment: Where Are You Now?
Before diving into new tools and strategies, it’s important to check in with yourself. These three questions can help center your focus:
How SMART are your goals? Are your intentions clear and well-structured? A SMART goal is:
Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Relevant
Time-bound - Vague goals create overwhelm. Clear ones spark momentum.
How well do you manage your time? Are you reacting to your day or designing it? Do distractions run your schedule—or do your values shape your calendar?
What’s your plan to do better? Growth doesn’t happen by chance. It happens by choice. What’s one new tool, mindset, or boundary you can introduce this week?
Exercises and Takeaways: Choose Your Tools Wisely
To support you in building habits that serve your well-being and productivity, here’s a preview from the upcoming Workbook Section. Choose three tools from the list below and map out how you’ll apply them over the next month:
🧠 The Eisenhower Matrix
Helps you prioritize tasks based on urgency vs. importance—so you stop reacting and start choosing.
🐒 Monkey Management
Set boundaries around taking on others’ problems. Let people carry their own “monkeys.”
🐸 Eat the Frog
Do your hardest, most important task first—and everything else gets easier.
🥒 The Pickle Jar Theory
Big rocks (important tasks) go first; then pebbles (less important), then sand (distractions). Reverse the order and everything overflows.
⏰ Time Blocking
Schedule your day in focused chunks—guard your time like a precious resource.
🍅 The Pomodoro Technique
Work in 25-minute bursts followed by 5-minute breaks. Great for focus, especially with fatigue or ADHD.
📉 Parkinson’s Law
“Work expands to fill the time available.” Set tighter deadlines to get more done in less time.
🕸 Mind Mapping
Visually organize your thoughts to unlock creativity and solve problems more intuitively.
🔤 ABC Method
Label tasks: A = urgent/important, B = important but not urgent, C = nice-to-do. Do the A’s first.
📊 Time Audit
Track how you really spend your day—and uncover your energy leaks.
📵 Digital Detox
Take a break from tech to reconnect with yourself and others. Start with 30 minutes and build from there.
Workbook Preview: How to Use This Section
In the workbook, you will:
Reflect on where you are now
Break down your goals using the SMART method
Choose your tools intentionally based on your lifestyle
Create a 30-day Time Mastery Plan to increase clarity, balance, and peace
This section is designed not to add pressure—but to create space for the version of you that’s trying to emerge. Gentle, guided, sustainable change.
Journal Prompts: Reflect and Recalibrate
Which time or energy management tool do I already use without realizing it—and how can I strengthen it?
What is one area of my life that feels chaotic or rushed—and which tool could bring it more structure or calm?
What’s a SMART goal I can set this week to support my wellness and personal growth?
You don’t have to master everything at once. Just begin—one mindful choice at a time. Here’s to a great FY 26!
With clarity and compassion,
Amelia Duran‑Stanton
Author of The LOTUS Within
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