How Should You Spend Your Time and Energy?
– Musings of Dr. Jamie C. Hsu, 10.11.2017
If you observe carefully, you will see that people spend their time and energy differently. As depicted in the chart, there are the “Ordinary People” who often spend time in the Yellow Concern Zone, the “Leaders” who spend their energy in the Red Influence Circle, and the “Gurus” who rise above the fray and stay in the Green Calm Land, unbothered by the chaos around them.
Of course, this is an oversimplification of how we spend our time and energy. We all move from one type to the other — sometimes we worry, sometimes we take charge, and sometimes we just don’t care. The key is to be aware of your mental state and try to manage it so your time and energy will be used most productively and beneficially.
Let me give a simple example: If you are waiting in a long queue of a check-out cashier line in a department store, what would you do? You can worry about how long it will take, complain about people in front of you asking too many questions, or be mad at the store. You are in the Yellow Zone. Or maybe you are oblivious to the long line and just enjoying the conversation with your family, or concentrating on reading texts on your phone. You are in the Green Land of tranquility. Furthermore, you may decide to take charge and ask the store manager to open up more cashier lines to speed up the process. You have assumed a leadership role to increase your influence and to solve a problem. This is the Red Circle of Influence.
You can find many similar situations where you have three choices about how to react. It is essential to first be aware if you are in the Yellow Zone of concern and worry. This type of victim’s mentality will increase your stress and not solve any problem or improve the situation. Move your mental energy into the Green Land or the Red Circle. The Green Land of no concern will allow you to ignore the chaos or unpleasant surroundings and give you peace of mind and tranquility. The Red Circle of taking action will energize you and give you a sense of accomplishment.
Please be aware and careful about how you are spending your energy in your daily routines and encounters.
如何好好運用你的時間與精力
-作者 許俊宸博士
-中譯 薛乃綺
如果仔細觀察，你會發現每個人花費時間與經理的方式是不同的。如副图所示，一般人會花費很多時間在”黃色關注區”；領導者會將他們的精力花在”紅色影響圈”中；而大師級的人則凌駕這些之上，不受到周遭混亂之事所影響，处身在“綠色平静區域中”。
當然，這说法是過度簡化我們如何運用自己的精力與時間。我們都會從其中一種類型移轉另一種；有時我們會擔心、有時我們會負責、有時我們只是不在意。關鍵是要意識到你的精神狀態，並嘗試管理它；如此一來，你的時間與精力將可以被最有效率及效益地使用。
讓我舉個簡單的例子，如果你在一家百貨公司中，正排著長長的隊伍等著結帳，你會怎麼做？你會煩惱到底還要等多久、抱怨排在你前面的人怎麼問這麼多問題、或者直接在店裡面生气。那你就是在黃色區域中。又或者你因為專注在跟家人聊天、專心閱讀手機上的訊息，而完全忘記了你正在排一條很長的隊伍。這時候的你，就會處在寧靜的綠色區域中。又或者你可以站出來，要求商家店經理再打開更多的收銀櫃檯，以加快消耗排隊人潮。這時候的你，扮演著領導者的角色、增加了自己的影響力，並且解決問題。
你可以找到許多類似的情況，而面對這些情況，你都可以有這三種不同的選擇來因應。首先要注意的是，你處於黃色區域的擔憂與煩惱。這種受害者的心態，只會增加你的壓力，卻無法解決任何問題或改善情況。果真如此，那就该將你的精神能量轉移到綠色區域或紅色圈圈了。選擇沒有煩惱的綠色區域，將使你忘卻周遭的混亂、或令人不愉快的環境，並幫助你感到安心與寧靜。而選擇採用行動的紅色區域，則會帶給你另外一種成就感。
请你随時都該謹慎留意如何在日常生活中運用你的時間與精力。
