I argued with a friend recently that I thought two weeks was ample time to make a significant change in your life. They responded it wasn’t and I was naive. I tried to break it down into the potential free hours a person could have and illustrate that two weeks is a long time, more than enough to take you from where you currently are to where you want to be heading. Again, they argued.
You, dear reader, or fair-weather reader, can take this in for a moment. How often have you perceived two weeks as being a long time to wait? Probably not a huge amount unless you’re still south of thirty. But even then if you’re missing someone or something or in anticipation you feel that length of time and how vast it is.
Now take for example a stereotypical or “traditional” work week in the western hemisphere. Yes, salaries alter what that typically means, but for now let’s ignore professions like law, medicine and the film industry and look at the tried and true overly referenced 40 hour work week.
Viewing a person’s life in this manner, you’ve got your “standard” eight-hour day, with let’s say an hour’s worth of breaks, a commute there and back (which could be of any length), and sleep. If you’re in a relationship or have children you likely have other commitments on top.
Beyond that you have, I’m hoping, a good one or two hours a day you can commit to entering towards your goal or aim. You may need to sacrifice certain things, defer a load of laundry for a little while or not watch the latest episode of whatever show you’re enjoying, but think of how many hours you could possibly apply to getting yourself corrected and starting or completing whatever you need to.
Table of Contents
Looking at it with digits
Conservatively that two weeks would amount to 14-28 hours of free time if you’re working daily. If you’re working five days a week, that could be expanded to 46 using two free days per week where the time was re-allocated to whatever you’re trying to do. Add two hours to both of those days and squeeze all you can out of that time and that’s 50 potential hours including your work and commitments you could utilize over a two-week period towards literally anything you desire.
I’ll also imagine that you’ve got a ton of commitments in a professional field. Try to view the challenge to make changes or improvements as a short effort over a fortnight (not to be confused with that relatively successful game, “Fortnite”). The word is literally derived from old English for fourteen nights.
What you can do with a fortnight
Attempt to dedicate fourteen nights to incrementally go towards your goal (yes, that’s vague, but you can insert whatever you want to achieve or do in place of “goal”).
It’s often stated that it takes 21 days to form a habit. I’ve also read some people say that it takes just 15 and variations between that. If it is 21, you’ll have gone through two-thirds, if it’s five you’ll have covered it nearly thrice over.
Make time work for you. It doesn’t slow down and it doesn’t bend according to your hopes that it may, but it can be harnessed. Those two clusters of seven days can easily help you wherever you want to go.
Focus on the fact that you know if you’ve got to wait for something, fourteen days in the modern world (especially with express deliveries) or two weeks is a long time.
Never underestimate the value of compounding and how your efforts towards your goal are vital. Do nothing, nothing changes. Do a little every day and you’ll surprise yourself with the volume of progress you can reach extremely quickly.
Be selfish briefly, focus on your goal. If you manage your time and focus on it you’ll find you have a lot more of it. If you continue the patterns and routines you’re accustomed to. That’s your bind.
Don’t worry, it’s not the end of the world if you don’t allocate the time to achieve your dreams. If you don’t they won’t happen and that’s fine. Isn’t it?
Two weeks is a long time if you make use of it and don’t allow yourself to be dragged down by people’s negative action and negative people.
Two weeks is a long time for anyone that utilizes their minutes
Also, anyone that knows me knows I’m the furthest person from a religious zealot. I’m an atheist who wavers sometimes depending on my mood, emotion and wonder but that’s not the point…
If you are religiosity inclined, consider this. The bible claims the world was created within seven days, six in “reality,” so if all that can be rustled up, allow yourself to be inspired to make some quick changes. In actual fact, two weeks is a long time.
In light of the coronavirus, this can be made more clear than ever. Gear yourself towards progression.
Daily quote:
“Of all lies, art is the least untrue.” Flaubert
*** Like most things online it’s hard to say whether these quotes originate with the person they’re attributed to. Regardless, they’re a tool to hopefully inspire you and so does it matter as much as the point the words convey?
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“Too much information, lack of implementation” Peter Voogd