Timeframe.
Such a common word.
So common we probably don’t even think about it.
“The period of time in which something occurs or is planned to take place.”
Until someone brings it to the forefront.
For me, that was through a wonderful poem titled Time, Framed.
I hope to someday point you to that poem in a beautiful poetry book.
When a creative friend bundles it with other poetry gems.
This poem inspired my outlook on the year ahead.
I was equally inspired by splitting the words time and frame.
Time Frame
When the words are combined, the timeframe is a boundary.
A limit.
When they are split, the boundary becomes a highlight.
It has a special meaning. We choose what to put in a frame.
I wonder what might happen if we pay attention to the time.
Instead of always forcing projects into a boundary, we started with a time frame.
We identify the available hours across time – a week, a month, a quarter, etc.
Then, we consider the projects that could fit within that time.
Once we have the list, we narrow down to the one that feels right.
The one that raises performance.
The one that improves the process.
The one that launches something new.
Time is finite and full of options.
Time frames might encourage us to use the 168 hours a week we have wisely.
Your Turn
Is most of your life run by timeframes today?
How might you shift your perspective if you looked for a time frame?
Spend 5 minutes today identifying a time frame (even a small one) this week. What could you do with that frame?