How Does A Theme Word Help With Time and Energy Management?
The practice of establishing theme words can help us to implement mindfulness and intentionality in our time and energy management. In a way, a theme word is a very broad, open-ended form of a goal. It comes from our values and our priorities, and acts as a guiding mechanism as we make choices with our time.
Here are five steps to create your theme word for the month, along with a free Theme Word template.
1. Assess Your Priorities
When you look ahead at the upcoming month, what is most important to you? What do you want to put ample time and energy toward?
Ask yourself: What do you want to happen this month? How do you want to feel? What do you want to be proud of?
This could be anything from a project at work to planning a birthday/anniversary celebration to taking more time to be present with your partner or child.
I recommend picking three or four priorities that really stand out this month.
2. Consider Patterns
Look at the priorities you distinguished in step one. Are there any patterns that may help you define your theme word for the month?
Sometimes I like to write out the bullet points that go along with my theme word to help work out what exactly my theme word is.
Remember, there is not a right answer for this. Your theme word can be anything that aligns well with your priorities, so looking at your priorities and establishing patterns can give you the opportunity to explore .
3. Select Your Theme Word
Again, try not to put pressure on yourself to pick the “right” word. Rather, be open to what your priorities are telling you, and see what words arise through your reflection.
4. Create Your Affirmations
The three/four bullet points under the theme word represent affirmations that will help keep you in pace with your priorities throughout the month.
I tend to establish an affirmation for each priority, though play around with it and see what works best for you.
Try to write these statements in “I will” and “I am” language. This means, keep the affirmations in the present or future tense, with the commitment.
5. Refer to Your Theme Word Throughout the Month
Write out your theme word and affirmations and keep this is a visible spot throughout the month.
If you have a morning practice or daily routine of some sort, try implementing a quick check-in with your theme word into that routine.
Think about how this theme word and its affirmations can guide your time and energy management throughout the month.
Check in to reflect on how you are and are not aligning your thoughts and behavior with your priorities.
Below you’ll find a downloadable Theme Word template. Feel free to use this to record your information.