Michael Alschuler says, “The bad news is time flies. The good news is you’re the pilot.”

Are you the pilot of your time? Or is time flying by and you’re just a passenger on the plane of life?

One way to make the most of your time is to schedule a REVIEW – PREVIEW and reflect on highlights of last year and plan how you’re going to make the most of this year.

Pick a night – or a weekend afternoon – when you will have two to three hours to spend together.

You can discuss the questions below over a meal and “connect and reflect” while honoring who and what has impacted you this past year – and why.

Divvy up the time accordingly. For example, if you have five people, each person may get ten minutes to answer the Review questions looking back over 2018. Then, move on to the second round and each person gets another ten minutes to answer the Preview questions looking ahead to 2019. That leaves time for a group discussion where you can revisit intriguing themes or responses you want to explore more fully.

I’ve done this for years with Review-Preview salons I host at evening meals during conferences, and everyone agrees it’s a “rising tide” conversation that elevates all involved.

When writing his book The Last Lecture (which was his “message in a bottle” to his family), Randy Pausch asked himself what he knew for sure. It was this, “We cannot change the cards we are dealt; just how we play the hand. Are you spending your time on the right things? Because time is all you have.”

There’s still time to spend an evening or afternoon on the “right thinks” (intentional) this year. Schedule a salon with family members/friends and start with these Review questions.

1. What is a favorite place I discovered, explored or spent time in?

2. Who is someone who really impacted me? How so?

3. How did I change? What new beliefs and behaviors did I adopt?

4. What’s a meaningful achievement I’m proud of?

5. What happened that was unexpected or surprising? How did it affect me?

6. What will I remember about my health from this year and why?

7. What was my biggest challenge – lesson learned the hard way?

8. What did I NOT find time for?

9. What is the best book I read or movie/TV program I saw?

10. What experience and/or person am I most grateful for? Why?

Preview Questions for the upcoming year:

What is a dream or goal of something I’d like to see, launch, experience or achieve?
What is a habit I want to change or a habit I want to continue?
Who is someone I want to spend more time with? Why?
4. What is something I’ve been procrastinating on that I will make time for? When? How?

5. How will I give back and make a meaningful difference for someone or for something?

I had an opportunity to spend time with Poet Laureate Rita Dove at the San Miguel Writers Conference. She said something really profound, “The clock ticks both ways.”

What did she mean by that? Well, I interpret it as meaning that human beings have unique ability is to “reflect and project.” We can look back anc learn valuable lessons about how we’ve spent our time – and we can look ahead and choose to use our time more wisely.

So, the question is, when will you schedule your Review-Preview? Who will you invite? Where will you hold this? Take ten minutes to set it in motion right now. You’ll never regret being more mindful about how you pilot your time. You’ll only regret not doing it … sooner.