Have you ever caught yourself saying, “There is not enough time in the day!”? Tell me this… what could you do in 26 hours that you couldn’t get done in the 24 we already have? Maybe we don’t need extra time in the day but instead, we need to be more productive during the hours that we do have! Here are 5 ways to add more time to your day starting NOW –
Learn to say no
Delegating tasks is the most important key to success! Why are you wasting so much time doing things you can easily pass off to others? I can bet you that if this isn’t something you’re comfortable with, you’re not as successful as you could be! This can be an extremely tough one and constantly something I’m working on because I would rather do EVERYTHING since I know I can do it and it will get done. The only downside is you will eventually spread yourself thin trying to do too much and become burnt out way sooner than you should be. JUST. SAY. NO. and delegate.
Eliminate time fillers
It is so important to eliminate distractions around you like your phone, the TV, and maybe listening to the news. This is especially important for those that are currently #WFH!! Eliminating these time fillers (or moving them to after your tasks have been completed if you really NEED to know what’s going on in the world 😉 ) will instantly give you time back! YES, taking a few minutes each hour to scan Instagram can REALLY add up. I do find that my most successful days are also the days I’m not checking my phone often. Coincidence?
Clean up after yourself
Seems so simple and maybe I’m crazy for not doing this already but cleaning up after yourself saves YOU so much time. James Clear calls this “resetting the room”. The goal is to keep the room looking just as it did when you entered it. Wash your dish after you use it and load it in the dishwasher, make your bed the second you get out of it, refill your coffee machine with water, fold your clothes right away and put them away (instead of throwing them on the floor like I do), etc. This will avoid a growing to-do list.
Choose one large task a day
Make a list of “large” tasks you need to complete for the next week and prioritize them by most important to least important. When I say “large” tasks, I mean weekly tasks such as doing laundry, mowing the lawn, donating old clothes sitting in your closet… Dedicate 30+ minutes per day to finish ONE task. If you find you have extra time, then you can move to a second task for that day but only after everything you wanted to get done has been completed. Avoid feeling overwhelmed with many things to do rather than completing less prioritized tasks on days you really don’t need to make time for. Let’s face it, the to-do list never ends. Make the extra time and spend it on yourself.
Establish your high-energy time
Figure out what time of the day you are the most productive and dedicate it to completing your toughest tasks or the tasks that take the most concentration. For myself, this is absolutely between 8-10:30 AM, come 1 PM I can feel an energy dip and find myself needing caffeine. Have your TV and music off during this block and just focus on the work you dedicated that time for. This WILL cut down the amount of time this task would take and lets you get it out of the way. If you wait outside of your block, you’re likely to be more distracted and that 2-hour block might then become 3+ hours.
Comment below and let me know how YOU add more time to your day –
Great post. Sometimes, it looks impossible to find time in the day.
Great and effective tips, will definitely consider when planning my time, thank you for sharing ❤️
I enjoyed this read so much! As someone who can be a procrastinator often. I need to find ways to be more productive with my time.
Love this! Choosing one large task a day is something I should work on. I tend to try to fit everything in my daily schedule and in the end, not a lot gets done.
Thanks for putting this together.
Great tips! Especially the one about eliminating time fillers! When I used to focus on trying to just get the tasks I needed done, it was always a struggle. I realized it’s I shouldn’t have just been focusing all my energy on trying to get one thing done but to also focus on not allowing myself to watch netflix, etc until the task at hand is complete! So eliminating distractions plus setting a reward 🙂
These were so helpful. Learning to say no was a big one because I always feel like I need to say yes to everything in the fear of letting people down.
Nice tips! I like to work during the day because I’m able to get more done. However, I try to do other tasks at night that don’t require much work or thinking. So, I basically tackle harder tasks during the day and simpler ones at night.
A great reminder! Thank you!
Love it. Time management is one of the hardest things to grasp in life. Thanks for the helpful tidbits!
It’s so important to set boundaries and say no. I’m starting to go back to work and I don’t want to go back to the time fillers and crazy busy just to be busy schedule I had before.
Great list!!
This is so true. On days that I honor my own high-energy times (the morning), I am SO much more productive for the rest of the day. Now if only I could clean up after the million outfits I try on each day….. 🙂
Such a great read, thanks for the tips (:
I am absolutely awful at filling my free time with useless distractions so that’s definitely my first step! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for this! It is much needed. Especially the section about time fillers!
These are such great tips,lol once you learn how to say no and stop being a people pleaser there really isn’t any going back
Great Ideas! Sometimes I have a whole free day but less efficient. Really need to learn how to apply my time in a better way.
A fascinating discussion is definitely worth comment. I do think that you ought to publish more about this topic, it may not be a taboo subject but typically people dont speak about such issues. To the next! Many thanks!!
You are a very capable person!