Do you feel as though there are never enough hours in the day? Perhaps there are things you constantly wish you could do, but like most people, you never have the time.
Well, that ends now. Here’s how you can add time to each day.
How To Add Time To The Day
1. Find And Eliminate Time Wasters
Distractions are everywhere! To add time to your day, you first need to determine what you waste the most time doing.
Cell Phone
How often do you send or respond to messages, check social media and answer non-important calls? Your mobile can be a huge source of wasted time.
Put your phone on silent and turn it face down. You can check your voicemail and return important calls and messages later.
Television
Sometimes, I turn on the TV for a little background noise when I’m doing menial tasks. The only problem is I eventually hear something that peaks my interest and I find myself watching the screen for a few minutes. This breaks up my focus and hinders me from working as fast as I can.
If you don’t like working in perfectly quiet surroundings, listen to music, an audio book or your favourite podcast.
Internet
I don’t know about you, but I go on YouTube to watch one video and then my eyes wander over to the right and I see another video that looks interesting. Before I know it, I’ve spent an hour watching random videos and I can’t even remember why I went on YouTube in the first place.
Social media and the internet, in general, are time suckers. Avoid these until after you have gotten important tasks done.
Are you checking your email whenever you hear or see a notification that you have a new one? It’s easy to get lured into checking and responding to emails frequently but it is not necessary.
Aim to clear your inbox once or twice a day and do everything as it relates to email during that period. Respond concisely and either delete or archive emails.
Switch off the “new email” notification on your phone. If you don’t hear it, you won’t be tempted.
After you eliminate time wasters, you will certainly add time to your day. Now, let’s figure out how to make the most of those precious hours you’ve gained.
2. Brain Dump
Create a to-do list with all the tasks you need to accomplish. It doesn’t need to look fancy. Just get it out of your head and onto paper. Alternatively, you can use your phone or computer to make the list.
This is called a brain dump. I do this when I feel overwhelmed which leads to me losing sleep. It’s quite effective because it frees up space in my mind.
After you have everything you need to get done in physical or digital form, rank each task from most important to least. There can be no ties here.
3. Schedule Your Time
Whether it’s a fancy planner, a piece of paper or your cell phone, it’s important to schedule each day. I personally love Google Calendar which is free and very easy to use.
Use your brain dump list and write down specific tasks you have to do. Begin your day with the most important task even if you don’t want to do it. You’ll feel accomplished when you’re done and ready to tackle the remainder of your list.
Schedule the rest of your day around the mandatory tasks making sure you leave enough time between each in case something takes a little longer than you expect.
Batch similar tasks. Instead of completing one or two errands on separate days, do them on the same day, when possible. This saves time and gas, if you’re driving.
Include breaks when planning your day. This is important to keep your energy levels up and can help you to focus better on your work. Just make sure the breaks are not so long or frequent that you lose momentum.
4. Learn To Say “No”
We often agree to do things because we feel guilty or obligated. If the task does not align with your priorities, it’s okay not to do it.
Occasionally, being selfish can be a good thing. Read Does Being Selfish Make You A Better Person?
5. Work Smarter
Don’t feel like you need to do everything yourself. Get others in your household to help with chores. Even your youngest kids can do simple tasks like putting away their toys at the end of the day.
Try meal planning. Prepping and cooking multiple dishes at once is a great way to save time.
Spend a few minutes every day tidying your home. Putting things back as soon as you are done with them and maintaining an organization system will really help you to have a clean home with minimal effort.
6. Outsource
Hire help to do your chores at home. When you no longer have to sweat the small stuff or things you don’t enjoy, you have more time to focus on what you would rather be doing.
7. Utilize Time That Might Be Wasted Otherwise
Lunch Break
Most people don’t spend an entire hour eating. Take advantage of this and, after you’ve finished your meal, enjoy hobbies e.g. jewelry-making, fit in a short workout or just enjoy the peace and quiet.
Waiting Time
Stuck in your car during rush hour? Have an appointment and are left sitting in the waiting room? These are perfect moments to do something else.
Listen to an audio book in the car, read a Kindle book on your phone while in the waiting room or respond to emails. Just don’t let those priceless opportunities go to waste.
Everyone wishes they could add time to their day. If you employ these seven tactics, you will be able to do just that.