It’s not uncommon for people to feel like they don’t have enough time in their day. Whether it be because of work, school, or family obligations, there are just too many things vying for your attention. But what if you could find more time?
There are a lot of little things that can help you to save time without sacrificing anything else in your life. You may want to consider packing lunch the night before so all you have to do is grab it and go when morning comes around.
Maybe even leave your hair down if it’s long–you’ll be able to get ready faster! Or maybe you should look into an app on your phone that does everything from grocery shopping or laundry–then all you need to do is press a few buttons!
There are always ways to find time without needing to lose something else. You just need to figure out what works for you and go from there! Below are some tips on how you can save time in your day…
1. The best way to find more time in your day is by being realistic about what you want and need
In order to find more time in your day, it’s important to decide what exactly you want from your day. Do you want more work time? More personal time? To stop and take a minute for yourself every once and while? Figure out what is most important to you and this will help to guide your decisions later on.
The best way to find time is to prioritize the things that are most important. If you really need that extra hour of sleep but don’t have the opportunity, try to do everything else early so you can leave work on time and go home.
Or if not getting to work or school on time isn’t an option, try leaving early to get there as soon as possible.
Scheduling out time to complete tasks is the best way to not forget about them and still save time.
If you’re one of those people who has a million and ten things going at once, it can be good to schedule your days so that you know exactly what needs to get done and when.
This way there is no room for confusion and you won’t forget about anything! You can also use planning tools on your smartphone to help guide you through this process.
2. Figure out what’s important to you and then prioritize that
If you’re not sure if your procrastination is caused by a rational or irrational belief, keep working on changing your behaviors to see if there are any changes in your procrastination.
Keep trying different things until you find something that works. I think the best advice is to start with small steps and try to incorporate those into your life.
Start by identifying what tasks you need to accomplish and then focus on those that take up the most time (daily activities, errands, routines). If there are specific things that take a long time for you, figure out ways you can change your environment or how you work to make it easier.
If that doesn’t work, change the task itself so that you can complete what needs to get done in a shorter amount of time.
For example, if packing your lunch is taking you forever before leaving for work in the morning, try pre-chopping veggies and cooking meat ahead of time on a Sunday night so that it’s ready to eat. Or try getting a few days’ worths of groceries over the weekend and cooking up big portions, freezing them, and then zapping for 30 seconds as you’re packing your lunch in the morning.
Plan out your week ahead of time—schedule appointments, plan social outings, schedule exercise times, and so on.
3. Get creative
You can also get creative with how you spend your time, such as saving it up for a rainy day or using it on things that are fun but not necessary, or using it on things that are fun but not necessary.
One of the best ways to do this is by keeping a list of what needs to be done and then figuring out how much time each task will take. Then you can either block out some time on your schedule for that task or allow yourself some extra time in certain areas (such as an hour to watch Netflix!).
Another way to get creative is by figuring out what you can do without. Are there things that you can cut out of your daily routine that isn’t necessary? Maybe it’s time to get rid of the 5-step cleansing process and just wash your face with water! The more unnecessary steps in your life, the more free time you will have!
4. Automate everything!
It will save you hours every week because all the work will be done for you automatically without having to remember anything!
Perhaps the best way to save time is by automating your day-to-day tasks. If you’re not sure where to start, try using tools such as a grocery pick-up service or online laundry service that sends your clothes out and brings them back to you in a few days!
You can also use apps on your phone that allow you to schedule your day and remind you what needs to get done so you aren’t caught off guard.
5. Ask for help
Another thing you can do is ask for help. For example, if you’re bad at planning, ask your partner to plan the weekly menus. Or if you have a hard time motivating yourself to go on walks – get a dog!
Just remember that asking for help shouldn’t be viewed as a form of weakness or something to feel guilty about. It’s just another way of using your time more effectively.
6. Delegate
Don’t spend your time cleaning up after yourself! Once you’ve finished doing the dishes, laundry, or any other task that involves taking care of something else – delegate it to someone else in your family or even a local service that will do it for you while you can focus on things that are more productive.
Another great way of delegating is by hiring a house-sitter, dog walker, or any other local service that can come to your home while you are away.
7. Do it now!
The most effective way to save time throughout the day is to just do it now! It might be difficult or uncomfortable at first, but once you start doing it more often – it’ll become a habit that saves you time!
So the next time you feel yourself dreading to do something or procrastinating on finishing your work or washing your dishes, just go ahead and get started. Once you’re done with one thing, the others are also easier to finish!
8. Put your smartphone down!
A lot of us spend hours on our phones each day – especially teenagers and young adults who are glued to them for social purposes but also because of their addiction to checking social media feeds, Snapchat, emails, etc.
The best way to save time is by putting away your phone, staying off social media, and just enjoying a lengthy conversation with a family member or friend. It’s also a great way to get in some face-to-face bonding time – it can be easy to forget how nice it is to look at someone while talking to them until you spend an hour on the phone with your sister!
9. Get up early!
Another great way to save time throughout the day is by getting up early. Instead of wasting hours scrolling through Facebook or Instagram, set your alarm an hour earlier and use that precious time to catch up on social media, learn something new, or just enjoy some peace and quiet before the rest of the house wakes up!
10. Remember that your time is precious
One of the best ways to save time throughout the day? Remembering this!
It’s easy to get caught up in a busy schedule and forget about all the “unimportant” things, but sometimes it’s good to just slow down and take a moment to breathe. If you’re constantly rushing from one place to the other, you might not get home until late at night which can affect your sleep.
Getting enough sleep is important, so try and find some time in your busy schedule for a little bit of relaxation!
11. Don’t let the small stuff annoy you!
You really need to learn to not sweat the small stuff and accept that some things just take a little bit longer than others and it’s OK because you’re doing your best.
Try to be patient with yourself and stay calm because the only way out of these time-wasting loops is by being positive and not getting yourself worked up over things that aren’t worth it.
Conclusion
Good luck with your quest for more time in your day; hopefully these tips will get you started on the right foot!
Many of these strategies can be implemented throughout an entire lifetime, not just to help combat procrastination, but also many other aspects of life, like managing finances and taking care of personal health.
For more tips like these, check out my other blog posts.
