When we feel like we don’t have enough time to do what we want to do, it’s usually due to two main reasons:
- We’ve settled into a busy routine of work, family and other responsibilities over time.
- We’ve fallen into a pattern of responding to ‘urgent’ items and reacting to anyone and anything that demands our attention.
As a result, we end up wasting a lot of time doing the same things over and over again, day in day out, and not making any real progress toward our goals and what we want.
If you’re serious about making time for what you want, you need to value your time. You need to be able to set priorities and decide what you want to spend your time on.
You may want more time to work on your side hustle or hobby, to exercise, or hang out with your friends and family for example.
You can start claiming back your time by reviewing your schedule and things to-do list. Assess what’s important and let go of what isn’t. This then lets you make room for what you truly want in your life.
Here are 11 ways you can manage YOUR time better so you can make time for what you want from life:
Table of Contents
- Prioritize your tasks according to importance
- Schedule your time
- Block out slots in your calendar for things you want to do
- Learn to say “No”
- Outsource your tasks
- Learn to work smart, not hard
- Turn off obligation alerts
- Know when you need to take a break
- Get enough sleep!
- Book in a Personal Rest Day
- Set boundaries with people in your life
Prioritize your tasks according to importance
This can take some time, but it’s worth it because you’ll then have a clear idea of what’s important and so you’ll prioritize your time accordingly, and you won’t accidentally waste your time on unimportant tasks.
The most successful people have a clear understanding of what they need to do each day and which tasks are most important to achieving their biggest goals. They create to-do lists and review these the night before to prioritize their work and make sure they know what to focus on the following day.
Schedule your time
Think about everything you need to do and how much time each task takes. This way you know how much time you have for each task and how much time you need to schedule for each task. Set realistic goals for yourself so you don’t end up feeling overwhelmed and burnt out!
Block out slots in your calendar for things you want to do
Sometimes you get so busy that you just have to block out slots in your calendar to make time to do what you want. Make these slots non-negotiable and non-movable (unless it’s an absolute emergency). These slots can be to spend time with your partner, or catch up with your friend, go to the gym or get that tennis practice session in. It’s YOU time and it’s super important for your well-being.
Learn to say “No”
We all like saying yes, but sometimes it just doesn’t make sense for you to take on another project. You may have no interest in the project or you may get lots of unsolicited requests for help from strangers if you’re an authority in your industry. But you simply don’t have the time or energy to help everyone.
We live in a society where people over-commit themselves and this can cause us to get burnt out or feel overwhelmed. Learn to say no so you don’t spend your time on tasks or projects that don’t help move you closer to achieving your goals.
Outsource your tasks
You don’t need to do everything yourself! Hire someone with these skills to do them for you. This will not only save you time, but you can spend that time on more important projects and on the things you want to do.
Numerous work tasks can be outsourced including writing, photography, video editing, social media posts and more. You can find people on platforms like Fiverr and Upwork.
Home tasks such as cleaning, laundry, cooking, gardening, and walking your dog can also easily be outsourced. You can find help with these kinds of tasks on platforms like Airtasker and TaskRabbit.
You could also hire a virtual assistant to help you coordinate and manage the completion of some of these tasks.
Learn to work smart, not hard
Find ways to be more productive, more efficient, and more effective.
Develop streamlined workflows, systems, templates, and macros to make frequently repeated tasks more efficient to save time.
An example is using a template to create an email when sending emails to prospects which saves time and stops you from having to start new emails from scratch every time. Find ways to automate the boring parts of your work so you can do the things that really matter.
Another example would be using an app that syncs your apps and devices so you can find everything you need in the one place and all of your devices are up to date and ready to go! This will save you so much time and you won’t be checking all your apps and devices throughout the day to see if they are up to date or not.
Turn off obligation alerts
Go through your mobile phone and delete alerts for texts, e-mails and phone calls that you do not need to respond to immediately. Never feel compelled to answer a phone call or text unless it’s an emergency or you absolutely have to respond, otherwise they are an unnecessary distraction and can easily eat up large chunks of your time.
Know when you need to take a break
Take breaks during the day as needed or schedule time for when you take a lunch break or walk around the block for some fresh air. Taking breaks during the day will help you be more productive and help you recharge, so you can continue doing what you’re doing without getting burnt out, overwhelmed, or feeling tired!
Get enough sleep!
Sleep is the one thing you can’t afford to skip! This seems like a no-brainer but you’d be surprised how many people do not spend enough time sleeping and either get sick more often or can’t focus and work hard when they need to.
Sleep helps rejuvenate you, helps you focus, and helps you be more productive.
Power naps are another great way to get a little extra rest and can be just what you need to recharge before heading back to work or running errands. So make sure you’re getting enough sleep and you won’t feel so tired throughout the day!
Book in a Personal Rest Day
Book in a personal rest day and do something fun to recharge yourself! Instead of sitting at your desk or watching tv all day, get out of the house and do something fun! Spend the day at a theme park or beach or go see a movie or go bowling or miniature golfing or go to a zoo or museum or sporting event! Don’t just sit around all day doing nothing! Do something fun that will help you relax and enjoy yourself!
Set boundaries with people in your life
People will often pressure you to spend more time with them than you want or have time for. It’s up to you to decide who you want to hang out with, how often and for how long. Surround yourself with the people who make you feel happy, respect and support you and dump the ones who don’t respect you and your time, and are merely self-serving and suck the energy out of you.
Now that you’ve got a few strategies for creating more time in your life, it’s time to take action! Start using these practical solutions to make your life easier so you can have more time in your life to do the things that are important to you and do the things you love!