How to make more time

“Time is the ultimate luxury” – this popular quote is popular for a reason. Given the choice of more money of more time, a lot of us would choose time.

 Our generation moves through life quickly, with us often taking on multiple tasks at a time. The word ‘busy’ has become a status symbol. We feel a little surge of pride every time we say how busy we are, because somewhere along the line we’ve equated busy-ness with success.

The truth is however, most of us are overwhelmed, over-worked and in need of more time. While we can’t actually physically make more time (sorry about that) we can manage our time better and make space for the things we love.

Here’s how:

Assess

Your first step is to take a step back and assess the situation. Try logging your time in a journal to see what you’re spending your time on and write a list of things you wish you had more time to do.

Prioritise

Look at that list you’ve written and prioritise them. What’s the most important thing on there? Whether it’s more time with the family, time to go to the gym or simply more ‘you’ time – schedule it in, just like you would a doctor’s appointment.

Identify your time-wasters

To make way for the new, you’re going to have to throw out some of the old! Take a look back at your journal and see what tasks on there are your biggest time-wasters. For us, this is definitely scrolling through our phones! Once you’ve identified it, make a plan for reducing your time spent on this, and make it realistic.

Utilise fringe-time

Fringe-time refers to the small pockets of time before or after a task. For example, your daily train commute, your lunch break or time spent queuing. Try to utilise this time and squeeze in a few more to-dos. This could be taking a meditation/mindfulness break, reading or even learning a new skill.

Say no, delegate

A big piece of the time management is learning when to say no and delegating certain tasks. This can be especially important at work. Know what your limits are and don’t be afraid to say no or delegate out your work. This will give you more time to focus on what you need to do without compromising on your work-life balance.

What tips would you add to this list? Let us know in the comments below or join us on Facebook!