Some people seem to be able to manage their time better than others. It seems like they have something going on every minute but they never seem to get flustered or forget to fix dinner.
Others of us seem to constantly be late to appointments, running behind on our schedules, and missing sleep and leisure in an attempt to stay on top of it all.
Sound familiar?
The answer is more hours in your week, if not in your day. While you could forgo sleep, it is much healthier to find the activities that steal your time and take it back by force. Here are some ideas to help you do just that.
Make Notes
Keep a journal and every time you change activities, write the activity down and how long you worked on it. For example:
- Made breakfast 45 minutes
- Watched television 60 minutes
- Got lost on Pinterest 4 hours
By seeing where you actually spend your time you can make better choices. Do you really want to talk to your friends on Facebook for three hours or would it be better for you to finish the laundry?
Be Choosier about Television
It is easy to sit down in front of the TV and veg out while the hours slip by. You end up getting to bed later than you planned and then it is hard to get up the next day. Maybe you even oversleep and spend the next several hours trying to catch up.
Give yourself a scheduled amount of time to watch TV and enforce it. Cutting out just one show a day can give you at least three hours a week.
Have a Schedule
Schedule certain activities on certain days and stick to it. Running to the grocery store because you are out of milk takes up time. In fact, by being organized and not heading to the store you will save a couple of hours a week.
Delegate Better
If you are doing all of the chores at home, or even most of them, you need to learn to delegate better. Chores like laundry and vacuuming can be done by spouses and children.
Let them pick up some of the slack. Family is all about working together and supporting each other – kids are never too young to learn that ethic.
Take Breaks
It seems like it is counterproductive, but taking breaks refreshes you and helps you to be more efficient in the long run. Don’t just stop to surf the Internet, though. Take a fifteen minute walk, a power nap, or get a protein packed snack to help you stay sharp and maintain your edge. When your brain is fuzzy and sleepy it will take twice as long to do something as when you are rested and refreshed.
Obviously you can’t really add an extra seven hours to your day but with some organization, discipline, and help from the family, you can utilize the hours that you do have much more efficiently.
photo credit: Krystn Palmer Photography
