Why is this a lie? We talk about time as if it’s something outside of our control. Truth is time is our choice.
But why we believe it’s not controllable and we think that it keeps slipping through our fingers?
The things you claim to “never have time for” are actually things that are not important to you. As such, instead of ‘I don’t have time’, what we really mean is ‘I haven’t made time’ or ‘I don’t want to make time’ or even ‘I don’t know how to make time’.
It’s time to stop being victims of time and instead take ownership. The words you tell yourself matter, because if you keep telling yourself and others that you don’t have time, you will begin believing it.
Making time is not always easy but it’s 100% doable. If you feel that you never find time to do things for yourself (but you find time to do stuff for others), then it’s time to put yourself as a priority.
Make yourself an urgent task, your number one priority. After all, you are.
Here are 10 ways you can take some practical actions to make time:-
- Wake up earlier
It may not be easy, but sacrificing even just 15-30 minutes of sleep, in order to get things done or prepare and take care of yourself for the day, is a small price to pay.
- Spend less time for TV/social media
This one is a no brainer and it can clearly depict your priorities. Is it more important to watch TV or scroll social media for several hours daily or to take care of your mental and physical health?
- Plan ahead
Planning in advance your day/ week etc will help you save time in comparison to ad hoc decisions and last-minute preparations.
- Set priorities
Think about your core objectives and figure out what is important to you. What is absolutely necessary to be done? This is your priority. Tackle high-priority tasks first and then devote the remaining time to other things. Prioritizing ensures that you make the most efficient use of your time.
- Ask for help
We usually consider ‘asking for help’ a sign of weakness (another lie we tell ourselves). Asking for help is actually a sign of strength, wisdom, openness and self-acceptance. By asking for help, we are honest, we leverage the help and skills of others and we actually value the return on this investment.
- Learn to say No
By setting boundaries, you respect and honor yourself. You will be amazed by how much time you can save once you prioritize yourself and your well-being over others.
- Remove distractions
Nowadays it’s so easy to get distracted. People, voices, text messages, e-mails, and social media notifications can repeatedly distract us from performing our tasks. “Unplug” and concentrate on the task at hand. Lock yourself in a room if you need quiet. If there are people that keep interrupting you, ask them politely to give you time alone.
- Stop Multitasking
Contrary to the most common belief, multitasking decreases our productivity (read more in the link). As such, it’s important to stop switching from one task to another, or we will end up with numerous incomplete tasks and out of time. It’s sensible to dedicate a fixed and realistic amount of time to each task, eliminate distractions and focus on its completion. When it’s done, move to the next one, in the same working logic.
- Track your time
Productivity experts agree that tracking and budgeting your time is vital to take control of your day. Before even start practicing the steps of this list, write down where you spend your time. Do it for 1 typical weekday. This exercise will teach and show you a lot on where time has gone within your day. Consider time as money; think that every time you lose track of time, you lose money. How does that change things?
- Establish a daily routine
By creating a daily routine, you combine a lot of the previous steps into a working plan. In this way, you can ensure that you will include all the things that are important to you. Your brain will love it, too.
Experiment with any step that resonates better with you or matches your lifestyle.
Remember – it’s always a matter of choice, and you are always choosing. If something is important to you, you will find a way to fit it into your schedule.
Image by DilokaStudio on Freepik