Do you ever feel like you just never have enough time to do all the things you want to do each day? Time is one resource we don’t ever seem to have enough of. Some (most) days I know it can feel like your to do list is 10 pages long (front and back) and there’s no way you’re going to be able to get to all of it. When it comes down to living our ideal life, time management and productivity are two skills we need to constantly work on.
Effective time management lets us capitalize on the full 24 hours that we get each day, which will in turn help us be more productive so we can work on the really important things like pursuing our goals and dreams. It’s the only way to get rid of that burnt out feeling and have more energy available to work on what is most important to our ideal lives.
Between working a full time job, growing a business on the side, taking care of myself and Stella the boxer, making time for relationships and spending time with family, and everything else on the list like paying bills, cleaning, keeping up with the house…..it’s all too easy to sometimes feel like I want to forget all of it and just take a nap. Since that wouldn’t really help me in any way, I’ve had to find ways to manage my time more effectively in order to be able to make it all happen.
These are some of the ways I have found to save time, be more efficient, and accomplish more in my day so I can continue working on the goals I set for my life. They might not all work for you, but hopefully you will find some ideas that can help you too.
1. Automate, Automate, Automate
Automating the things that have to be done on a regular basis is not only a MASSIVE time saver, it also saves SO MUCH of your mental energy since you don’t even have to take any time to think about doing whatever it is. You won’t realize how much time you spend just remembering to pay bills or refill prescriptions or whatever else is it that you have to do on a regular basis until you no longer have to do it. These are some of the tasks I have automated and saved 1000 hours of my life.
Bills – In addition to my own personal bills, I also manage accounts payable at my full time job as well as the side business. I even keep track of my Dad-o’s bills. Having to remember multiple sets of due dates and amounts and who to pay would quickly become overwhelming even with the most detailed calendar. Having all recurring bills come out automatically has freed up not only the time it takes to actually write out the check or go online and make the payment, but the mental energy it takes to remember when each separate bill is due.
Prescriptions– Having your prescriptions set to automatically refill is so convenient. Instead of having to remember to call or email the pharmacy, I just wait for the email telling me my prescription is ready so I can go pick up. Having them automatically filled and delivered would probably save even more time but I haven’t gotten that far yet.
2. Routine is life.
One of the side effects I have noticed of always having so much to do is that I now seem to forget things much more easily. I think it’s because there is so much information coming into my brain that trying to retain it all has backfired. If I don’t write things down right away, they will completely leave my mind until I’m reminded of it (usually much later when it’s already too late). Having set routines for most areas of my life helps me in a way like automating because then all the things I need to be doing daily become a habit that I don’t have to try to remember. I feel like this frees up more of my energy to think about all the unexpected or unplanned items that change on a daily and weekly basis. These are the routines I have for different areas of my life (I won’t go into details on each routine in this post – each one would be a separate post on its own):
-Morning Routine
-Night Routine
-Daily, Weekly, and Monthly cleaning schedule
-Daily, Weekly, and Monthly work items
-I try to wake up and go to bed at the same time each day and really try not to have too much variation in that on the weekend since that just ends up making things harder on Monday morning.
-Stella the Boxer also has a morning and evening routine
3. Ordering Groceries AKA THE BEST THING EVER
Is it sad that this is one thing brings me so much joy? My grocery store offers a delivery option as well as a curbside pickup option. This means I can go online and order everything I want in the comfort of my own bed and pajamas, choose the time I want to pick everything up, and then once I get there they bring everything to my car for me and I don’t have to get out, go inside, or deal with the lines or load groceries. The small extra price is WELL WORTH the amount of time and energy saved not having to actually go inside and shop. If you’re not using this service I would 100% recommend that you start.
4. Meal Plan / Prep
Meal planning ties directly in with my grocery ordering. On Sundays I like to plan out what I’m going to eat for the week and then order what I’m going to need to be able to do that. I’m fortunate to have a full kitchen at work and the flexibility to be able to make whatever I feel like eating. Sometimes I also actually meal prep and I’ll cook a few things on Monday that I can have for the rest of the week. If not, I am able to cook on my lunch break. Planning ahead what I’m going to be eating during the week frees up the time I would spend thinking about what to make, keeps me from running to the grocery store during the middle of the week, and also saves time and money but not having to pick up fast food.
5. Prioritize
One of the biggest productivity killers is not being able to prioritize what needs to be done and when. This can lead to procrastination and major overwhelm. Knowing how to create a reasonable to do list for each day and learning what to focus on first will ensure that you don’t spend valuable time working on things that can wait until later. I like to make my list at night for the following day. By creating my to do list at night, I’m able to wake up ready to go instead of having to take time to think about what I need to get done that day. I start by writing down everything that needs to be done. Then, I go through the list and mark the items that are most important. Sometimes everything is important and when that’s the case, I’ll put things in order by what I want to do least. Knocking out what I’m least looking forward to doing means less time spent thinking about something I don’t want to do. Finally, if the list starts getting long and overwhelming, I make sure to push what I can to the following day. I read somewhere that you should limit your list to include no more than 5 major items per day. Incorporating that piece of advice has helped me spread my list out throughout the week and not feel as overwhelmed trying to get everything done in one day.
6. Wake up Earlier
If only this was so easy! One of the best ways to get more done during the day is to take advantage of the morning hours before everyone else is awake. The rest of the world is quiet early in the morning, and there are fewer distractions. I use my earlier wake up time to read in the mornings. I check my email, look at the news, and over all just get myself mentally prepared to start the day. Some of you (with more energy than me) can use even just an extra 30 minutes to work out, fold laundry, clean, or anything else on your to do list that you find the energy for.
7. Organize
Having clutter and being disorganized is a much bigger distraction and time waster than you might realize. Keeping your space clean and organized allows you to focus on the task at hand instead of being distracted by all the clutter surrounding you or having to stop to look for that one item you need right this second that is nowhere to be found. Searching for misplaced items not only takes away the actual time away from what you were doing, but a lot of the time it can then lead to another distraction which can then turn into a major time suck. I try to make decluttering a part of my daily and weekly routine just for this purpose. I take time each day to clear off my workspace before I leave and put everything away so that in the mornings, I come in to a clean desk and can start fresh. I also try to make sure I put the things I know I’m always going to reach for (phone, keys, debit card, lip balm) in the same place so I don’t have to spend extra time looking for them. Every Sunday I also spend time cleaning out my purse to get all the receipts and junk that has just been thrown in there throughout the week out. These small tactics help me avoid the distractions of physical and mental clutter.
So these are some of the practices I’ve put into place to help me find more time in the day. I know what a challenge it can be trying to juggle multiple responsibilities. If you can put even a few of these tactics into place for yourself, I know they can help you free up some time and energy as well that can be put towards pursuing your ideal life.
What are some things you do that help you free up more time or give you more energy?