HOW TO “MAKE” MORE TIME IN YOUR LIFE
1. PRIORITIZE THE THINGS YOU WANT TO ADD TO YOUR LIFE
None of this will work if you don’t mentally commit to the thing(s) you want. If it’s important to you and you really want to do it, you can find a way.
2. EVALUATE YOUR TIME SUCKERS AND ELIMINATE OR SHORTEN THEM
Look at what your days are like. How much time are you spending mindlessly doing things such as watching TV or scrolling through social media? 20 minutes down the Internet rabbit hole could be 20 minutes of sketching, time outdoors, meditating, cooking, or chatting with a friend over coffee. And if it’s more than 20 minutes? Yay! You just found yourself even more time to DO THAT THING that you really want to do.
3. CONSIDER REARRANGING YOUR SCHEDULE
Are there certain times of the day better suited to the activities you’d like to incorporate? For example, waking up 45 minutes earlier may be a good idea so that you have time to write, journal, or meditate before others in the home wake up. Or heading straight to the gym after work a couple times a week so you can get in a workout before going home to family duties.
See if you can move a couple of things around in your schedule, even if it’s tight. And waking up earlier will just add more time to your day, anyway, so this will likely help.
4. COMBINE CERTAIN ACTIVITIES WHEN POSSIBLE
There are times when you can combine activities, such as cooking or folding laundry while watching TV or listening to a podcast or audiobook; a little exercise or artwork during your lunch break; or gardening and talking to a loved one on speakerphone. While not the most mindful approach to doing things, combining some activities can help you get more done and leave a little extra breathing room.
5. DELEGATE!
This one may be hard for you if you’re one of those who likes most things done a certain way, but teaching your 6th grader to do laundry and learning to be “ok” with the results can go a long way in creating a little more time for yourself. Trusting your partner to do the grocery shopping can give you time to go to that class you’ve been wanting to check out.
Sometimes you can get in your own way by having to do everything when really, delegating would be a great way to go. You’d be instilling faith and trust in others to do things to contribute while also allowing more time to do things that bring you more joy.
While there are only 24 hours in a day, it is possible to add more fun or fulfilling things to your life, especially if you are willing to be creative and think outside the box. It may take a willingness to let go of the way you’ve done things before and to challenge your mindset about what “has” to get done when VS. what can wait or be delegated.
If some of these tips can lead to a little more time in your day or week for you to incorporate something that you love, it’s well worth it.