Do you ever feel like you never have enough time for everything you want to get done in the day? You have aspirations of going to the gym, but you have late meetings every night this week. You really want to go on a date, but your appointments are piling up. It’s easy to feel like you’re drowning and unable to give the proper attention to everything in your life when you’re constantly choosing between this or that.
You’re not the only person who feels this way. About 48% of Americans say they don’t have enough time to do what they want, but what we often forget is that it’s not about having the time, it’s about creating the time. Here are three big ways to make more time in your day for everything you want to do.
Rise and shine.
Ah yes, the dreaded 5 a.m. alarm clock. Nothing can prepare you for it, not even crawling into bed at a decent hour or setting the coffee pot to start automatically. But if you can pull yourself away from your warm and cozy bed, that extra hour or two will likely start to be your favorite part of the day.
The mornings are quiet, and if you have young kids or a crazy work schedule, this is the calm before the storm that you will learn to savor. Get your workout in, read, drink your coffee slowly, or write in your journal. Use your mornings to check things off your list before the rest of the world wakes up. This simple trick will free up more of your time later in the day!
Delegate, delegate, delegate.
Many people enjoy doing everything themselves (or think they need to), and that’s okay. But it’s also important to know when it’s time to offload some of your responsibilities onto others in order to free up some of your time for other things. If you’re overwhelmed at work, look into hiring a virtual assistant (or a real one).
If you’re always the one doing the cooking or cleaning around the house, get your spouse involved! In fact, dividing household chores equally is a sign of a happy marriage. Read this article for some ideas of how to start doing this without ruffling any feathers.
Expect the unexpected.
Don’t forget to leave room for the unexpected flat tire, the sick child, or the impromptu 3-hour meeting. It’s important to plan your day out, but no amount of organization will ensure that it all goes perfectly … because life isn’t perfect. The best thing you can do is learn to be flexible and pivot.
Give yourself enough time between each item on your to-do list! If you scheduled an appointment that’s 20 minutes away from home, be sure to leave a little bit early in case there’s traffic or something else that comes up. The best-case scenario is that you get there quickly and have a few extra minutes to relax before your appointment begins. Buffer time is often forgotten, but it’s so important for keeping yourself on schedule!
What you do with your 24 hours is up to you! By following our simple tips, you’ll find yourself with a lot more time on your hands to do the things that matter most to you.
Looking for a little motivation toward your goals? Read our post for three quotes to inspire you from highly successful people.
