These days, we all seem to have an endless list of daily tasks to do that leave us wishing there were more hours in the day. But managing your time more effectively can help enhance your productivity, reduce your stress levels and improve your mental and physical wellbeing.
So if you find it difficult to hit your goals due to constant time constraints, consider taking these four steps to free up more time in your day:
- Set priorities
Tim Ferriss, US entrepreneur, public speaker and author of ‘The 4-Hour Workweek’, has been a long-time advocate of reducing stress through prioritising tasks. Instead of falling into the trap of believing there is simply not enough time in the day to get everything done, Ferriss says that “having no time” reflects a lack of priorities.
In other words, there is always enough time to focus on your priorities. This means if it feels there is not enough time to do something, you have not made it a priority.
But a ‘priority matrix’ can help in identifying what these priorities are. It requires you to divide your daily tasks into four categories: Urgent, important, delegated and unimportant.
The idea is that, knowing what needs to be completed and when will help you reduce your stress levels and keep on track throughout the day. This approach can also be used to gain a clear picture of what can be accomplished in a day.
- Delegate
A key aspect of the priority matrix involves delegating - or outsourcing. Asking, or even hiring, someone else to complete a given task can free up more time in your day, which can in turn help to lower your stress levels. Delegating may be done in both a work and home environment - and you might just be surprised at how much time you can save by doing it.
- Wake up early
Waking up early is a common lifestyle trait of highly successful individuals. It has been associated with higher levels of productivity, more effective decision-making and higher energy levels. On top of this, you will also give yourself more time to complete your daily tasks.
In fact, waking up an hour earlier each day could translate into being up and about for an extra 15 days per year. So just think about what could you do with those extra two weeks?
- Try temptation bundling
Now that the concept of ‘temptation bundling’ has arrived, making the most of your day no longer has to come at the expense of doing what you love. Temptation bundling is a relatively new term that is used to describe the practice of combining something you want to do with something you are not so keen on.
For example, if you would like to watch your favourite TV show, consider only allowing yourself to do so when you are working out at the gym. Alternatively, think about only listening to music or podcasts when doing your chores.
The idea is that combining necessary, high-impact tasks with non-critical, low-impact activities will enhance your productivity without sacrificing the personal fulfilment element. So not only can temptation bundling help you develop good habits, but it can also help to carve out a bit more time in your day.
Julie Morris is a life and career coach. When she is not working with clients, she enjoys spending time outdoors, reading and writing. Julie is currently working on her first book.
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These days, we all seem to have an endless list of daily tasks to do that leave us wishing there were more hours in the day. But managing your time more effectively can help enhance your productivity, reduce your stress levels and improve your mental and physical wellbeing.
So if you find it difficult to hit your goals due to constant time constraints, consider taking these four steps to free up more time in your day:
- Set priorities
Tim Ferriss, US entrepreneur, public speaker and author of ‘The 4-Hour Workweek’, has been a long-time advocate of reducing stress through prioritising tasks. Instead of falling into the trap of believing there is simply not enough time in the day to get everything done, Ferriss says that “having no time” reflects a lack of priorities.
In other words, there is always enough time to focus on your priorities. This means if it feels there is not enough time to do something, you have not made it a priority.
But a ‘priority matrix’ can help in identifying what these priorities are. It requires you to divide your daily tasks into four categories: Urgent, important, delegated and unimportant.
The idea is that, knowing what needs to be completed and when will help you reduce your stress levels and keep on track throughout the day. This approach can also be used to gain a clear picture of what can be accomplished in a day.
- Delegate
A key aspect of the priority matrix involves delegating - or outsourcing. Asking, or even hiring, someone else to complete a given task can free up more time in your day, which can in turn help to lower your stress levels. Delegating may be done in both a work and home environment - and you might just be surprised at how much time you can save by doing it.
- Wake up early
Waking up early is a common lifestyle trait of highly successful individuals. It has been associated with higher levels of productivity, more effective decision-making and higher energy levels. On top of this, you will also give yourself more time to complete your daily tasks.
In fact, waking up an hour earlier each day could translate into being up and about for an extra 15 days per year. So just think about what could you do with those extra two weeks?
- Try temptation bundling
Now that the concept of ‘temptation bundling’ has arrived, making the most of your day no longer has to come at the expense of doing what you love. Temptation bundling is a relatively new term that is used to describe the practice of combining something you want to do with something you are not so keen on.
For example, if you would like to watch your favourite TV show, consider only allowing yourself to do so when you are working out at the gym. Alternatively, think about only listening to music or podcasts when doing your chores.
The idea is that combining necessary, high-impact tasks with non-critical, low-impact activities will enhance your productivity without sacrificing the personal fulfilment element. So not only can temptation bundling help you develop good habits, but it can also help to carve out a bit more time in your day.
Julie Morris is a life and career coach. When she is not working with clients, she enjoys spending time outdoors, reading and writing. Julie is currently working on her first book.
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Four-day working week trial could become permanent for New Zealand firm
The hidden problem of sleep deprivation
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