Make Time Management Easier
Things you can do to get the most out of your day.
You can’t put a price on time, it is our most valuable asset and a true luxury, and once it’s gone, there is no getting it back. How can we fulfill all the needs and desires of our hearts when our time on this earth is so limited?
We often find ourselves saying, “there just aren’t enough hours in the day.” What we really need to start asking ourselves is, “How can I get the most out of my day?” Not everyone is a planner, and most of us live such hectic lifestyles that even the thought of setting something up for the future is stressful. Be as it may, if you are one of these people, it might be a good to take some reflection time and consider if you are using your 24 hours wisely.
Some folks are dedicated to taking care of their families, while others are 110% focused on their jobs, and time management is a foreign concept. Maybe you work all day, have 4 kids to care for, and go to night school until 9pm, and finding a healthy balance of your time isn’t an option. Even if this is the case, it is possible that at least one pocket of time throughout the day can be claimed as available time. The problem is that when we think of time management we only see it as a black and white, big picture concept. What we really need to do is think outside the box.
I’ve mentioned before that even small changes can help new habits stick; so why not think about time management as a more simple concept? Maybe there is something small you would like to do, like read a new book, and you never even considered it because there is no time. Well, get the audiobook version and listen to it during your travels throughout the day. A suggestion like this might sound like common sense, but often we disregard the easy solution or being flexible and while it’s not always ideal, it often does get the job done one way or another. Maybe you want to go out with friends this weekend but you can’t because you picked up OT, and really need the money. Who’s to say you can’t meet your friends during your lunch break or call them to say hi?
I know these suggestions are very simplistic but they are just that, suggestions. The takeaway here is to think outside the box. Come up with ways to make your busy schedule work for you, and not vice versa, you might be surprised to find that you do have available pockets of time throughout the day that are just waiting to be used.
We all get caught up in the hustle and bustle, and sometimes we forget to do the things we need or want to do and don’t come to this realization until we are laying in bed trying to fall asleep. As someone who found this happening often, I decided to get a planner; it literally comes with me everywhere and keeps me organized. It might sound obsessive, but I even keep track of the little things I need to do like brush my teeth or take out the trash. I’m not saying everyone needs to or should do this, but for me, it has really helped put into perspective the things that I need to get done. The next time I go to the dentist and I have a cavity, I can’t say that it happened because I was just too tired to brush my teeth before bed. Instead, I can hold myself accountable and see that I have or have not been proactively doing this task. (Maybe brushing your teeth is a bad example, it’s basic hygiene but you get the point I’m trying to make.) If we all took the time to effectively manage our days, we might surprise ourselves and find that there really are enough hours. Any small step in the right direction can and will result in a giant leap towards meeting our goals. At the end of the day all we can really do is try, if we are putting in our best effort to make changes, everything else will come in time. Be gracious to yourself, we all have a lot going on; know that there is always room for improvement and with any type of change time and consistency will be key.
If you liked this story, I’d love for you to check out some of my others!
