We all have 24 hours in a day, but how we spend those hours is the difference between getting things done and feeling like we don’t have enough time to do it all. In order to make the most of your time, you have to be very deliberate in how you spend it. Here are a few tips to help you make the most of your time:
Set Your Priorities
Ok, this is just a fancy way of saying create a to do list. You know what you have to get done and how long it will take you to do it. Create a list of priorities and how much time you plan to give to each. If you’re a visual person, seeing what you need to get done is very helpful. Whether you do it the old fashion way with pen and paper or use an app to create your list is up to you. The important thing is just to get those tasks out of your head and in physical form so you can create an attack plan.
“Is This the Best Use of My Time?”
This might seem like a no brainer, but ask yourself, “Is this the best use of my time?” A few years ago, I use to spend a minimum of 20 hours a week watching football (Yes, the equivalent of a part time job. Don’t judge me). One day I had to take a cold, hard look at how I was spending my time and evaluate if I was making the best use of it. And honestly, it wasn’t. I cut way back on football and reallocated that time to working out, which was clearly a better use of it. What are some things you can adjust to make better use of your time?
Just Say No
Listen, there’s always a party, or event or baby shower or something going on, all the time. If you say yes to every phone call, coffee date, meet up, etc. you will never get anything done. Don’t be afraid to practice the art of saying no. If you don’t have time to meet for coffee right now, offer to meet up at a later date; don’t have time to chitchat and catch up with an old acquaintance, don’t answer the call. Make the most of your time by learning to say no to things that aren’t a priority.
Minimize Interruptions and Distractions
Now this is where a lot of us get tripped up – interruptions and distractions. One of the most common pitfalls is our lifeline – the cell phone. I know I’m not the only one who has fallen down the Instagram rabbit hole in the middle of working on something I had to finish. While you can’t eliminate all interruptions and distractions (especially if you’re at work), find a way to do your best to minimize them. This might look like putting your phone on do-not-disturb, setting a timer on your social media usage, not watching videos while you’re trying to work, closing your office e-mail so you’re not distracted by the notifications, working from the coffee shop instead of at home, etc. You’d be surprised at how much you can get done with minimal interruptions and distractions.
What are some tips that you use to make the most of your time?