Here are some tips and thoughts about how to increase the time you have to promote a more holistic, fulfilling lifestyle.
Understanding that time is elastic, which means we cannot create more of it but we can find more time in our lives depending on our priorities and what is important to us.
If it's the dead of winter and your heater has been faulty, and decides to stop working all together, what do you do? Well you would make the time to meet the repair man. It's not an easy job and will take a few days, waiting for the right part also takes a couple of days. It's a week and you've spent about an hour or so each day either at home waiting for him to show, tinkering with the heater, having the repair done or on the phone chasing up the details. That's 6 hours of your week! But thank god, the heater is fixed and you can live in comfort once again. Worth it.
If you were asked to find 6 hours a week to train for a triathlon, you wouldn't be able to find the time, would you? If you can't find time for something it usually means it's not a priority in your life.
So, start by understanding what's important in your life, what do you want to spend more time on? If you don't know this, how can you have a fulfilling life?!
What are your non-negotiables every day? Make a list of those things that need to be done, that make you happy, keep you energised etc and ensure there is time for those in your day. This might be something as small as reading for 20 minutes, jog around the block with the dog for 10 minutes, cooking your meals for tomorrow for 20 minutes, sitting down for a healthy breakfast for 10 minutes before the kids wake up.
Know where things are. For those with kids keeping items in one area of the house at all times so you know where it is. Have a chest near the front door where they can put their things after school or activities etc so you can pick them straight back up the next time. Sports items, runners, balls, bats, hats, shoes, bags.
There is no one way to do everything, change your approach if you aren't getting the outcome you want. Kids, work, fitness, you need to be fluid and understand your language. Are you the victim in your story or are you taking control and responsibility of your life and your time?
In order to spend your time more efficiently, you must first know where your time is going. This is where a time audit is so invaluable. Audit yourself for a week, if you can't commit to this, do two weekdays and two weekend days. Set up a spreadsheet of half hour blocks, check in three times per day and fill in your activities. Keep it simple so you don't take too much time e.g. work, study, washing, kid travel time, phone calls, emails, reading, rest, sleep, eating, cooking, meeting, kid time, school run, tv etc
Be mindful of your time, what do you want to achieve, and are you spending time on the things in your life that will keep you happy and fulfilled and achieving goals. What do you want to do more of and less of in your life?
Add to your energy levels on the weekend. What are three to four things you can do to hit the week recharged and full of energy? Planning ahead increases your chances of that happening.
Eat your frog on Monday morning to start the week strong! Eating your frog means you are doing that thing you have been putting off, making that phone call, booking that appointment, scheduling that meeting etc. By ticking off the biggest scariest thing in your day or week you can create space later in the week for other much nicer things.
Building a buffer before something is due. You cannot leave things to the last minute. Life will happen so it pays to be ahead so you don't have to complete something when the kids are sick or the trains aren't working or your car won't start etc.
Be fluid with work life integration, don't have set hours for work and home. This means do personal things during work hours and work related things during personal hours. By keeping all hours open to whatever you can reduce the stressed placed on yourself.
What are the stories you tell yourself about your time and your life? For real change to happen you must understand your self-talk. The things you say over and over again and the things you start to believe. Change starts with the way we communicate with ourselves internally, change your story, change your experience.
*Disclaimer: Individual results vary based on agreed goals. Click here for details.
