YOUR RELATIONSHIP TO TIME Everyone has 24 hours in a day – how are you using yours? What’s your relationship to time like?
When you’re working toward mastering time management, the first thing you want to address is how you feel and speak about time. Do you feel like you’re always rushing? Do you feel like there’s never enough time? Do you often go to bed feeling guilty about not getting enough done?
You have the option to change your relationship with time, starting now. You create time. It’s all about your perception of time and how you manage it.
Stop feeling like time runs your life and take the reins of your schedule!
Read on to explore our nine steps to master time management.
STEPS TO MASTER TIME MANAGEMENT
1. INFUSE YOUR DAY WITH TIME AND SPACE BY SIMPLY REMEMBERING TO BREATHE.
If you’re overwhelmed by the topic of time management, this is a fantastic place to start. As a first step, just focus on breathing deeply throughout the day. Don’t change anything else yet. By breathing into your lower abdomen, you engage your parasympathetic nervous system, also known as the “rest and digest” system. This type of breathing engages the relaxation response and makes you feel more calm, present, and centered.
This has a huge effect on your day because when you feel internally calm, everything going on externally feels much less abrasive. You can handle road bumps, deadlines, and other things that come your way with a greater sense of ease, intuition, and presence.
2. CHANGE THE WAY YOU TALK ABOUT TIME.
Instead of always talking about how you don’t have enough time, your weekend went too fast, and you wish there was more time in the day, ground your energy and acknowledge that time is exactly what you make of it.
Say out loud: “I create time” and “I have as much time as I need.” Even if these statements don’t feel totally true for you yet, start programming yourself to operate this way.
3. WRITE DOWN EVERYTHING YOU CURRENTLY SPEND YOUR TIME ON EACH DAY.
Your list should include personal care like showers, work, family responsibilities, Internet and TV time, reading, and anything else you spend time doing. Be honest and specific.
If you’re having trouble getting these things on paper or feel like you’re not being totally honest, track your activities one day this week. Every time you pick up your phone to scroll through social media, note what time you pick it up and put it down. Do this for everything you do. Keeping track for a day will give you an accurate picture.
4. WRITE DOWN THE TOP FIVE THINGS YOU CARE ABOUT.
This should be “big picture” things.
For example:
1| Inspiring, conscious work
2| Optimal physical, mental, and emotional health
3| Authentic, supportive friendships
4| Philanthropy and giving back
5| Travel and cultural immersion
After you make your list, compare your top five value focuses to the list of activities you spend your time on every day. Do they align? If not, eliminate one activity that doesn’t match up. Keep eliminating activities and obligations when you can until you’re only doing things that align with your top five values.
5. FOCUS ON THREE PRIMARY PROJECTS EVERY DAY – DO THE TOUGHEST ONE FIRST.
This is where you get to craft your ideal day, focusing on your chosen primary projects every day – and not just projects related to work. Your ideal day might be writing your newsletter, working out, and making dinner for your family. Anything else that happens is a bonus!
If you find yourself overwhelmed because you have more than three things to do every day, get as close to this goal as possible. Choose your top three to complete first and do the others afterward if there’s still time.
It’s often helpful to do the most challenging one first each morning, preferably before lunch. This gives you a great sense of accomplishment and fuels you with momentum for the rest of the day.
6. USE A CALENDAR INSTEAD OF A TO-DO LIST.
If you put something on your calendar, it’s much more likely to get done. You’ll be more realistic about how much time it takes, especially if you’re using a digital calendar and have to allocate a specific amount of time.
Now break your projects down into chunks. For example, if you need to create your website, break it down into pieces, like write bio, do photo shoot, etc.
Most projects have multiple parts, and it’s intimidating to just put “create website” on your calendar.
7. DELEGATE AND AUTOMATE.
Let go of the idea that you can do it all. Every superman and superwoman has a support team. When you delegate and automate activities you don’t love doing, you free yourself up to work in your zone of genius, which leads to flow states where work feels much easier and has a much greater sense of happiness.
Here are some ideas to get your wheels turning:
1| Drop your laundry off instead of doing it yourself. It usually only costs a few dollars more than doing it yourself and can save you hours. Plus, a lot of laundromats offer pickup and delivery.
2| Hire a smart, mature college student to help you around the house a few hours every week for $10–$15 an hour.
3| Set up your finances so your bills get paid automatically.
4| Ask your kids, husband, partner, or roommate for more help. Work out a system that’s beneficial for all parties. Voice your needs in a respectful way.
5| Schedule all personal care appointments for the next six months, such as haircuts, manicures, pedicures, or anything else you do regularly. Take out the guesswork and put everything in your calendar in one swoop.
8. GET ACCOUNTABILITY.
Write down a few possible accountability partners now and reach out to them this week.
Set a standing appointment every week to talk with them and hold each other accountable for your intentions and calendar items. This is the difference between talking about or wanting to do something and actually doing it.
9. RELEASE PERFECTION.
Time is tricky and might not always feel or be perfect. Let go of the need to be perfectly scheduled and productive every day.
You’re a human, not a robot. Use gentle language to bring yourself back when you get off track.
Don’t judge yourself, and be realistic about your time. Stay positive and keep supporting your physical, mental, and emotional health through primary and secondary food.
