31 July, 2022

Quick Tips for Optimizing Your Time

Worst thing that can happen... they work.

Maybe you are here because you saw my YouTube Vlog, but if you're not, then you should check that out HERE as well. Either way, you are here because you're interested in how to make the most of your time. As simple as I would like to put it, if you want to make the most of your time, then you need to make sure you’re planning your time. But most importantly, planning ACCORDINGLY.

When I speak with many clients, or people in general, finding the time to get things done is difficult to come by, and although you may have heard that you need to plan to be more efficient with your time, are you planning with optimism or reality? Often times, we fail to adequately plan for the things that we know might not go accordingly, and then beat ourselves up for not getting it done. Or we make a laundry list of tasks, but don’t give each task a deadline or reasonable timetable. So with that being said, here are 3 of my favorite tips to optimize your time and likely reduce stress.

“are you planning with optimism or reality?”

Plan Fewer Things

One of our biggest issues we encounter when it comes to planning, is that we try to cram everything into a short period of time. This is often times pretty unrealistic to ask of ourselves, so we run the risk of getting caught in thought, while we try to prioritize what’s most important. As a result, we may end up losing valuable time and getting much less done than possible or wanted. With that being said, if you regularly plan five things, but usually complete two, try planning for three tasks and see how much you get done and how it makes you feel. Having that shorter list can be less distracting and allow more focus for the task at hand. You might surprise yourself and actually complete all three.

Plan in Chunks

One of the most beneficial tactics I like to use, is to block out my day in chunks of time. Initially, I would block out my day by the hour, but I soon realized that my attention would waver more than I’d like or some tasks would require more or less time allocated to them. This led me to develop a better understanding of how much time given tasks required, which resulted in making more reasonable planning decisions. Even though we often like to think in increments of 30 minutes or an hour to complete things, sometimes you’re just going to need more or less time.

"I’m sure there are things you would like to do more of, but you 'don’t have the time' "

Have a Backup Plan

In this day and age, given how we are busier than ever and as easily accessible as ever, plans often change at a moment's notice. Just think about it, when was the last time your day went exactly according to plan? The weather doesn’t always cooperate, a meeting may get rescheduled, or someone may cancel on you last minute, and if you haven’t already thought about what else can be done in that moment, then that moment now becomes a wasted opportunity to do something. I’m not saying you should be a pessimist about making plans, but I’m sure there are things you would like to do more of, but you “don’t have the time”. For example, if you’ve been wanting to read more, workout more, or drink more water, then keeping these items where they're easily accessible to you, like in your car or bag can prove to be one small change that makes a huge difference.

I must say, these tips can be very beneficial, but the implementation process can also be frustrating. Make sure not to beat yourself up while you try to incorporate these into your routine, because at the end of the day, nobody's perfect and it probably will not happen overnight. With practice and the correct modifications for your schedule and lifestyle, you might just realize that you have more time to get everything you need and want DONE.