How often do you think to yourself, “Why are there never enough hours in a day?” And how about, “If only I had more time, I’d __________(fill in the blank)?”
The “I don’t have time” excuse seems to be everyone’s favorite explanation for what’s standing between them and achieving their goals or fulfilling their dreams.
I get it. I’ve used that excuse more times than I’d like to admit. So what can we do to overcome this limiting belief?
Here’s what I’ve done to have more time for the things that truly matter to me:
To know exactly how much time you have and what you’re spending it on, time yourself for an entire day. (Or week, depending on how regular your days are). Take note when you start and end an activity and write it down in a weekly planner. Yes, it’s tedious, but you’ll see exactly where your time goes. And where there’s room for working toward your goals.
I timed myself during a particularly difficult time in my life, and the result was daunting. I had hardly more than an hour a day during which I could do as I pleased. But you know what, I didn’t use that time well, either. You might think, “Why bother? An hour a day is not enough to achieve your goals.” The reality is that, yes, it might take a while to hit milestones or see any real improvements. But the truth is that an hour a day is still better than not working on your goals or dreams at all. I wrote almost my entire fourth novel during my son’s naps.
Chances are, though, that you have more time than you think. This brings me to my next point:
How much of your time do you spend on shopping, social media, watching TV, or reading novels? As much fun as those things are, can you reduce the amount of time you spend on them and instead use it to work toward your goals? Figure out what matters most to you and allocate your time accordingly. It’s okay if you spend time on the above-mentioned activities. Just ask yourself if you really do them because they are fun and relaxing or because you’re scared of taking action toward what you really want?
Another important aspect of setting priorities is that your to-do list isn’t a mile long. I fall into that trap all the time. My mind comes up with so many ideas and things I want to try and learn. I look at my to-do list and think, “This is going to take forever. It’s too complicated. I don’t even know where to start.” So I’m tempted to not start at all. And that’s exactly what happened today when I took a short break for my weekly accountability date with my sister. We were talking about our goals for the upcoming week and she had to remind me
How NOT to write a to-do list
(because mine looked something like this)
Fortunately, at this point, I know that I’m blocking myself by writing a to-do list like this. There’s no possible way to accomplish all of these things today and possibly not even this week or this month. It makes me mad that I can’t be superwoman and knock these out in a day. So I allow myself to be mad for a few minutes, and then I sit down and write a more realistic list.
How to write a to-do list that actually works
Generally, three to five action items are enough and they should be specific tasks you can actually accomplish in a day.
Now that you know how much time you spend on your daily tasks, let’s look at ways to reduce the amount of time you spend on the things we all have to do as adults. Things like tidying, cleaning, cooking, getting ready, laundry, and shopping for groceries. Here are a few suggestions to get you started:
Organize your home and your workspace
Prepare for your morning the night before
Getting out of the house on time is always hardest on days like today. My toddler was awake coughing for two hours during the night and the house was freezing in the morning because we’re approaching a colder season. If I hadn’t prepared breakfast and my little one’s lunch the night before, as well as having a warm sweater and socks next to my bed, this morning would have gone a lot differently. Since I’ve cut down on the clothes we own, there’s no need to plan our outfits for the next day. But if you feel like it takes you forever to choose what to wear in the morning, then picking out your outfit the night before will save you time.
Meal plan and meal prep
Meal planning also makes grocery shopping less time-consuming. You’ll need to shop less frequently and you won’t have to run to the store to get that one ingredient you forgot or just ran out of. I also order pretty much all of our groceries online and just have to pick them up or have them delivered to my doorstep (e.g. with Amazon Prime Now). No more trying to buy groceries for the week with a curious, strong-willed toddler who can’t sit still. (Bye bye, nightmare).
Both are helpful tools to get stuff done, and I wouldn’t be anywhere near as productive or focused without them. Here are two I use throughout the day:
Whether you want to learn a new skill, write a book, take some time for self-care or spend more quality time with your loved ones, the next time the “I don’t have time” excuse pops up in your head, try some of the things I’ve mentioned above and see that with a little tweaking you actually do have some time for the things that truly matter to you.
Do you want to write a book but don’t know where to start? I offer one-on-one coaching. Learn more.
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