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How many times have you not followed through with something because you, ‘couldn’t find the time’? Juggling responsibilities like work, family, exercise and household tasks can feel daunting at times. You aren’t alone if you sometimes feel that there simply aren’t enough hours in the day. That being said, being more aware of the time you have available, and making strategic choices in your day-to-day life can make finding the time to accomplish things a more realistic feat.
Know Your Schedule
In order to find more time for things you care about, you must first determine the time that is already spoken for. Most of us dedicate the majority of our time to work responsibilities each week, and generally you’ll follow a standard schedule of working hours, such as 9am to 5pm daily. You’ll also want to account for any necessary travel, be that your office commute, school drop-off and pick-up, or other daily obligations.
Prioritize Your Activities
With your baseline schedule in place, you’ll now want to prioritize the things you’d like to accomplish for a given week, and make some active choices on what is most important. If you’d like to exercise a few times a week, where can you find the time? Fitness studios offer scheduled classes that may or may not work into your daily life, however many gyms are open close to 24 hours a day, and outdoor workouts such as running or biking can be done any time! Adopting a flexible workout allows you to work it into your day however you see fit.
Similarly, if home-cooked meals are a priority, it’s important to plan for this in advance. You might try the meal prep technique to plan and shop for all meals for a given week on Sunday. This will save you multiple grocery trips throughout the week that tend to eat up time.
Make Choices For Yourself, Not Others
We are social creatures, and as such we frequently have a fear of saying ‘no’ to people. While it is important to spend time with loved ones, you shouldn’t be overextending yourself to the point that you can’t accomplish the goals you’ve laid out for the week. You might try rewarding yourself with an evening out with friends for accomplishing your weekly priorities.
If you’re failing to find the time to accomplish everything you set out to do each week, try taking a step back, approaching the list with an organized headspace, and prioritizing what is most important to you.
