Ah, time. That slippery thing that always seems to slide through our grasp!
How to actually get a grip on it?
Well, the first thing we need to consider is motivation and discipline, because these play a big role in procrastination and “lost time.”
In other words, is time slipping away due to lack of motivation on your part? If so, why are you unmotivated? And, is it lack of motivation, or lack of inspiration that’s getting to you?
Because truth be told, none of us can be motivated 24/7. Sometimes, you just “won’t feel like” working out or doing what you need to do. However, if you’re disciplined, you’ll recognize this and do it anyway.
If it’s lack of inspiration to make time for your goals, this is another story. Find a goal that inspires you, and you’ll most liekly “find time” to pursue it.
Okay, now that this important factor is out of the way, let’s look into time management tips that can help you add more to your days!
How to Manage Your Time Better
1. Prioritize
We tend to procrastinate on “important” things, namely because they require more from us than “normal” tasks. However, when we do this, we not only lose valuable time, but we put ourselves into the hotseat by then having to do important tasks “last minute.” This then cuts into the time we can spend doing other things, which creates a vicious cycle of time lost!
Instead, try to prioritize important tasks first throughout your days and week. This might seem hard at first, but you’ll actually have more energy and relief in your days when you know you’ve already accomplished important tasks, and they aren’t looming over you.
2. Set Time Limits
You might be surprised how much you can actually get done when you set a strict time limit for yourself. Tasks tend to fill the time they’re allotted, so try to set a realistic time limit for each one, and tell yourself you’re going to finish it within that time frame.
You can easily set a timer on your phone to do this, and also consider utilizing a productivity app, which blocks social media for the duration of your task. This takes away the temptation to scroll instead of work!
3. Take Breaks
On the flip side of working hard, be sure to take regular breaks after you complete each task. Think of it as a mini reward for completion!
By stepping out for a walk and getting some fresh air in-between completions, you also reset your energy levels and mindset to prepare for whatever is next on your list.
4. Remove Non-Essential Activities
Remember what I said about those productivity apps that limit your social media access during your “work time”?
These are pure gold, simply because we waste a LOT of time doing unnecessary activities, a big one being scrolling on social media. My rule? If you aren’t actively doing something on the platform that’s furthering your goals or supporting someone else, try to stay off of it until you are in your down time.
This goes for any other activity that is essentially filling “idle” time, including things like Netflix! Try to limit these activities to the weekend or when you’re winding down for bed, if you can.
5. Plan Ahead
This is crucial to freeing up time: plan as much as you can ahead of time, and try to accomplish things early if possible. This leaves less room for “guessing,” which often involves wasting time waiting for things to occur. When you have a plan, you have a schedule, and this can keep your days and weeks structured.
Like I said: at the end of the day, most of us can probably honestly identify where we’ve been procrastinating or wasting time – and so the question becomes, why? Usually this is due to a lack of inspiration in what we’re pursuing, and if this is the case, we need to devote any extra time we have to finding our inspiration, and ultimately, following it.
As they say, we make time for the things that matter. So the best thing you can do is find something that truly matters to you!
By the way, when it comes to managing your time better in regards to workouts, did you know that my MV Fit App allows you to schedule all of your workouts within the app, so you can stay organized and accountable? Yep.
When you have every tool you need to hit your goals all in one place, and at your fingertips, we’re talking about having THE ultimate time-saver! Check it: