Is this a phrase that you use very often? Well, then it is time that you make time for the things that you love to do! Remember you are in control of your time and how you spend it.
It is quite amazing how we all have a 24 hour day, yet some people just seem to have a magic wand and create time for all the things that they want to do. Don’t let constant time pressure dictate your life, take some of it back!
Unbelievable, how quickly you can de-clutter a spare bedroom when visitors call unexpectedly. You’ll make time to get it done, if you have the time or not. Have you ever thought of how that is possible? First of all, you’ll focus on the task at hand. You’ll prioritise and move less urgent tasks to another time, you will spend less time on timewasters, like watching TV or checking social media. You might even delegate that task, or others, to someone else to get stuff done in time.
You can apply exactly those principals to make time for the things you love.
1. List what would you love to do
Decide what you would love to do more of. What makes you excited and what is your passion? Imagine what you feel like pursuing these activities, each would will energise and revitalise you in a different way. List them, e.g.
- Walking
- Sewing
- Restoring furniture
- Working in your garden
- Quality time with your husband
- Going to live shows
Now that you have made your decision rank them in order of what would make you the happiest and schedule time in your planner to get them done. It may be short breaks in your busy schedule or they can be fitted in on alternate days or even just an hour on weekends.
2. What fills your day?
Take stock of your time. Use a Time map to consciously note how long different tasks take and you’ll have a good idea where you spend your time and how time is wasted.
You can’t only do the things you love. Whether you like it or not, there are those things that we do to achieve an end result like, you need to work to get financial freedom, to create the life you love. You need to cook, clean your home and do things that you don’t necessary love doing, but love the outcome like, eating good food, and living in a clean and organised home.
3. Create time for the things you love
See time as a container and anything you put into your day should be meaningful, important and rewarding. This will motivate you to find ways to expedite routine tasks, to delegate, to diplomatically say no.
- Commit and schedule time for the activities you love. If you still find it difficult to commit to the time you set out, you might have to consider going to workshops or classes that will force you to go.
- Be disciplined and don’t find excuses.
- Prioritise what is important to you and gives you joy.
- Become more efficient in the have-to-do’s or find ways to complete them more quickly.
- Eliminate unnecessary tasks or delegate them to someone else.
- Consolidate tasks that are scattered all over your schedule to create more workable time slots.
- Change your routine, use lunch breaks and time before going to bed for one of the things you love to do.
- Adjust time spent on other areas.
- Cut back time spent on e-mail to 2 or 3 times per day.
- Get buy-in from partner and family members.
4. Cut time wasters
- Curb time spent on social media or in front of the TV. Instead of watching TV, only watch specific programs for a set time. Stop compulsive business, that wasn’t planned into your day but keeps you occupied
- Cut time spent on the phone or surfing the web
- Get rid of negative thoughts, don’t harp on mistakes, move on.
- Perfectionism can waste a lot of time, tell yourself that good enough is
- acceptable and get things done!
Time gained by eliminating, minimising or reducing the time wasters can be used doing the stuff that you love, pick up that book or start that project that you so want to do.
No matter how busy you are or whatever your circumstances are, make time for the things that you love and that you truly enjoy. It is a gift that will make you feel fulfilled and enable you to cope better with your stressful life.
Heidi Meyer