How To Save 10+ Hours In Your Week
PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
Photo by Artem Podrez on Pexels
Everyone has the same number of hours in a day yet some people seem to achieve so much more. What distinguishes them from others? What’s their secret?
There are simple strategies you can implement which could save you 11+ hours per week.
Let’s dive straight in.
Say “No” More Often
No is more than a word. It is a powerful weapon which can yield astoundingly great results when used skilfully.
"The difference between successful people and really successful people is that really successful people say no to almost everything.”
— Warren Buffet
If you want to save time and be like the really successful people, say no more often than you say yes. Successful people say no to opportunities so they can maintain their focus.
These are some of the benefits of saying no:
It’s empowering.
It allows you to set and enforce boundaries.
It gives you the freedom to say yes to what really matters to you.
It stops people trying to take advantage of you.
You can conduct a little experiment for yourself.
Pick a day where you will note the number of times you say no to something.
Calculate how much of your time it would have taken if you had said yes. That is how much time you have saved.
If you do complete this experiment I would love to hear from you in the comments below. I can guarantee that you will have saved yourself at least 10 minutes a day.
Organise Your Work in Batches
Most tasks overlap or can be completed more efficiently in batches. This is an efficient way of working because:
You group your tasks more logically. This saves time as you can complete similar tasks in one batch.
It helps you decide what has to be done.
It enables you to develop good habits.
You become more disciplined.
Another 10 minutes saved per day.
Use “Dead Time” Well
Examples of using dead time well.
Reading a book while waiting in a long queue.
Listening to a motivational talk while cooking, gardening, walking or running.
Writing a few sentences in your book or report while on the train or bus.
Why this is good:
It prevents you engaging in unproductive activities such as mindlessly scrolling through social media.
You catch up on or finish tasks you couldn’t finish within their allocated time slots.
It encourages you to be intentional about achieving your goals.
That is at least 30 minutes gained per day.
Stay Away From Social Media
Step away from that app! You may not have noticed it but social media is the new mood regulator.
I know of someone who checked their social media for updates the minute their eyes popped open. One morning someone made an unflattering comment. It ruined the rest of their day and could not even work.
Staying away from social media:
Puts you in control of your mood.
Fosters habits of creation over consumption.
Prevents unnecessary distraction.
Gives you the freedom to be more productive and comfortably meet deadlines.
Have you ever read a post then found yourself clicking other links and eventually signing up for stuff you never would have signed up for? Hours later you realise you have a deadline looming and are not even close to finishing.
When you say no you may discover that you have comfortably saved at least an hour a day or 7 hours per week.
Schedule Your Priorities
Deciding what is important and scheduling those priorities forces you to think about your big ‘Why?’. When you schedule tasks, you write them down, when you write them down, you take yourself more seriously.
This is beneficial in both the short-term and the long-term because:
It forces you to allocate realistic completion times.
It prevents multi-tasking.
You are more likely to complete tasks.
It enables you to get into the flow state where you are not only more creative but also work faster.
Time saved is 15 minutes per day.
Summary Of Time Saved
Saying no
= 10 minutes per day = 1 hour 10 minutes per week
Organising your work in batches
= 10 minutes per day = 1 hour 10 minutes per week
Using dead time
= 30 minutes per day = 3 hours 30 minutes per week
Staying away from social media
= 1 hour per day = 7 hours per week
Scheduling priorities
= 10 minutes per day = 1 hour 10 minutes per week
Total time saved = 14 hours
The total time you could save is the equivalent of two full working days! Imagine what you could achieve with this extra time — quality time with loved ones, weekend breaks. Try it!
Originally published at medium.com/vital-world-online on August 17, 2020