Sometimes we all feel overwhelmed by adult life. There are jobs to do. Bills to pay. Kids, spouses or pets that need attention. Don’t forget time for yourself! It can be hard to manage time efficiently and still feel the free. I mean free to be spontaneous and free to do what you want to.
Do you ever wish it was 30/10 instead of 24/7?
What would you do to get an extra hour to finish an important task or study or just have more time to relax?
It’s a Catch 22
Seems backwards, but if you need time to be open and spontaneous then you need to schedule it in.
How else are you going to get all of the essentials completed around all of the “goofing off” time you want to have.
Your specific type of free time may come in a variety of flavors: Date night with your husband. Watching your kids dance recital.Binging on Netflix. Exercising at the gym. Writing your memoirs. Volunteering at the orphanage. Taking a nap. Etc… It doesn’t matter. It’s your time to do with as you please.
Being Productive Takes Practice
Before we get into this, let me refer you to another article I wrote about productivity.
HOW LAZINESS HAS MADE ME A BETTER EMPLOYEE-TIPS FOR EFFICIENCY/INCREASED PRODUCTIVITY
I’d also like to give a little background on why I know productivity so well.
I work as a PTA (physical therapist assistant) in skilled nursing facilities. Which means my work life revolves around a ridiculously high productivity standard.
I have to be 90% productive on the job. Basically, what that means is for every 60 minutes of “billable” treatment time I provide, I have 6 minutes to do everything else. Everything else includes: writing notes, updating doctors/nurses/family members, going to the bathroom, helping people to/from their rooms, drinking water, attending team meetings, getting to the other side of the building to clock in/ out and hoping no one stops me along the way, reading notes from prior visits, making home exercise programs and attending care plan meetings.
The restrictions for what is considered billable is pretty high and subjective to the case reviewer.
If you had to account for every single minute of your work day, you would be a productivity expert as well.
So How Does This Help You Be More Productive?
If you take a few steps to make a flexible plan, you can find A LOT more time in your day than you believe you currently have. Let’s get to it.
Tip # 1- Write it all down
You will never be able to get a hold of your schedule if you have no clue what is actually in it. I don’t care if you take notes on your phone, scribble it down on the back of a receipt, or start an Excel file.
Just get it all down somewhere.
Tip # 2 – Triage it
Dictionary.com has the definition of triage as the determination of priorities for action.
Number each task. Label them 1 – 4 for each. Give something a 1 if it isn’t too important, and a 4 if it is absolutely necessary.
Example:
Pick up kids from school- 4
Girls night- 2
Lunch with Beth- 2
Check PO Box- 3
Haircut- 1
Wash car- 1
Walk the dog- 4
Next Step:
After you finish assigning numbers, go through the list of 1’s and see if they can be cut or deferred and keep going until you go through the 2s through 4s the same way.
Remember the priority number is flexible. Today’s 4 may be tomorrow’s 2.
You may be able to cut out or defer a small task and find an extra hour in your day!
Tip # 3 – Figure out when
Now that you have a list of things that you need to do, you have to figure out where to put them into your schedule.
I like to use an actual planner. There’s something about being able to pencil in tasks that makes the process more satisfying. That’s a personal preference though.
Planners are easy to find, even the Dollar Tree has them. There is one installed on your smartphone and many email accounts have an online calendar for you to use.
This is the best part and the most frustrating part. You’ll see exactly what you’ve been trying to cram into your life. You may go back and give new numbers to some of the items on your list.
Suddenly adding piano lessons for your middle child doesn’t seem like a good idea when you factor in 1.) The actual time it takes to do the lesson 2.) The drive back and forth 3.) That you have to move other things on your list around.
Do it! Do it now!!
Do it today before you go bald or hit menopause at 35 because you’re overstressed. You can apply this to your home schedule as well as your work schedule.
Be patient with it. Just like budgeting for money, budgeting time takes a few attempts to get it right.
Besides, what have you got to lose by trying? And what do you have to gain?
North Carolina, USA