Like most women, you’re probably juggling a lot of balls at once. You most likely have a job, either inside or outside the home, as well as volunteer and family-related responsibilities. You may also have a spouse or significant other to attend to; children to care for; a home to manage (and clean!); cats to feed… The list goes on and on.
The problem is, with 24 hours a day, eight or more of which you spend in your pajamas, it’s possible—no, make it likely—that you’re not accomplishing as much as you’d like. Most likely, you feel that there are not enough hours in the day to get everything done.
But 24 hours is actually a long time. The reason it doesn’t seem like much is that a lot of this time is simply wasted. Wasted, stolen and sintered. And before you know it, poof! – the day is over. Your bed is still unmade; your mistakes are still undone; your emails still haven’t been answered and you’re left there wondering, “Where did the time go?”
The good news is that help is on the way. Here are 10 ways to win back your time, before it slips through your fingers again (and again, and again)…
–> 1. Make a list and check it twice.
Buy bread. Replace the heels in your favorite pumps. Fill up the gas tank. Get a mammogram… the list seems endless. How is it possible for a person to remember all these things long enough to achieve it? Simple: write it down.
Most time efficiency experts agree: To stay on top of things, you need to have a clear and detailed to-do list, to help you manage your tasks and clear your brain. Think about it: If you write things down, each task you need to accomplish is no longer a nagging thought in the back of your mind, vying for your attention and wasting your time. Instead, he’s right there in black and white, waiting to be served. If you like technology, check out MyLife Organized, a nifty task management software program that helps you prioritize your work and personal projects. For Windows and Pocket PC; $46 at http://www.mylifeorganized.net. Later, if you feel like rewarding yourself for a job well done, do so. You deserve it!
–> 2. Resist the urge to hit the snooze button.
Sure, walking around the house in your pajamas is great, but blowing out the most valuable part of the day, the early morning hours, is more than just a waste of time: it’s counterproductive. Studies have shown that the early morning hours are, in fact, the most productive hours of the entire day. If you start your household activities or arrive at the office half an hour early, say, you will be surprised at what you can accomplish. (And don’t forget to tackle your highest-priority projects first, when your brain is at its best.)
–> 3. Multitasking, multitasking…
Trying to juggle 10 balls at once is difficult because you’re ultimately forced to drop one or two (or all!) at any given time. At the same time, who says you can’t juggle two, or even three if you feel like it? There’s nothing wrong with talking on the phone with a girlfriend while pasting photos into a scrapbook or photo album, for example. Or how about folding laundry, ironing, or walking on the treadmill while listening to a book on tape or the news on her iPod? As long as you’re not trying to accomplish something that requires your full or focused attention (ie writing your dissertation, reading War and Peace, chopping wood), you should be able to handle it.
–> 4. Set a schedule.
You know the saying, “If you want something done, give it to the busiest person you know”? Well, there’s a reason for that. Most busy people have a tight schedule. They know they have a specific amount of time to do something, so they don’t mess around or mess around. They buckle up and do what needs to be done. If you know you only have two hours to get a certain task done, for example, you’re more likely to focus on the task at hand and get it done quickly and time-efficiently. In fact, the more time you have to do something, the more time you’re likely to spend doing it (read: all day!) If you want to see where your time is really going, check out TaskCapture, a program that monitors how much time you spend working on files . For Windows and Mac; $79 in [http://www.captureworks.com/taskcapture]. I’m not sure yet? Download a free 15-day demo.
–> 5. Don’t be Marta!
With so much going on: emails to respond to; calls to make; packed lunches; washing; gifts to buy; meetings to attend: Keeping your head above water can seem like a Herculean task. One way to manage this feeling of stress and overwhelm is to focus on the big picture and take a breather. For example, if you need to bake 24 cupcakes for your daughter’s kindergarten class, don’t worry about decorating each one with a perfect little rosette of buttercream. You are not Martha Stewart! The cupcakes will taste just as delicious without rosettes and no one will know the difference. The less pressure you put on yourself, the more time you’ll have to stop and smell the roses (or the cupcakes, as the case may be…).
–> 6. Learn to delegate.
If you’re one of those “if you want something done right, do it yourself” type of girls, well… get over it! Like any new skill, accepting help can take time to learn. But once you do, you’ll be surprised how good it feels to relinquish control to others.
So instead of trying to do it all, superhero style, ask for help. If you’re the member of your household who usually cooks and serves dinner, clears the table, and then does the dishes, try this: Have your kids or spouse set the table or cut and peel the vegetables. Clean them, wash them and take out the trash. Make your requests known and clarify your expectations. Once you get in the habit of asking others to help, you’ll be amazed at how much more you can accomplish (or, if you like, get some well-deserved time to yourself). Remember, if you don’t ask, you don’t get.
–> 7. Get more sleep.
As counterintuitive as it may sound, getting more sleep actually allows a person to enjoy more waking hours in a day. The reason is simple: people who don’t get enough sleep at night tend to feel moody, confused, unmotivated and unproductive during the day. And not only are grumpy, confused, unmotivated and unproductive people not much fun to be around, they end up wasting a lot of time because they are too tired to focus – or even function! (Why do you think sleep deprivation is used as a form of torture?) The moral of this story? Get at least seven hours of sleep (eight is best) and don’t feel guilty about going to bed early. You deserve a good night’s rest.
–> 8. Cross the line!
A lot of precious time is wasted in the checkout line. At the supermarket; at the post office; the bakery; the bank. Basically, anywhere you can find a cash register, you’ll find a line. It will be long and will not move. And if it moves, it will move slowly. Very, very slowly. Plus, waiting in line is not only more tedious than watching paint dry, it’s a complete and utter waste of time. Time that could be spent on other more meaningful activities. One way to avoid these time-consuming lines is to order as much as humanly possible, from bananas to bicycles; nail polish for novels; fiddles to volvos – online. Buying in bulk also helps (think: toilet paper, diapers, bottled water, etc.). The bottom line? One less trip to the store is one less waste of time for you.
–> 9. Block temptations.
As wonderful as the Internet is, and it is! Is! – it is also the biggest waste of time on earth. (Case in point: how many times have you bid on useless junk on eBay, or Googled hapless exes? And let’s not forget PerezHilton.com!) Now, that’s not to disparage technology. It’s great, and you can’t stop the steady march of progress. But unless we control our basic technological impulses, well, Houston… we have a problem. Email is a perfect example. They absorb more time than an Electrolux. So instead of clicking through every new message that bounces in your inbox, check your emails once an hour (or half an hour, if you’re really addicted). If demonstrating this type of moderation seems too difficult or outright impossible, you can always block your computer from certain programs, like annoying emails, for a set period of time. For Windows only, try a free download at http://www.sourceforge.net/projects/temptblocker.
–> 10. Keep it in perspective.
Of course, keeping lists, multitasking, scheduling, delegating, and buying in bulk isn’t for all of us. Like rubbing your belly and patting your head at the same time, some can do it effortlessly while others find it impossibly difficult. If you fall into the latter category, don’t beat yourself up about it. Instead, accept the fact that you, like everyone else, have your limitations, and be kind to yourself. You may also find that having your own way of doing things works best for you. If that’s the case, be inventive. Create your own devices to save time and celebrate the fact that you have discovered something new. Oh, and don’t forget to share!
