Do you ever wish for extra hours on your day or wonder how someone manages to do so much in a short period? Here is a fact about life. Everyone gets 24 hours a day, yet it seems the time is not enough to achieve what you need to achieve. You, therefore, find yourself thinking or wishing you had more hours to carry out certain assignments.
One of the secrets of successful people is that they have mastered how to achieve more in less time while being efficient and very productive. They have mastered how to manage their time, making it look like they are effortlessly doing things without being pressed for time.
In this article, we will be looking at how you can make time flow with you. You will not need to struggle to catch up with time because you will learn to maximize your time and never lose a valued second.
Seven Hacks to make the most of your time
Start your tasks early
One way to make the most of your time is to get a head start. Remember the saying, “The early bird catches the worm.” This saying is as authentic as it gets. Early risers can get an early start on the tasks for the day. Research has shown that people who wake up early tend to think more positively. Early risers are said to be cheerful, active, and optimistic and can complete more tasks. This is because when you rise early, you can prepare adequately for the day and strategise how to achieve your daily goals.
Have a well-planned schedule
When you set out without a plan, you are planning to fail. When you do not have a schedule, it is easy to waste time. Make a daily plan, have your day sectioned out and decide how much time you intend to spend on each task. You can use a daily task app like Trello or a do list to plan your day. Having a well-planned schedule helps you focus and increase productivity. It also helps your brain to remain focused on a task. It also allows you to work around your schedule, thereby increasing creativity.
Make plans for your free time
Make plans for your free time to avoid being demotivated during your free period. Researcher Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi said in his book “Flow” that the unhappiest hour in America is Sunday at noon, and this is because most people are not productive at this time. According to him, people are happier and more motivated when they have a structure. If you don’t structure your free time, you end up spending the time on pointless things and wasting a large part of your day. You feel happy and more energetic if you have a structure for your free time. Have a structure for your free time, even if it means taking a nap. Moving with a structure improves productivity.
Have a focus.
When many tasks for the day surround you, it is easy to get involved in more than one task at a time, which reduces effectiveness and productivity. Don’t try to take on more than one task at once. That will take your focus away. Don’t try to prepare a marketing budget while writing a report. Focus on one task at a time.
Know your strength and weakness
What is your strength? What motivated you to do better and be better? Taking note of these things helps you know your strengths and how you can improve yourself. While it is great to know your strengths, it is equally important to know your weaknesses. Take away your distractions in a working environment. Find out what you can achieve early and give it your best.
Take a break from time to time
You don’t have to wait until you experience burnout before you take a break. When preparing your daily work schedule, include breaks in the plan. You can schedule yourself to take a 10-minute break after two hours of work. Essentially, your break time should align with what you are doing. A short nap, a 10-minute walk, or a quick play of your favourite song can work wonders in ensuring you remain motivated to work. You can’t work all day without a break and expect a high productivity level. Take frequent small breaks to ensure you stay motivated and productive.
Bonus tips: In setting daily goals, ensure to break them down into manageable, smaller, easily doable steps while having the bigger picture in mind.
