“I’d love to, but I can’t.” “I’m sorry, but I’m out of time.” “Count me in next time.” These phrases are all signs of time scarcity and time stress. It’s healthy to say no to things, but when it’s actually something you want to do, it becomes an issue. We believe that there’s always time for what’s most important to you.

In today’s episode, we’ll cover a topic that most of us struggle with, and that is time. We’ll share the three time saving hacks you can implement today to claim back your time, so you can do what’s most important to you and avoid being overwhelmed with time management.

Effects of Time Management Crunch

Looking at the time and realising the day is almost over and you haven’t completed anything can leave us overwhelmed. I’ve been there.

Where did all the time go? It seems that the time I have, is not sufficient to complete my tasks. I had come to a point when every aspect of my life was squeezing me. I was rushing from appointment to appointment and dragging my son along with me. I was under pressure to complete everything on my to-do list.

My attitude was snappy and getting frustrated, and I could see how my erratic behavior was affecting my son. The impact it had on my son and me was a wake-up call for me to reset. It was time for me to come back to what was most important.

Importance of Time Management Based On Research

To be successful, one does not have to be a hustler 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. This concept is gradually killing people. We recently read an article in Forbes titled, “Why Working More Than Eight Hours A Day Can Kill You,”. It states that a combination of stress-raised blood pressure and unhealthy diets caused by long working hours, could be the root cause of thousands of serious health problems.

The study combined the findings of various studies conducted over the last 50 years. It was discovered that spending too much time in the office or in front of the computer resulted in a 40 to 80% increase in the risk of heart disease when compared to an eight-hour workday.

3 Time Management Hacks

What would you do if you had an extra two hours per day? Think of what you would do with this extra time and how proper time management can help you achieve it. Consider how much time you could devote to your passion project, your side hustle, or a business project. Here are three time management hacks you can use to conquer your calendar.

Time Hack # 1 Have You Done The Math?

You have 24 hours a day, seven days a week. We have 168 hours per week. When you do the math, you might realise that you have a lot more time than you thought. What is the most important to you when everything is stripped away? Think about what you want to do in your free time. Would you like to write a book? Do you want to go on a meditation retreat? Or maybe take a vacation? How about developing a new product or starting a business that you truly believe in? All of this is mathematically possible.

One thing you can do today is meticulously tracking how much time you spend on each activity in a day. Once you have an honest breakdown of how you’ve spent your time, you’ll know exactly where your time goes. You’ll be able to restructure and set a time for what matters most to you.

Time Hack #2 Do you try to get all the little things done first thing in the morning?

What do you prioritize? Is it answering all of your unanswered emails and responding to messages? How about scheduling appointments and getting all of the small stuff done out of the way? 

Unfortunately, there is a major issue with this approach.

If you want to tackle a large project and make significant progress, this method does not work. This is because we have limited cognitive capacity every day. When you are most awake and fresh, you should devote your full tank of cognitive fuel to focusing on what matters most. For example, if you start the day with your primary project, the latter half of the day can be dedicated to the smaller stuff that doesn’t require all of your brain power. This is how you can finally finish your big project.

Time Hack #3 Do you think time will work when X, Y, and Z happens?

This year has taught me a valuable lesson: things rarely calm down. It’s the opposite. Once X, Y, and Z are finished, you’re more likely to fill your calendar with things to do and people to see. Also, new projects are on the horizon if you’re a GrowGetter.

Your perception of time will not change until you change your mindset. The solution is to shift your time mindset and say no to what you don’t want. You don’t want time stress. Shifting your thoughts or beliefs around time will dramatically shift how you use time to your advantage.

We recommend using these time management hacks to automatically experience a better quality of life. Do you want to use the extra time you have to start a side hustle or grow your online business?

GrowGetters Club is a perfect blend of everything you need to launch your side hustle or scale your business in no time. Get exclusive access to expert lead masterclasses and events, covering the hottest future skills topics so you stay on top of your game. And the best part of all, you’ll be part of a growing movement of women who are taking active steps to future-proof themselves and encourage each other to thrive. Come and join the waitlist for Growgetters Club, Click here to sign up!