Time Management Life Hacks

Lucille Ball of “I Love Lucy” fame, once said:

If you want something done, give it to a busy person.

Why are busy people reliable? What makes them different to have the capacity to basically GET SH!T DONE.

We all lead busy lives. The simple difference between a busy person is time management. It’s what we do with our time, that will determine our outcome.

Considering we are all given the same amount of time per day and per year, we should be able to achieve a lot with our lives.

Here are my life hacks, that have helped me be accountable, motivated and kick some arse.

Life Hacks for Time Management

.1. Set Goals

Put pen to paper and write down your goals. No matter how big or small. If they are important to you, get them out of your head and onto paper.

Set short-term 3-12 month goals, as well as long-term goals 5+ years.

Goals may change over time, and that’s ok. Just make sure you regularly come back to your goal list, cross off what has been done, and add new ones.

When we set a deadline for our goals, they no longer become wishes.

You then become accountable not only yourself, you (can) become accountable to others as well.

Need help writing goals? Then check out these blog posts:

.2. Use a Diary / Planner

Keeping dates and important information all in your head is ineffective. Using a diary/planner not only does it allow you to maintain the efficient use of your own time, but will keep you organised and accountable.

When we allocate time for the different activities, goals, or projects in our lives it helps us to prioritize them in order to complete and achieve them.

There are so many different diaries and planners out in the market, that there will be something perfect for you.

By using a diary or a planner, you set yourself up with a routine and habit, that will make you more successful in your life.

I use a diary in conjunction with my google calendar. This way I can access my information from anywhere.

.3. Use a To-Do List

While a diary is fantastic for long-term goals, to-do lists help you to achieve the smaller stuff day by day.

I split up my to-do lists into the following;

Today
This Week
This Month
This Quarter
This Year

This method helps me to successfully manage my time better.

.4. It’s ok to say no

No is a complete sentence. You shouldn’t have to justify your no either.

If something doesn’t work for you, simply say no.

Saying no means you can concentrate on the things that do work for you.

.5. Get up early

Now the definition of early will vary for everyone. Consider it this way, whatever your ‘normal’ wake-up time is. Make that at least 1 hour earlier.

What you do with this time is vital. I use it to exercise. My husband uses it to work on projects. This uninterrupted time will upset you up for the day ahead.

.6. Get sleep

When you are tired, you lose motivation, and procrastination sets in.

Getting the right amount of sleep (for me it’s at least 7 hours), means I can perform at my best and be more productive.

If you are an iPhone user, then I strongly suggest using the bedtime feature in the clock function.

Bedtime allows you to set the amount of time you want to sleep each night. The clock app will remind you to go to bed, then with a gentle sounding alarm to wake you up in the morning.

.7. Exercise

Exercise gives you endorphins; endorphins make you happy and happy people just don’t shoot their husbands

Elle Woods, Legally Blonde

While I no longer exercise as a weight-loss tool, exercising helps clear my mindset, makes me more creative, helps me to solve problems, and overall I like the way it makes me feel.

If you don’t enjoy exercise, then you simply haven’t found your soul mate workout. A soul mate workout is a workout that you just love, and you keep coming back to it.

You may not know what your soul mate workout is, so try everything, and you’ll come across something that you will love.

.8. Eat Nourishing Foods

This will differ for everyone.

131 Method
Paleo
Keto
LCHF
5:2
16:8
Vegetarian
Vegan

Whatever you choose, the food you eat is there to sustain and nourish you and will help you with all those other things.

So there you have it, the 8 life hacks that have helped me manage my time better and lead a more productive life.