Time — Part 1: It’s possible to find more

We’ve all been there in one way or another. There are too many things to do on your, well, to-do list. You’ve missed an appointment. The fridge and cupboards both share the common ground of empty. Did you forget your kid at soccer practice? There’s just not enough time in a day to get even the important stuff done. Or is there?

Want to hear something a little bit heartbreaking? A study done in 2004 called The Time Pressure Illusion came to the conclusion that people who lack free-time and feel the pressure of getting things done are actually putting that pressure on themselves. It’s not the work that’s overwhelming us, it’s the pressure we’re putting on ourselves to get it done that is causing unnecessary stress.

By the Numbers

In 2017, 41% of adults in the US reported that they don’t have enough time to do all they want to do.

In 2019 the CDC put out a study in response to the high percentage of people who say they don’t have enough free time to get needed physical activity in a day. The study found that this is false — there IS enough time — it’s just being displaced by sedentary screen time (Netflix, social media, gaming, etc).

The verdict — you DO have the time to get everything done, BUT you feel like you don’t because you’re not utilizing the time you have in a way that works for you. Instead, you’re making your work dictate your time when YOU are actually the one in charge.

Success Shortie: Finding More Time

Here’s What To Know

• Prioritize the tasks on fire! Do these when you’re at peak performance. Make sure to schedule your important tasks during your peak brain times.
• Are some of your tasks really just junk email? Delegate them and get them out of your mind. You don’t need them there.
• Don’t forget the importance of reenergizing! Stand up, take a brief walk, spend 2–3 minutes stretching — these can rejuvenate you to tackle that next fire or important task.

Here’s What To Do

Keep a time journal for 3 days, then look back over it to see how you spent your time. Be honest — where did your time go? Then make an plan for getting everything done based off of the reality of what you wrote in your journal and your new time goals.

Stay tuned next week for Time — Part 2