4 Ways to Save Time (and Spend it on Yourself)

When it comes to taking care of yourself how many times do you drag out that tired old excuse ‘i don’t have time’? I’m right there with you, it’s hard to put yourself at the top of the list when there’s always something else that you could be doing.  I know that as women it’s our nature to put others first; but come on if we wait until the ‘to do’ list is empty before we do something for ourselves, we’re going to be waiting forever! 

So, here’s the deal - what if you could find an extra 15-30 minutes every day, could you be persuaded to use them for yourself? Yes, so what would you do with them? I’d love to find time for a nap, spend a bit longer writing my journal and grab some extra cuddles with my dog.   

You know that you don’t need an excuse to put yourself first but on the other hand if you could save a bit of time throughout your day, I know you’d feel better about taking some of that time for yourself. So, here’s a few things that will not only save time but will leave you feeling much more in control throughout your day…

STOP MULTI-TASKING
It’s time to lay down that ‘multi-tasking’ badge that you wear so proudly; i know all about it, i’ve been there! Focus is the name of the game when it comes to getting things done well and with the least amount of stress.  I’m a big fan of ‘single-tasking’ - i look at my list at the start of the day and work through each job individually, team this up with removing all distractions and you’ll have more time on your hands than you realise!          
 
CUT DOWN ON TV
I’m amazed that the average person in the UK spends over 3 hours a day watching TV! Even if you fall well below that average, there’s always something that you watch out of routine or because someone else in the house is watching it. Give it a miss or leave the room, use the time to jump into bed early, take a long bath or dive into that book you’ve been meaning to start. 
 
CONTROL DISTRACTIONS
I’m easily distracted and so i’m going to hold my hands up here and admit that i’m a work in progress on this score.  Simply put, distractions slow us down and not in a good way! When you get distracted in the middle of a task, it takes several minutes for your brain to get back on track which adds significantly to the time it’s going to take to get it finished.  No one like jobs taking longer than they need to and so put your phone on silent and in a drawer, switch off your emails and close the door until you’re done. You’ll be amazed how much time you’ll save by doing this!          

CREATE ROUTINE
Making something a routine or habit helps it to run much more smoothly and saves time; morning and evening routines are a great places to start. Start small and create something that works for you, it could be as simple as setting your intentions the night before so that you’re ready to go when you wake up or making sure that everything is switched off an hour or two before bed to help you get more rest. Here are my tips for creating a holistic morning routine and night time routine.

AUTHOR: LEANNA DOOLIN

Co – Founder of holistic skincare brand, Pure Thoughts and advocate for women finding pause in their day to breathe deeply, give thanks and reconnect to what matters. Loves early mornings, dogs and books that you can’t put down.