Time, we all have the same amount each day.  However it seems like there is never enough to get all the things done that we need to do.  Between our homes and jobs the days just fly by.  Instead I would like to make more time each day to putter in the garden, to craft, to read or to bake.  I want to wake up each day looking forward to my activities.  Not dreading each new day or rushing through each activity.

Over the years I have discovered certain activities that can streamline my days.  These activities give me more time for myself.  I want to share a few of my discoveries with you so that you can have more time as well.

5 Ways to Make More Time for Yourself:

1. Plan your days.  If you want more time for the activities you enjoy, then you need to plan for them.  Set aside some time each week to chart your schedule.  Many of us fly by the seat of our pants each day.  We take what comes along instead of telling our time what to do.  If you plan ahead then you can make the most of your busy schedule.
2. Develop regular routines.  If you develop a routine and practice it, then it becomes a habit.  These routines can help you to regularly accomplish your daily chores in less time.  I have an early morning routine, an ‘at work’ routine, and an evening routine.  With each of these routines I get things done on autopilot, such as my quiet time, checking emails and cleaning up the kitchen.
3. Deal with papers immediately.  Our lives and homes are exploding with paper from the mail, to school papers and work papers.  If you deal with these papers as they flow into your homes they will be less likely to become piles that take hours or days to deal with.  I have to be honest here.  This is my nemesis.  I have to frequently force myself to sort and discard.  If instead we remove the papers as they come in, we will have less overwhelm and more free time.
4. Cut out the wasted minutes.  How many times have you scrolled through Facebook or checked your email because you only had 5 or 10 minutes before another activity.  We often have little bits of time here and there that seem useless.  Those little bits of time could be more useful if you keep a short activity list.  A few minutes is all you need to send a thank you or get well card.  You can prep your salad for dinner or sweep the kitchen floor.  Five minutes is all you need to pack your bag for the next work day or make your lunch.
5. Give up activities that don’t bring you joy.  We all have activities that we do each week that we don’t particularly enjoy.  Maybe it’s watching a “boring” show on television.  Maybe it’s a monthly group that gets together.  For me it’s reading.  I love to read in my free time.  If I start a book I have always felt that I needed to finish it.  This year I purposefully began to change this.  If I am not enjoying the book then I just stop reading it.  No guilt.

Our lives are so packed each day.  We need to make time for things that we enjoy.  We can all have more time to ourselves if we become intentional about how we use that time.  These suggestions can get you started corralling your time and using it wisely.  As we begin to focus on the new year to come, these suggestions can help you make the most of your days and your time.

Would you like some additional ways to make more time in your busy schedule?  Sign up for my email and receive 10 Ways to Create More Time for Yourself.