We’re all busy and this could put prioritizing rest and self-care pretty low on the priority list. Most of us work 8 hours per day, spend up to an hour commuting to work, and are also responsible for other tasks such as cleaning, making dinner, picking up kids, etc.
Then, factor in the fact that most adults need at least 7-8 hours sleeping each night, I’m spending about half of my life working and sleeping.
Freeing up your schedule to make more time for yourself requires effort, but your ‘me time’ and peace of mind is definitely worth it. Here are 4 ways to make it happen.
Table of Contents
Reschedule Your Schedule
Using some type of planner, organizer, or spreadsheet to keep yourself organized is a must. I usually jot down things I need to do each day in my planner and then check them off when I’ve completed them. It’s safe to say that 90% of the things I write down have little to do with spending time with myself and relaxing.
First, find something that you want to do alone whether it’s meditating, going for a run, making pottery, reading or doing a craft. Then, instead of organizing your day around your biggest work tasks, organize your day around that one activity so that it’s prioritized and officially in your schedule. Gotta make it official in order to have time for it!
Related: How to Use the Living Well Planner to Meet Your Goals
Take 10
Take 10 minutes each day to get organized. Figure out what errands you need to run, who you need to call, and what absolutely needs to be done throughout the week and how you plan to do it. Taking a few minutes to organize your thoughts and plan your next move could literally save you hours.
I always waste the most time when I’m feeling unorganized and haven’t planned out my day properly. A 10-minute mandatory reset easily fixes this.
Get Comfortable With Saying No
No is a hard word for some people, but it’s necessary because you can’t do everything for everyone. Get comfortable with saying no so you can have more time for yourself and other priorities.
Think of it this way. Every time you say no to something you didn’t want to do or simply don’t have time for, it means you’re saying yes to something else (Ie. Yourself). Try to help others in a way that’s comfortable and realistic for you. Then, if something doesn’t fit with your schedule, be okay with the word no.
The more you practice this, the easier it will get and you’ll feel better for it.
Plan a Solo Date
Have you ever has a solo date before? A solo date is just like a regular date, only with yourself. You can go somewhere or stay right at home. Plan to eat your favorite meal or do an activity that you enjoy. Try to steer away from watching a movie and truly take the time to enjoy your own company.
You can paint, draw, go for a walk or try out an indoor rock climbing gym. Solo dates can allow you to reflect on what’s important and say yes to the things you value.
Related: Self-Care: My New Not So Guilty Pleasure to Spend Money On
Outsource, Delegate Tasks
Do you ever feel like you’ve bitten off more than you can chew? I’ll admit, I have my overachiever/people-pleasing moments. When you’re feeling overwhelmed and short on time constantly it may be time to get some help. Think about what tasks you can outsource or delegate to others. This may involve hiring some help to free up your time, but it also doesn’t have to involve spending money at all.
Do you have friends or family who help you out? Can your spouse or significant other split up tasks with you? I know when I first started blogging, I felt overwhelmed with setting everything up and the whole idea of keeping up on social media (primarily Twitter and updating Pinterest constantly).
So I reached out to my little sister for help. Yup, my little sis saved the day 🙂 Teens have more free time and less worries and they are masters at social media surprisingly.
Another big secret is that even though I’m in charge of keeping our grocery budget low and planning meals, I don’t cook dinner every night. If I had to come home from work and cook dinner every single day I’d be a hot mess. A few months back I ended up teaching Ray how to cook some of our favorite meals and he’s gotten pretty good.
Whoever gets home first usually gets dinner going. We usually split up cooking and chores each week so neither of us get overwhelmed with housework. It’s definitely a team effort.
Related: Frugal Meal Ideas That Are Easy to Prep
How I Outsource to Save Time and Money
Eliminate Distractions and Time Wasting Activities
Getting caught up in time wasting activities is a big ongoing issue for me. Sometimes I’m checking Facebook or even my email and it ends up being a 20-30 minute browsing session. Big waste of time!
Another major distraction is when I’m writing at home and watching T.V. I’m so easily distracted that I’ve ended up watching television instead of finishing up my work and it took twice as much time as I had originally planned for.
I know how productive I work when there are no distractions, so I’ve started setting a timer when I do certain things. This isn’t to rush myself, but to motivate myself to stay focused and avoid wasting any time. I also usually start with a somewhat easy task first to get myself in ‘work mode’ then I go ahead and tackle the most difficult task to get it out of the way.
If you need to deactivate social media for a while to free up your time, I’d say do it. If there are certain websites that distract you, block them for a short period of time.
Also, if there’s a certain friend (who means well) that tends to want to talk endlessly when you’re in the middle of completing something be honest but nice and let them know what you’re working on and schedule a time to talk later.
How do you make more time for yourself and what do you like to do?
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Tonya@Budget and the Beach says
I think busyness is a hug problem for most people. I do make a to-do list each day, but I realize that many things are things that don’t necessarily have to be done that day…that it’s just “busy work” so I try to lop off the lowest priority stuff. I DO need another person working on my blog though to take it to the next level. I’m not sure how to go about that having no budget to hire anyone.
Chonce says
I might be doing the same thing. Knocking my biggest task out early in the day works best for me because I’m most productive in the morning then it sort of goes downhill from there. Maybe you could find some kind of student intern who’s looking to gain experience/skills working on a website that can help you out?
Sarah says
Fantastic tips! I really need to be better about outsourcing projects to my husband. My son is at the age (3) where he’s finally old enough to start getting some chores and man am I excited about it. My parents used to tell my sisters and I (jokingly of course) that the reason they had kids was so that the kids could do the dishes (my parents still don’t own a dishwasher).
I also need to get better at eliminating distractions. I keep telling myself “sure, I can work with the T.V. on.” Pffft… I have found, though, that I don’t like the silence, so I’m going to have to beef up my music collection a little bit. In a house that’s like a circus most of the time, the silence can be a bit jarring.
Chonce says
Once you identify your distractions and eliminate them things get much better, trust me. Also, let me know how it goes with introducing your son to little chores. Sounds exciting! Right now my son (5 yo) is making up his own bed and picking up after himself in his room. I’m also trying to get him to put his place and cup in the sink after meals. It’s a work in progress 🙂
Kali @ XY Planning Network says
Great minds think alike! I was talking about time management on my blog this week, too — and I absolutely love your tips. I agree that a planner is a MUST, and I’m guilty of getting sucked into someone else’s TV shows, too. Hate when that happens and it’s so hard to resist! 🙂 I think the biggest way I make more time is to ask for help. It’s hard for me to do, but I find that most people are more than happy to help, and want to be asked if they can help and when they see that you’re swamped and buried under work.
Chonce says
Time management is really an ongoing issue for me and sometimes I’m clinging to my planner for dear life, haha. But in all honesty, asking for help can be difficult at first if you’re used to doing everything by yourself but is a great way to free up some of your time and realize that there are plenty of good people out there willing to provide quality help.
Jason @ TheButlerJournal.com says
I’ve been trying to make more time for myself lately. I have been chilling at home the past couple weekends instead of going out. So far so good.
Chonce says
I’ve been like that too a lot lately. Things really slow down for me on weekends and while most people are trying to find the next thing to do and the next place to go, sometimes I just want to relax and enjoy not having anything to do.
Holly@ClubThrifty says
The saying at my house is : Everything’s great after eight! We are really busy with the kids but take time to relax after they go to bed at 8:00 =)
Chonce says
That’s a great way to do it. I look forward to having a little time to myself at night as well but sometimes it’s so hard to get my son to go to bed at 9pm. He takes a nap during the day and usually has a ton of energy.
Christina @ Embracing Simple says
What a genius idea to have your sis help you with social media! I need to get better at outsourcing in general, it would make life a lot easier and allow me to concentrate on what I most enjoy doing 🙂
Chonce says
Haha, thanks! It was definitely a help when I was first starting out. Asking for help is hard sometimes since I like to do everything usually but sometimes it’s very necessary.
DC @ Young Adult Money says
I love your “take 10” tip. I end up taking more like 30 minutes throughout the day to update my to do list, plan my schedule, and prioritize tasks. Especially when you keep getting new information or thinking of something new, it’s important to continue to update your task/priority list. Great tips as usual, Chonce!
Chonce says
Thanks DC! Hats off to you for finding 30 minutes in your day to do this. I optimize my time so much better when I take a few minutes to get organized and develop a plan for my day.
DC @ Young Adult Money says
Yes, and I should say it’s not always 30 minutes in one sitting. I’m constantly updating my “to do” lists so I’d say it’s a few minutes here and there. Makes life so much easier (and more productive!).
BlendediD says
When you realize that you need a “clone” of yourself in order to do things exactly as you envisioned, organization and delegation takes a whole new priority.
Chonce, I can’t believe I am just now stumbling across your blog. Good stuff! Your debt recovery story is very inspiring. As a full-time marketing director and an entrepreneur of a thriving business, I know what “that financial” grind is all about. So, now I am trying to motivate a group of young migrant students to pay attention to their finances….early in their academic career. It’s easier said than done. But it is doable.
With voices like yours and tons of others, hopefully, we can reach out to minority communities.
Chonce says
What you’re doing sounds awesome! And thank you for the support 🙂
Petrish @ Debt Free Martini says
I loved this post. I like your point of getting rid of distractions. With me I have to keep my home neat and tidy for it is a distraction for me when things are out of place. I know that’s weird, but I cannot even sit down and concentrate to write if my home is a hot mess. I have also learned how to say no to friends and forgo the parties and outings. This way I have more time to do important things….Well things that are a priority right now.
Chonce says
Same here, I just can’t stand to see clutter and things out of place, especially when I’m getting ready to work on a project. That in itself is very distracting so sometimes, I’ll just have mini cleaning sessions before I get started with my next big task.
shopmyclosetproject says
Without a planner-nothing happens 🙂 These are great tips and right now I’m in the process of creating processes so that I can keep things flowing! So these tips are super helpful as I go through this process.
Chonce says
Thanks Michelle, organizing and making more time is always an ongoing effort for me.
Prudence Debtfree says
I constantly fight the battle for time. Your experience sounds very familiar to me. I often feel uncertain about what is worthwhile. For instance, you mention watching a show with your son as a time-waster. I’m not sure that it is. Although too much TV is not a good thing, I think there can be a certain bonding that happens when you watch a great show with your child. Your words about scheduling really hit home for me. I have got to get on that. All the best in finding your “me” time.
Chonce says
Thanks! I always seem to be short on time so prioritizing and eliminating distractions work best for me. I spend a good amount of time bonding with my son, but he’s at the age when we also both enjoy our alone time. When he is playing and enjoying his shows independently my intention is to work on my projects and avoid distractions but he knows that he can always come out of his room and check on me. When I’m distraction free I get things done quicker and I love that feeling of having the rest of the day/evening to spend together.