How to Be the Ultimate Time Saver

Do you feel as if you’re day is so jam-packed you barely have time to scratch your head?

But the more time you’re spending on tasks the less you seem to accomplish? You’ve dedicated so much time to a task but haven’t actually produced very much. Being able to work efficiently and productively within a certain time frame can be difficult, especially if you’re already running low on steam…

Being able to work productively within a set time frame is a skill that should be developed. You don’t have to exert as much energy and you have more spare time to work at a higher standard, obtain more time for leisure, or maybe to get an early night.

Here are some simple ways you can save time.

In the workplace…

• Reduce your workload. Sometimes we have to take on tasks that aren’t really congruent with our job requirements, or someone else falls behind and you have to pick up the slack -this is a good thing, all qualities associated with a solid work ethic. However, if you’re going above and beyond, stretching yourself too thin or being walked all over by lazy co-workers…. Then it’s time to delegate tasks to others and distribute the workload more evenly. If you are an employer – then try to take a step back and intervene less. Learn the value in saying ‘no’. Not only will it save you time – people will be less inclined to treat you as a doormat.

• Put your phone on silent if you can, or adjust your settings so that you don’t receive notifications from apps, social media platforms or anything that isn’t relevant during your workday and that inhibits your ability perform. If you rely on your phone for work – then disable all notifications other than the ones that are important. For example, create VIP email addresses so that your notified when important emails come through, then you won’t find yourself constantly checking and refreshing your inbox.

• Condense your day. Take a shorter lunch break, maybe a little less small talk… Make the most of every minute and you’ll be surprised how much more you can accomplish. Write out which tasks you will have to tackle that day, then write down when you should have completed said task (maybe even set a timer). Even if you work past the allocated time, it’s a perfect indication of how long it’s taking you to complete something that perhaps shouldn’t have taken so long. You’ll learn to work more productively and be more aware of time.

At home…

• Set a timer when you shower, cut it down to 10 minutes or less

• If you take public transport (and don’t suffer from motion sickness) then spend your commute following up phone calls, replying to emails, doing any administrative work, etc.

• Don’t spend your weekends sleeping in – sleep 8 hours max. Take note of what time you are getting into bed and set an alarm so you won’t oversleep. Contrary to popular belief, you can’t actually ‘catch up’ on sleep. Sorry – but the sleep deprived work week doesn’t justify a 12.30pm sleep-in on Saturday morning.

• When making dinner each night, double or even triple your portions. It will save you from having to make dinner every single night and you can pack left overs for lunch the next day, it will also save you money if you normally buy your lunch each day.

• Instead of wasting a whole day on cleaning, chores and errands… spread it out throughout the week. Create a roster, on a Monday you can mop and vacuum, Tuesday dust, Wednesday bathrooms, etc. These tasks don’t take too long to complete individually, especially if you have someone to help you or kids to put to work! It’s only when you dedicate an entire Sunday to doing every task at once that it really eats into time that should be dedicated to work or leisure.

Every morning try to do a minimum 5-10 minute work out to kick start your metabolism and wake you up. It seems as though we’re working at snail-pace, and living out our mornings in slow motion – so a quick work out will get you going and jump-start your day with a boost of energy. Working out releases endorphin’s, the ‘feel-good’ hormone that boosts your mood.

Applying these life-hacks to your everyday routine should result in a major improvement in your productivity, efficiency and competence – you’ll find you’ll yield results not only faster, but at a higher standard!