As our days seem to get busier, as we cram more and more into each day, we are all forever looking for ways to claw back time or alternatively, we feel worn out and stressed by the never ending to do list and wonder how we’ll ever manage to complete it?
Time management and task prioritisation and 2 areas of life that crop up in coaching sessions regularly with both men and women, often with them saying to me “there are just not enough hours in the day.”
So, if I were to gift you with an extra hour each day, what would you do with it and where would you put it?
One of the things I have discovered about myself since we’ve had a dog, is I’d rather get up an hour or so earlier to enable me to go out for a walk, come home have a cuppa and a cuddle with my dog than have an extra hour in bed. It sets me up for the day, it lessens my anxiety and I start the day having been outside whatever the weather which for me, is always a good thing!
The interesting thing for me, is that this extra hour at the beginning of my day makes far more difference to me mentally than if I found an hour at the end of the day or was able to take an extended lunch hour for example.
When something has happened to disrupt this pattern, I feel quite uncomfortable, and my day feels rushed even if it isn’t. Needless to say, this has now become an important part of my daily routine.
So where do we get this extra hour?
Try this exercise –
- For 1 -2 weeks, make a note of how you spend your time and I mean, in detail.
- Note where you perhaps loiter over tasks rather than get on with them?
- Do you sit for periods of time on your phone scrolling – how much time do you spend doing that?
- Are there tasks at home where you could save time – for example, would an online food shop save you time?
- Once you’ve done this, be really honest with yourself and see where you could grab the odd hour back because they will be there!
An extra hour each morning has changed my life significantly, if you feel you need some more help with this, please do contact me and we can do a bit of a lifestyle MOT and find you some extra time.
