Five Tips to Help You Save Time | Family Economics

By Trisha

We are all given 24 hours each day, but how many of us lay our heads down at night wishing they could fit more into their busy schedule? I can’t give you extra hours, but I do have five tips that can help you create more time in your daily life.

1. Be organized – Begin your day with a plan by taking time the night before to look at your calendar, your meal plan for the week and your to-do list. This will allow you to know what you need to accomplish, where you need to go, what your family’s activities are and even what you will be cooking for dinner.

2. Say “no” – When you say “no” to joining another committee or baking another batch of cookies for your child’s class, you are saying yes to something else in your life, such as your family, your hobby or even just time for you.

Learn to say no so that you can accomplish your to-do list without being overwhelmed on a daily basis.

3. Two things at once – Multitask your errands and to-dos. No one can be in two places at once, but we can do two things at the same time. For example, when you are going to the bank, think about what other errands are in the same area as your bank and check those off your to go list. While taking on the phone, fold your laundry, empty the dishwasher or help your kids review their spelling words. Do you sit and wait while your kids are at dance or soccer practice? Take along your bills to pay, cards that need to be written or sort through your children’s school papers and activity schedule. 

4. Be productive – Are you a morning or a night person? Do you find that you can accomplish more at different times of the day? Based on your assessment, plan your to-dos around your most productive hours of the day. You will find that you can accomplish more in a shorter amount of time when you are at your most productive.

5. Get Help – Remove the supermom cape and realize there is nothing wrong with asking for help! Start by teaching your children to help with household chores. Check out my age appropriate chore list if you are looking for additional ideas.

Ask your spouse to take over responsibilities such as driving the kids to activities, helping prepare dinner, doing laundry and paying bills.

By using one or two of these tips, you will begin to see more hours in your day.

How do you find more time in your day?