3 Ways to Get Some Time Back Today
If you’re a working mom, you never have enough time in the day. Days feel like hours and hours feel like minutes. Where does all the time go? We’ve compiled a list of 3 ways that can help save some time in your day.
#1 The 2-Minute Rule
If a task comes across your desk that takes less than 2 minutes to complete, do it right now. It’s better to get these small tasks off your plate rather than schedule them for later or write a note to remind yourself about it. It usually ends up taking more time than if you were to actually do the 2-minute task. Quick things like replying to an email or taking out the trash are better done right away.
#2 Decide What is Important
Get in the habit of occasionally stopping to ask yourself this question (throughout the day): “Is the task I’m doing right now on track with my goals?” You’d probably be surprised by how many tasks you do regularly without ever considering their effectiveness. Email is a big one that takes up a lot of time, but could probably be reduced down tremendously. Messaging is another. Remember a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ is a complete sentence. Your number one goal should be to make sure that every task you do is somehow helping you. Don’t get trapped in the hamster wheel of working hard on irrelevant tasks that consume time but have no fruitful end result.
#3 Multitask the Right Way
Multitasking sometimes gets a bad rap. A lot of experts say that it’s better to focus on one task at a time. This may or may not be true. Research tells us that we’re not actually capable of multitasking, instead we ‘task-switch’. Our attention is spent switching between the tasks so we never get fully in the zone. Multitasking is efficient when used with activities that are passive or almost subconscious; things that you don’t need to focus on because you do them so often. My favorite example is using your time on the treadmill or in the car to learn new things. Listening to an audiobook during exercise is the perfect way to multitask.
So, what do you think? Let us know if you end up trying any of these tips or have a time saving tip of your own.
By T. DeRose
