Top Ten Tips - Making More Time For Yourself
By Tip Diva | Jul 03, 2008
Categories: Activities, Adult, Babysitting, Chores, Difficulty, Home, Household, Tips
If you find yourself running from task to task and chore to chore without any breathing room, stop - you deserve some “you” time, and here’s how to make room for yourself:
- Condense Your Tasks - If you have a number of errands or chores to do, try to condense them in the least amount of time. For instance, if you have to drive to the bank, supermarket and clothing store, do them in the same trip instead of going to the bank, coming home, going to the supermarket, coming home and going to the clothing store, then coming home yet again. You’ll save more time (and gas, to boot).
- Automate Others - If there are tasks you can do on the computer - shopping, banking, bill paying - do it. It will save you time from standing in line.
- Prioritize - Do what’s most important first, then leave the menial tasks for last. If you don’t get to the menial tasks, you won’t feel unaccomplished.
- Write Yourself Into Your Day - Make sure you write some time for yourself into the day - whether it’s a lunch with a friend, an hour to curl up with a good book or 20 minutes to take a power nap.
- Delegate Tasks To Others - Delegate tasks to others to free up some time for yourself. Instead of cleaning up your children’s playroom, have them clean it themselves. Ask your spouse to do the cooking for the night. Don’t take on the entire project at work and have a colleague help you.
- Accept Help - If someone offers to help you in any way, let him help - he wouldn’t be offering if he didn’t want to genuinely help you. Remember to be gracious and thank him for his time.
- Decide Where Time Is Worth Money - You can often pay for others to do tasks that are taking up your time, if you decide that time is worth money. For instance, you can hire a housekeeper to clean up your humble abode, which will free up three or four hours a week.
- Don’t Sweat The Small Stuff - If menial tasks do not get done right away, who cares? The world isn’t going to end if your books are disorganized. Remember that time for yourself is more important.
- Learn How To Say “No” - Sure, you’ll help make cookies for the bake sale. Yes, you’ll drive your cousin to his doctor’s appointment. Of course, you’ll help your neighbor carry his old couch to the curb. Although helping others is a nice thing to do, don’t do it at the expense of your sanity. There’s a point where you have to stand back and say, “I’m sorry, I would love to help, but I am tied up right now.” If you wind up always saying “yes” to everyone else and “no” to yourself, you’ll wind up going crazy.
- Force Yourself To Take A Vacation - Take some time off - whether an hour or a week, and force yourself to dedicate it totally to you and what you enjoy doing.
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Hi thank you for your submission on the 6th edition of day shifting and paradigm. Your article is posted on the 24 Hour Paradigm, keep them coming!
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