12 Time Management Tips to Save You Time and Energy.
Planning your year in January sets the intention to be more organised and mindful of where you spend time and where you may be able to save some. It may only be minutes here and there, however it doesnt take long for them to add up and the more you practice the easier it will become to see how you can tweak your schedule to maximise your day and week.
Here are some suggestions:
- How much time have you spent waiting because your chosen service provider is running late – if you take the first appointment in the morning whether if be dentist, plumber, hairdresser, mechanic etc. you will be setting the tone for your day and not having someone else dictate it.
- Make the next appointment before you leave your chiro, mechanic, beauty therapist – you may be in a rush, but it is worth spending those few minutes to book in and put it into your calendar. It can always be moved if it turns out to be inconvenient, but you will then have the reminder there to prompt you.
- Plan your clothes for the week – this can be a real lifesaver on those mornings when things don’t go smoothly. You have a pretty good idea on what is coming up in your schedule so hanging your clothes ready with accessories can also can highlight any repairs that may need attending to ahead of time.
- If you still prefer to shop in person then plan your shopping list accordingly. List items as they are in the store (in aisles) and this will not only limit you missing anything but it will also reduce any back tracking to aisles you have already been in.
- Have you planned your holidays for the year and know when certain events/special birthdays are coming up? Make your personal beauty appointments to suit. Locking in your haircuts, nails etc before these big events will ensure you get your preferred therapist and ensure that instead of just going home after a new treatment you will have an event to make it worthwhile. Work back in your calendar from those events to set up your annual schedule which gives you plenty of time to tweak dates. Don’t forget the pets in the household, having their bookings locked in can alleviate missing out.
- Holidays – look at planning and booking as early as possible – reach out to your travel partner or dedicate a time to sit down and make some decisions on dates, places bookings etc. Securing a good price on a domestic flight you should book at least 1 month ahead of departure and for international trips look at flights at least 3 months in advance. If travelling with groups and being together is important then look at your plans as far in advance as possible. Also check for big events that are coming up in your choice of destination eg: Jubilee, public holidays etc, that could impact your holiday travels.
- .Start your Christmas planning in September – schedule the windows to be cleaned, car service, air conditioning service etc. that way you have locked in the dates and times that will suit you and not either miss out or must take whatever is left.
- Medical – each year I schedule my annual checkups around my birthday – I give myself the gift of good health. This way I don’t forget them and it ticks off the things that may be easy to procrastinate on.
- Always leave catchups until the last minute, get out the diary and plan for lunches, dinners even just a walk and a coffee…. again, these can be moved but the intention is set and therefore is more likely to happen. Life gets filled up with a lot of stuff and goes quickly so make time for what matters.
- Life Admin– put it in your calendar to update your will (you do have one don’t you??) Engage a broker for insurances and loans so they do the hard yards on your behalf and always ensure you are getting the best rates and policies for your individual circumstances.
- Waiting time – stop doom scrolling and make good use of being early or someone else being late. Carry your latest book obsession, laptop or listen to that Podcast you are half way through, these are much better options that looking at a bunch of stuff that does not add value to your life and future goals.
- Delegate, outsource, handball all the tasks that you don’t like doing or never have enough time to do. Make a list, group them in categories and see what service provider is best to assist you get them done.
Finer Details Lifestyle Management Service assists many clients with their home and life admin with our trusted database of extensive trades and service providers. Give us a call to chat about how we can assist you.
