Creating the Time You Need to Do the Things You Love

Time is at a premium these days.

It’s hard to find someone that complains about having too much time on their hands.

Most of us are so busy with work, family, and various obligations, there’s little time left to do the things we’d really like to do!

It’s not easy to find time to pursue your passions, but there’s usually a way if you’re truly serious.

Use these techniques to create the time you require for important pursuits:

1. Decide what you want to make room for.

The best way to motivate yourself to create more free time in your life is to identify what you want to make time for! What are the most important things you’d like to spend more time on? Do you want to learn the violin? Spend more time with your spouse?

Figure out how you’d spend that extra time and make sure you have some good reasons. Create a list of reasons that give you an emotional response. Being logical is unlikely to inspire you.

2. Use your mornings wisely.

Most people waste their mornings. They stay in bed as long as possible and barely manage to get to work on time each day. Make the most of your mornings. Go to bed earlier and get up earlier.

It’s often easier to do something worthwhile in the morning than in the evening. What are you missing by going to bed earlier? Probably not a lot.

3. Understand the ways you waste time.

We’re quite ingenious at wasting time. Watch yourself for a day and write down all the ways you waste time. When you understand where your time is leaking away, you can start working on solutions.

4. Make a schedule.

A schedule can keep you on track and help to ensure that your time is being spent wisely. A schedule can help to minimize the amount of time you waste. You can also build time into your schedule to do the things you enjoy the most.

5. Delegate.

Create more time for yourself by utilizing the people around you. This can work at work and at home. There’s a good chance that someone in your life has time on their hands. Put your employees, coworkers, children, and partner to work! A little help can free up quite a bit of time.

6. Prioritize and eliminate.

Perhaps you just have too many non-essential things going on in your life. It might be time to cut back on a few of those obligations.

Take a look at everything you have to do each day/week/month and think about how much value those things add to your life. You can probably find something to remove from your life.

7. Multitask.

Multitasking sometimes helps. You might make phone calls or do important reading while sitting on an exercise bike. Get your exercise while taking the dog for a walk. Make a few phone calls while you’re waiting in line. You can even work on your tan and mow the grass at the same time!

You can find time if you have a good enough reason!

Determine what you want to create time for and make it happen.

Delegate, schedule, eliminate, and avoid wasting time. It’s been said that the average life is plenty long enough, provided you don’t waste any time. What are you willing to give up to spend time on the things you love?

ABOUT STEPHANIE ROBINS, LCSW

Stephanie Robins, LCSW specializes in individual, couples and family therapy, and maintains a private practice in Alpharetta, GA. With compassion and understanding, she works with each individual to help them build on their strengths and attain the personal growth they are committed to accomplishing.