Last week, we stressed that it is impossible to add hours to a day! Which is technically true. However, as entrepreneurs, we have a tendency to bend reality (as Steve Jobs used to say) and make impossible… work. So, for this week, we are going to provide a few tips that will add hours to your day!
Just note, to do so might require some serious changes to your behaviors and habits, but they are doable!
How to Add Hours to Your Day
Put Things Away!
It is often tempting to say, “I will do this later”! We see this happen when we place a dirty dish in the sink or pile things on our desks and promise ourselves that, “It WILL be done later in the day”. Now, since we are often tired by the end of day and usually dread the now-daunting task of putting everything away, we either procrastinate or do it slowly! Doing so, in turn, adds even more time. So, train yourself to put things away the moment you are done using them!
Shift To-Do’s
Take some time to look back on the past few months, and try to determine what part of the day you are least productive! Then, when you schedule your daily tasks, shift the “easier” (the mindless) tasks to those times. Therefore, you can be far more productive when you have the energy and mental capacity!
Eliminate Time-Wasters
Sure, it may be fun to Netflix and chill, but these activities can rob you of your valuable time. (You know, that time that could be spent with your family and friends! Which can often leave us feeling guilty, which leads to stress, stress drains our energy and the cycle continues!) That said, start putting your free time to better use! Trust me, you will be surprised how doing can motivate and energize you the following day. (As noted above, you can tackle the “hard” tasks when your energy levels are high! So, eventually, you may be able to knock out more tasks, which will add hours to your day !)
Group Activities
Now, this tip does not always work for everyone. However, some can benefit from batching activities. It can be helpful to respond to emails and pay bills (among other tasks) all at once. That way, your focus does not get pulled in hundreds of directions!
Make Use of Downtime
Every single one of us has been late to a meeting! Though this can often be annoying for the other person, when YOU are the other person (waiting for the individuals to arrive) make use of that time!
Health and fitness professional, Ben Greenfield, does this often. When he is waiting on someone, or taking an Uber to the next meeting, he will spend time writing his weekly blogs (and/or other tasks). He explains that in 10 minutes, he can knock out 500+ words… which is well on his way to a finished blog! That said, try to use your extra time.
Pro Tip: This does NOT mean that you should use up your break time. We all need a chance to relax and regroup! Instead, use the time that you already allotted to other tasks that may be bumped around thanks to uncontrollable circumstances!
Delegate
Whether you are at work or at home, you should always ALWAYS delegate tasks. Now, it may not be super kind to always make your spouse or children clean the entire house, but trust me, they can help. Likewise, when work is piling up, lean on your team! This will help free up time.
Try and return the favors, too. This can help boost morale, and in turn, will help your entire team and household accomplish more!
Sleep
I know… we are really trying to ruin your television binges (which, for most of us, happens in the evening), but waking up fully rested will really help your energy levels! So, try to go to bed earlier or plan your day to sleep a little later.
Now, every single person is different. So, determine your best sleep schedules, and stick to it as often as possible!
Final Thoughts
Again, though it is technically impossible to add hours to your day, it is possible to “bend reality” by making better use of your time. Doing so will feel like your day has extra hours! So, try to implement these tasks, and watch your productivity explode!