I read a quote this week from Ralph Waldo Emerson, "Guard well your spare moments. They are like uncut diamonds. Discard them and their value will never be known. Improve them and they will become the brightest gems in a useful life." Are you making the most of the uncut gems in your life? Or are you tossing them away, always wondering why you aren't getting closer to your dreams and goals? If you're sick of wasting this valuable resource, and you're ready to start making the most of your time, then here are three simple hacks that you can use to be more productive.
1. Put yourself first.
What do I mean by this? I mean, schedule the things that matter to you first thing in the day. Give yourself and your dreams peak priority. If working out is important to you, quit trying to do it after work when you are already exhausted. Make a commitment to give the best hours to yourself, not to your job or any other entity. When you utilize your time to focus on your goals and priorities first thing, you will find you have more energy and enthusiasm to pour into your job, your family, and every other area of your life.
2. Use phone apps.
Now, at first this might seem like counter productive advice. After all, our phones can be huge distractions and time wasters with social media access and entertainment right at our fingertips. But if you're like most people, your phone is probably the one item you always have with you, and this means you can use those apps to be productive when you're stuck in standstill traffic, waiting to pick up your kid from practice, at the dentist office; virtually anywhere where you have a few minutes to spare, phone apps can be extremely helpful. Here's the types I recommend. A reading app (Like Kindle). Use this to read on subjects that you want to learn more about, finance, relationships, health, etc. Whenever you have few free minutes, pull out your phone and learn. An organizing app, (Like Microsoft To Do). Always know what you are doing when. Store important dates and details, your grocery list, and everything else you can think of. Save yourself the valuable time of losing dates or important items by having them all organized in your phone. A podcast app (take your pick.) Podcasts are a great way to increase your knowledge on any subject and learn from experts. They are also a great way to compound your time, and remember, time is your most valuable asset. You can listen while exercising, driving, cooking dinner, or getting ready for your day. Thus doubling up on two important activities at once.
3. Keep your priorities in front of you.
If you know what is most important, then you know what to spend your time on, and what you don't need to waste time on. Writing down your specific goals and keeping them visible is one of the best ways to make the most of your time. If you know, for example that your goal is to read 10 pages of a book a day, than you are reminded to spend your time on reading, rather than surfing the web before bed. Knowing your "MUST do" list will help you use your time to do those things that matter most. So, before each week begins, take some time to get clear about exactly what you want to accomplish that week. Then, write it down and follow through (see point 1...schedule your must do list first, and point 2...keep it in front of you by putting it on your phone screen or setting reminders.)
Friends, I don't believe any of you would take your money and crumple it in a ball and throw it away. That would be foolish. But if you wouldn't throw your money away, you shouldn't throw your time away either, because time is the one asset you can't get back. You can make more money, but you cannot make more time. Start seeing time as your most valuable asset and using it accordingly. Your future self will thank you. Make the most of the time you have. I can't wait to see you succeed!
~K.W.
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