Do you ever feel that there aren’t enough hours in the day?
We all get it sometimes, but the truth is that with some minor adjustments to your routine, you can unlock a lot of extra time that you never knew you had.
So, let’s take a look at 15 time-saving hacks for busy people:
Use the Pomodoro Technique
The Pomodoro Technique is a great way to keep distractions at bay and get work completed faster. It is easy to get distracted by your phone and email, but turning off all notifications for short periods of focused work can help you get more done. Twenty-five minutes of work and a five-minute break will help you complete your tasks quickly. You can adjust the intervals to suit your needs.
Lay Out Your Clothes the Night Before
Laying out your clothes the night before can reduce the number of decisions you must make in the morning. Steve Jobs famously wore the same clothes every day to reduce decision fatigue. While you don’t need to go to that extreme, laying out your clothes the night before will give you more time in the morning.
Batch Similar Tasks Together
If you have several tasks that require the same skills, it can be helpful to batch these together. For example, if you have several reports to write, it could make sense for you to do all the research in one go and save the writing for a time when you know you will have a clear head and time to concentrate.
Invest in Multipurpose Tools to Reduce Clutter and Effort
Buying multipurpose tools, such as a portable cooker that is also an air fryer and slow cooker, helps to reduce decision fatigue and means you will always have them readily available. This also means you will save space and money by investing in one high-quality item that does multiple jobs rather than several items that do only one thing.
Unsubscribe from Unnecessary Emails
The invention of smartphones has made receiving an email just as easy as receiving a text message. Still, this can be disadvantageous because it can interrupt your productivity with emails you don’t want to read. Limit your mailing list subscriptions to things you are interested in, and be ruthless about clicking the unsubscribe button.
Carve Out Quiet Focus Time by Setting Do Not Disturb Hours
Reclaim your time and boost your productivity by setting boundaries about when you can be disturbed. Putting regular do-not-disturb hours in your calendar so your colleagues can see them will prevent you from being dragged into unnecessary meetings and set clear guidelines about when people can approach or message you.
Plan Your Day the Night Before
If you plan the night before, you are already set up for a productive day. Planning while feeling relaxed in the evening will provide greater clarity than doing it when you have just woken up. It will also relieve the pressure on you in the morning, giving you extra time before work.
Limit Social Media Scrolling with App Blockers
Do you ever open social media and then later wonder where the time has gone? Many people do, but most smartphones have built-in tools to help you with this. You can set daily limits for the most time-consuming apps, and once you have hit that limit, you won’t be able to open it again for the rest of the day.
Learn to Say No to Non-Essential Tasks
Tactfully saying no is an art form. While it is good to be a supportive colleague, many people take on too much work when trying to help others. If someone tries to get you to do a task that you consider to be non-essential, be honest about your workload and the effects it will have by taking it on. And don’t be afraid to say no—even to your boss!
Set Up Auto-Replies for Emails During Busy Times
If you know you will have a hectic day, it is fine to set your emails to auto-reply to let your colleagues know that your responses will take longer than usual. Emails are generally non-urgent, so turning them off for a few hours shouldn’t make a difference. However, make sure to include a way to contact you if something is genuinely urgent.
Make Bulk Purchases to Avoid Frequent Shopping Trips
Spending time planning your shopping can save you a lot of time in the future. By planning for items you frequently need, you can make the purchases upfront so you don’t need to make repeat trips to restock. It can also save you money as many retailers offer discounts for buying in bulk.
Use Voice-To-Text for Quick Notes and Messages
Speed up your note-taking with voice-to-text. The quality of voice-to-text has improved immensely over recent years, and dictating your notes and messages is much faster than writing them down. It has the advantage over notepads because your notes are already on your device, so you don’t need to write them up later.
Prep Meals for the Week in Advance
Batch cooking can help you save time and money. By making your meals for the week in advance, you eliminate the time you need to spend over the stove in your midweek evenings, as you will always have a healthy meal available. You can also save money by buying ingredients in bulk.
Use a To-Do List with Priority Levels
While writing a to-do list is a great way to organize your day, it is tempting to tackle the most straightforward tasks first to make yourself feel like you are being productive. By introducing priority levels to your to-do list, you can ensure you are tackling the most critical tasks at the start of your day, reducing your stress levels by not having to do them close to the deadline.
Set Time Limits for Tasks
Certain tasks, like admin, aren’t super important but need to be done. However, it is easy to lose control of the time you spend on these, meaning they eat into the time you spend on the more essential things. Dedicate a set amount of time for these kinds of tasks, using a timer on your phone to ensure you are not prioritizing them over more important things.
