Time is considered one of the most valuable things we all have. Everyone has the same 24 hours in a day, but it’s what you do with those 24 hours that is crucial. Many people are wasting time each day, myself included, without even knowing it. So I have listed 13 time-saving hacks so that you find more time to increase your productivity.
Wasting your time can make you tired, stressed and can stand in the way between you and your goals. If you can do a few time-saving tips, you might be able to get back a few hours of your day. And where can that lead you?
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This past month, I’ve been too tired to do anything. Consequence? I cannot stop scrolling through social media or checking my email because my brain is not rested enough to function. Let’s get back on track with these tips.
The thing is that most of us don’t realize how much time we waste in a week. We’re scrolling, checking and staring at different devices without realizing the time is ticking by.
13 Time-Saving Hacks To Find More Free Time
No matter how you lose your hours, I got you. Let’s dive into the 13 time-saving hacks to get more free time!
1. Check Your Email Once Per Day
Especially when I’m at work, I check my emails all the time. I have my Outlook always open. As soon as an email pops in, I get a notification on my screen and a sound. My attention is drawn to the email. I read it and then decide if I continue with what I’m working on or reply to the email. I should check my email less. I’ve switched off the notification and the sound effect just now. I’m sure that will help a lot!
Will you follow my example? You’re wasting all the time checking your email that could have been used to get difficult tasks out of the way.
A tip that I got is having a designated hour for checking your email. Let’s say from now on, you check your email every day 10-11 a.m. and 4-5 p.m.
If you notice things are going well, you can even lower the email-checking frequency to once a day! How Radical!
2. Get Your Life Together
According to a survey at Pixie, we spend 2.5 days per year looking for things we can’t find. It’s costing us an average of $50 per year. Let’s not calculate what we have after investing that money every year for 20 years (it’s $2,386.74; I was too curious not to do it).
Being unorganized can waste a very big amount of your time, as I can tell you from a case study that I call my life. It can lead to late fees (they add up quickly), losing valuable things or stress. To prevent this, get your life together.
Becoming more organized is a hard thing to teach yourself. But once you learn it, it becomes automatic. You will save a lot of time.
Tangible things that you should start doing:
- Put things back in the place where they belong, not in the place where you last used them.
- Make a to-do list so you don’t forget anything.
- Make it easy for yourself by adopting a minimalist lifestyle.
Related Read: Minimalism and happiness: How to be happy in a materialistic world
3. Get A Hold On Your Finances
This will not only save you time but will also get you in control of your finances. You can pay your bills automatically, create a budget and transfer money automatically into your savings and investment accounts.
4. Make A To-Do List
I’m one of those people who has an endless to-do list. It’s never finished, and there are always new things to be added to the list. I rely heavily on my to-do list. It’s written down on paper because I love to cross off the things once they’re done. If it’s easier for you, you can also have one on your phone.
It helps keep track of what you have to do for the day, week, month or quarter. For some things that I really shouldn’t forget, I will set a reminder. I use an online calendar, Google Calendar. If physical planners work for you, write everything down in your physical planner.
Keeping a to-do list will not only get you on top of your to-do’s, but it will also keep you motivated to reach your goals. Plus, it’s harder to forget things, which is a win!
One of the many lists is going out for groceries. If you are very busy and want to save more time, you may use Instacart for your grocery pick-up or delivery. Same as your food, you may sign-up for a $5 Meal Plan a month, where each week, you will receive six dinner options, one lunch meal, one breakfast meal, one dessert and one ‘other’ meal – this can be a beverage or a snack.
This not only saves you time with groceries but food preparation as well!
5. Avoid Procrastination
One big thing that is costing you a lot of time is procrastination. If you’re starting right away with tasks, this will save you a lot of time without delaying them.
When you don’t want to work out, get over it. You will clean the entire house, watch TV, scroll through social media and take a nap in your gym clothes. After some time, you still didn’t go to the gym. If you had gone straight away, you already could have been back.
Procrastination roots in many things, but mostly it’s avoidance and anxiety. If you figure you why you’re procrastinating, you can take action to prevent that from happening.
Stop wasting your time by procrastinating and start now!
6. Stay Away From The TV
When I was in high school, I watched a minimum of two hours of TV every day. I’ve switched my life totally around, and I don’t even own a TV at the moment.
The average person watches 4.5 hours of TV every day. This means that people watch an average of over 30 hours of TV per week. I hope I’ve never made that list, but I was probably closer than I thought.
Can you imagine what would happen if you just took half of the hours back each week? That would be a time-saving hack!
The problem with watching TV is that you don’t notice how much you’re actually watching. Time goes by without noticing it. That’s why it’s so important to know how much you’re watching and cut back if desired.
When I stopped watching so much TV when I started university, I got back a lot of my time. After studying, I had time to party, eat with different friends every day, work out and take on various committees within my study association.
Stop watching TV, and you will find so much more time during your week to do things you enjoy!
7. Cut Back On Social Media
It’s not that you should quit social media entirely, but you should think about the time you’re spending on social media. What if you’re spending a bit less time on social media? It would definitely save you a lot of time.
People spent an average of three hours per day on social media
There is Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube and many others. It’s not so difficult to entertain yourself the entire day by scrolling through social media.
If you find that your time on social media is not suitable for you, you can take the radical approach. You can close the accounts you’re spending so much time on, delete the apps from your phone or create a time block for your social accounts.
8. Disconnect For Focus
Besides cutting back on your social media time, disconnecting entirely can help a lot. Put your phone on flight mode, close your email, and let everyone know you’re busy.
Disconnecting entirely will eliminate all the distractions. I’m sure that you’ll be much more productive and save a good chunk of time from your day when you disconnect entirely.
9. Embrace Technology
We all have that one friend who remembers everyone’s birthday and actually remembers to send them a text when the day arrives. If you’re this kind of superhuman, congrats, you’re awesome! If you’re not, no worries, I got you!
I forgot my best friends’ birthday. The worst part is that I know the exact date on which she has her birthday, but I simply forgot to greet her. What’s the moral lesson we can apply to other facets of our lives? Set reminders to your phone.
If we look into this from a broader perspective, embrace technology. It’s primarily designed to make your life easier. Why would you want to send emails out manually when you can automatically send a reminder to the one client that hasn’t reached out to you yet?
Embracing technology saves you brainpower, it makes sure you don’t forget, and it saves you massive amounts of time.
10. Wear The Same Clothes
A good amount of successful people wear the same type of clothes every day. It saves you time in terms of minutes you need to get ready in the morning. When you’re wearing (a lot of) the same clothes every day, you don’t have to think about what you want to wear during the day. You simply dress, and that’s it.
11. Stop Multitasking
I’ve heard people say that multitasking is one of their best time-saving tips. I disagree. Some people might be able to multitask correctly, but the vast majority of people cannot focus on two things simultaneously.
When you think you’re multitasking, you’re actually switch-tasking. Your switching between Task 1 and Task 2. Did you ever talk with someone while you’re texting? You write down the words you say or the other way around. In addition to that, you also have to refocus on the task at hand, which will take additional time.
For me, multitasking does not help. When I’m focusing on one thing at a time, it helps me save time.
12. Learn To Say No
This is essential when you want to save time during your day. We all get a lot of requests throughout the day that demand time. If you would say yes to many of them, you are essentially giving up your own time and helping someone else. Ask yourself, “Is that what I want?” If it is what you want, that’s OK. If it is not what you want, you’re getting yourself into a lot of additional work.
Learn to say no instead. In the beginning, it will be uncomfortable because you’re not used to it. Over time, you’ll learn to say no, which will free up so much of your time!
13. Stop Snoozing
My roommate snoozes for 30 minutes every single day. That means she’s lying in bed for 30 minutes before actually getting up and getting ready. I don’t see the added value. You’re not really sleeping, and you’re not really doing anything with your day.
What helps me is saying, “OK, I am awake. I will make something out of today.” If you’re too tired when the alarm clock goes off in the morning, you either need to sleep earlier or set your alarm to the correct time.
Conclusion – Time-Saving Hacks
Time is very valuable because time lost can never be brought back. But you can start by eliminating stuff from your life that wastes away your precious time. You just need to know what these are and try to change them moving forward.
Hopefully, through these hacks, you may find ways to maximize your time to further boost your financial plans in life. Time may have been lost, but know that there is always time to change and improve your life. You better act now so that the benefits of these time-saving hacks will be felt and improve your life.
With these 13 time-saving hacks on saving time throughout the day, you will find more free time. Finally!
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This article
originally appeared on RadicalFire.com and was
syndicated by MediaFeed.org.
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30 etiquette rules too many people break these days
Social etiquette is one of those things that people tend to roll their eyes at these days. Nobody wants to be prim and proper anymore but, unfortunately, as we’ve let go of the etiquette rules that had run their course, we’ve also stopped following the rules that made the world a little bit easier to live in. From things like putting our phones down during dinner to courteous driving, sometimes it feels like politesse is dead.
But the truth is that manners and etiquette don’t have to die a lonely, neglected death. In fact, you can start to slowly make things a little easier on yourself, your loved ones and the rest of your fellow humans by incorporating some more courtesy, respect and etiquette into your life. Before you know it, you’ll see others catching onto your etiquette and the rest will be history.
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How many times have you been at dinner with someone and, in the middle of the conversation, they took out their phone? It’s probably happened more times than you care to admit and you’ve probably even done this yourself. However, a small but important part of etiquette is to keep the phone out of sight all night. Enjoy dinner with your loved ones (or even by yourself) sans distractions, and it will make life a little happier.
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Someone cuts you off on the road, a waiter takes forever to refill your glass of water and the cashier seems distracted and taking forever to ring you through. Yes, all of these things can add up to real annoyances during your day but you’ll be doing yourself (and others) a favor if you just give people a break. You never know what someone else is dealing with on a particular day, but if you approach them with kindness and compassion, that’s much better.
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Nobody says “please” and “thank you” anymore, but you can bring it back. It’s one of those small little etiquette lessons that can pay off big in the long run. Even if you don’t do it right now, start putting more of this language into your vocabulary and you’ll soon find people are saying it back.
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Every invitation you’ve ever gotten probably comes with an RSVP but many people these days are foregoing actually responding and just showing up. Here’s the problem: That creates a lot of stress for the host when they don’t know if 2 or 20 people are showing up. So do everyone a favor and always, always make sure you check off the “yes” or “no” box… and respond in a timely manner.
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Courtesy tends to stay at home when people bring their stinky food and suspicious leftovers to work. The truth is that having stinky foods at the office creates a disturbance for all and we’d like you to quit now. It’s totally fine to eat what you want to eat but just remember to be courteous and not have your worst smelling foods out all the time.
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Sending an email back to that coworker who is driving you crazy at the moment might only take a moment but it’ll end up costing you much longer in the long run. Instead, it’s a much smarter and more etiquette-friendly strategy if you pause, breathe and wait until you’ve calmed down a bit before answering an email, text or phone call that has you on edge.
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Nobody brings food over anymore when someone you know is grieving or when there’s a new neighbor on the block. It’s one of those sad etiquette memories that would make the world a brighter place if we all started doing it again. Next time you know someone who could use a welcome hand or a little cheering up, why not bring food over as a lovely gesture?
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We have our phones on our hips pretty much 24/7, which is why most people have long forgotten the etiquette lesson about not taking phone calls in the middle of a crowded place. You could be in line or something or in the middle of a restaurant and, all of a sudden, you’re involved in someone else’s phone conversation. Instead, do us all a favor and step outside when you get a phone call. It will make you feel better because nobody will be listening nearby.
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As we’ve all been driving more and more, people have started to forget the basic courtesies (and laws) of the road. One of the biggest culprits here is using your turning signal. It’s not unusual to be driving and all of a sudden have to slam on your break because the person in front of you forgot to signal and all of a sudden they’ve slowed down to turn. Don’t be that guy. Use your turn signal!
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These days, our overworking culture has most people showing up to work even when they’re rocking a fever or coughing up a lung. Basic etiquette doesn’t even enter into the equation but the truth of the matter is that the best thing you can do for yourself (and for others) is to stay home when you’re sick. This badly needs to come back into popularity because getting others at your office sick does no one any favors.
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Just as it’s really easy for a lot of people to pull out their phones during dinner, it’s really easy to do the same pretty much anytime you’re actually engaged in a conversation. It’s fact, you could say it has become an epidemic of rudeness where nobody ever looks at each other anymore. Well, you can stop that easily by making sure that you are looking at whoever you are talking to directly in their eyes whenever you are one-on-one with a co-worker, friend or family member.
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Here’s the basic etiquette rule of elevators and public transportation: Step aside and let the people getting off to do that before you try to get on. Unfortunately, many of us ignore this rule in our rush to just get on that bus or elevator as if the thing could actually leave without us on there. It won’t. Stop worrying and start stepping aside to let people through without being pushy.
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Somewhere along the way, we forgot to hold the door open for others. When you are entering a new establishment, it doesn’t take that much extra work to hold the door for the person behind you. It’s a small courtesy but one that can definitely pay off in the long run as they get inspired to hold the door for the person behind them and on and on.
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A huge mistake that some people make in terms of etiquette is to ask a woman who has just gotten married about her baby plans. Even worse, if she’s not drinking or if she puts on a bit of weight or if she’s just crossing your path, the person asks again. Well, don’t. It’s simply not polite to assume that a person is planning on having children or, much worse, that she’s actually pregnant. If she wants to share that information with you, she will. Otherwise, just stay out of it.
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Sometimes, going to the grocery can be a hassle for those of us who are on the shorter side. It’s a pain to reach for higher shelves and it can be an even bigger pain to see those struggling get no help from anyone surround them. Thankfully, you can change all of that. A basic etiquette rule is about lending a small lending hand whenever you see someone having a bit of a hard time. Pay it forward and you’ll feel pretty good about yourself.
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Other than weddings, nobody seems to send handwritten notes anymore. However, it was once a standard etiquette rule to send handwritten notes to your friends and relatives. This was especially true for invitations and thank you cards. The good thing is that you can easily bring this back by starting a tradition yourself where you send handwritten notes to your loved ones no matter what the occasion.
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Whenever you step foot into the gym, you probably see at least one person who very obviously uses an exercise machine and then walks away the minute they’re done. That’s right, without wiping down the machine. It’s a major etiquette no-no but one that needs to be brought back a.s.a.p. because nobody wants someone else’s germs on them. Let’s do it.
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Just as a lot of people aren’t wiping down their machines at the gym, they’re also often leaving bathrooms without washing their hands. The problem with this is that you are taking the germs from the bathroom back out into the world and possibly getting yourself or others around you sick, too. Instead, never ever leave the bathroom before you thoroughly wash those hands and rid them of germs.
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Nobody wants to be barged in on and yet everyone forgets to knock these days. Whether you are at home walking in on your partner’s office or at the office needing a minute with your boss, remember to knock. It’s a small etiquette rule that just reminds you and the people around you that there’s respect here.
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Lateness has somehow become an epidemic in our culture and it’s not getting any better these days. Etiquette is all about respecting other people, though, and that includes respecting their time. One of the things that you are saying to someone when you are late is that you do not respect their time, only your own, so if you continue this, it can ruin relationships. Instead, stop being late and you can bring a little more courtesy back into your life.
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Grief is a difficult, complicated emotion. If you’ve never experienced it, and even sometimes if you have, you may not know how to deal with someone in your life who is grieving. Yes, you can bring over food but even something as small as saying “I’m sorry” can be a comfort. Don’t be afraid to reach out and instead go ahead and call your friend that’s going through a hard time and just let them know you love them.
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Checking your phone at dinner is nowhere near as bad as the worst cell phone crime of all: Checking your phone at the movies. Back before the cell phone days, this was never an etiquette problem. But these days, it’s almost impossible to go to the movies without at least one jerk looking at their phone mid-movie. This needs to stop immediately because checking your phone at the movies lights up brightly, no matter how well you think you are hiding that thing inside of your jacket. Just stop it, period.
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When you are grocery shopping, there are a few things that you should keep in mind in order to keep up with etiquette rules that we have long forgotten but should definitely bring back. First of all, you should never, ever leave your shopping cart stopped in the middle of the aisle so that others cannot get through. Secondly, make it easy by walking on the right side of the aisle so that others can walk by easier. And last but not least, take those extra two minutes to take your cart back into its cart area. Don’t just leave it loosey-goosey in the parking lot.
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When you get invited to a party, it’s easy to get really excited and want to bring a friend. And that’s okay…. just as long as you do not forget to contact the host about bringing a plus one. These days, that old etiquette rule seems to have fallen by the wayside as people forget to R.S.V.P. +1 and instead just bring their friend or new partner along. But it’s always a much better idea to let the host know so that they can plan accordingly instead of freak out because 20 people brought a surprise plus one.
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In our rush to eat and get back to whatever activity we were doing before, we often forget that a basic etiquette rule is to wait to eat until everyone at the table has been served. This is an easy one to forget but also an easy one to correct. It lets your friends and loved ones know that you respect them just a little bit more if you wait a few minutes until everyone at the table has food in front of them. It won’t really cost you anything extra, so go ahead and take the more courteous route.
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Many cities and states now have laws about this but it shouldn’t take a law to remind you to always clean up after your dog. Dogs are pretty awesome and many people love them, but nobody loves it when you don’t clean up after your dog and they, ahem, step in it. Literally. So go ahead and curb your pup, always, because you’ll be doing society a nice little favor.
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Wearing headphones in public is totally okay but it can get a bit tricky when you are wearing headphones and all of a sudden hear a lot of noise coming from someone else’s headphones. Talk about awkward! One basic rule of etiquette is to make sure that your volume is turned down enough so that you are not disturbing anyone around you. After all, you’re signifying that you don’t want to be disturbed by wearing headphones and those near you should get the same courtesy.
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Littering is nobody’s friend but yet people still do it. This can be just as true outside as it is when you are in somebody’s home. Don’t get yourself fall into this big etiquette no-no and instead make sure that you are always cleaning up after yourself. Whether you are putting the dishes in the dishwasher after having dinner at a friend’s place or making sure that you find a recycling bin for that soda you just finished drinking, it’s the least you can do since you created the mess in the first place.
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In this age of social media, this etiquette rule is actually a new but standard one that everyone should know. If you are a big fan of Facebook and never miss an Instagram picture, that’s really cool. But you know what’s not cool? Putting up a photo of your cousin’s baby when your cousin isn’t on social media and really doesn’t want her kids there either. So a good rule of thumb is to ask anyone before posting about them on social media. It’s a small courtesy but you will appreciate it when you can say “yes” or “no” to someone else’s post, too.
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If you’re about to cough or sneeze, do you take care of it in your elbow? Probably not. This might be the last etiquette rule on this list but it is definitely not the least important. It’s one of those things that can really help you with keeping your germs away from other people. If you sneeze into your hands, then you are probably spreading it around. Instead, sneeze into your elbow and then find a tissue as soon as you can. You’ll appreciate it once you start seeing others do the same.
This article originally appeared on TheDelite.com and was syndicated by MediaFeed.org.
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