Quality over Quantity- How to Make the Best Use of Your Time
- by Casey Harris, LPC
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in General

“There’s just not enough time in the day.” You likely have heard that a time or two [hundred], and you may have felt that way yourself since entering adulthood.
Despite our best efforts, many of us struggle to attain and maintain balance causing us to feel unfulfilled and burnt out. Is it possible to master the seemingly impossible task of time management? With the proper tools and continual application, I assure you that you can.
First, let’s consider what contributes to the ever daunting feat of getting everything done. Your children have school, extracurricular activities, doctor’s appointments, and everything in between. You and your spouse both have demanding jobs, juggling the kids’ schedules, bills to pay, and a house to maintain. Oh, and did I mention that both sets of grandparents have plans to visit at the same time during the next holiday break? This is just scratching the surface of what a family may be faced with regularly.
Ultimately, we may find that it’s not that theres’s not enough time but having too much scheduled in a given time and a lack of prioritizing that contribute to the hamster on the wheel feeling.
You can make the best use of your time by applying the following tips:
Utilize those calendars and reminder logs already at your disposal either electronically or via paper planner. Try taking a few minutes on Saturday or Sunday night to prepare for the week ahead by reviewing what’s already scheduled and modifying and prioritizing accordingly.
Devote reasonable amounts of time to your daily tasks. For example, if you have a work project, family activity, or some other important engagement to prepare for, it might not be wise to spend 3 hours that day catching up on your favorite tv show.
Schedule rest. What should come naturally actually doesn’t for most because of the aforementioned. I recently ordered planner stickers that included rest & relax stickers to place on the calendar. I think it’s safe to say that rest often gets missed in the shuffle, and we know what harm that can cause.
Limit how much you try and get done in a given day and week. Rome wasn’t built in a day, so don’t cause yourself undue stress trying to get everything compacted and completed in a short period of time.
With preparation, practicality, and patience, you are sure to master managing your time wisely.
If you find that you’re still dissatisfied with your overall life balance despite continual effort, let us help! We can be reached at 256-258-7777 or info@thebalancedlifellc.com.