Time is an important factor in everyone’s life. Wearing an antique watch can make you aware of the passing time every day and how each moment counts. With only 24 hours in the day it can often be difficult to tackle everything on your to-do list and find that perfect work-life balance – and this is particularly true for people with their own businesses.
There are, however, some people that have it all sussed out, and we’ve found some of the best advice to help you have a more productive day:
Sometimes finding time to get everyone together for a family dinner can be difficult, especially when everyone has different commitments; often it’s difficult to get back in time from work before everyone has already eaten. Perhaps, a better alternative is to congregate for a family breakfast, as your mornings are more likely to sync up.
Sometimes work emergencies or staying in the office after-hours can be inevitable after 5pm, but luckily for most, you won’t have any work commitments at 6am! If all your plans are scheduled in after work, for example your exercise routine, these can be easily replaced by the unexpected work you must complete. To avoid missing out on your own personal plans that need completing, get up early and complete these plans in the morning. If you’ve got young children this may also be a great time to spend some quality time, as they are always up early and are usually tucked up in bed when you return from work.
When work starts getting in the way of quality family and partner time it can often feel like a huge burden, but falling behind in work can affect all the hard work you have put into being successful. Why not try to take some work home with you, so you don’t end up staying late in the empty office, but instead put in some graft when the kids have gone to bed? To make sure you are being productive with your time create a to-do list and be sure that the tasks are manageable and able to be completed within your allotted time frame. Additionally, always be sure to put the laptop down at a reasonable hour, so you have time to unwind and spend time with your partner.
Make sure to always get out of the office on your break. Go for a walk in a local park, or sit down and read a good book. You need to allow your brain time to recharge; this will allow you to avoid fatigue later in the afternoon.
Getting a good night’s sleep can drastically improve the day that follows it. Getting enough sleep can be the difference between a productive day and an unproductive day. If you deprive yourself of sleep thinking you can use these hours to be more productive you will find that, after time, you will become less focused and less creative – which can have a huge effect on all aspects of your life.
There will always be something to clean, plan or organise in terms of the house. It’s always best to take the easy route when it comes to household chores when possible so you can use your time for better things. This isn’t to say, let your house become messy, but make sure to prioritise the tasks and if something can wait, then let it wait.
All the things you need to get done are not going to fit into 24 hours. So, its best to re-frame the way you compose your to do list. Consider looking at weekly plans rather than daily plans as this will make it easier to balance work, family and fun-whilst not looking completely overwhelming.
For better time management, it’s always good to figure out exactly how you are spending your time. The best way to do this is to keep an hourly log of your day to see exactly where your time is going and how it is spent; this will also help you to establish where you can rearrange your schedule. If tracking the entire week you had previously planned seems like a daunting task, start with two weekdays and one weekend to begin with. Any problems that arise can easily be changed with re-scheduling your to-do list. When we track our days we are more mindful of how we spend our time and the importance of every minute.
One of the best ways to appreciate our time is to invest in a watch to make sure you are more productive and mindful of how your time is spent.
