There are only 24 hours in a day, yet for many of us, that hardly seems like enough. Between busy work schedules and lengthy commutes, chores at home, and other responsibilities, it can easily feel like there isn’t enough time to work on your own hobbies or simply take some time to rest and watch Netflix.
It doesn’t have to be this way. In reality, most of us don’t use our time nearly as efficiently as we could. This makes us far more likely to feel stressed out or think we don’t have enough time to get everything done. Instead, by implementing simple daily practices that allow you to make more effective use of your time, you can be more productive and feel less stressed.
So what can you do to use your time more effectively? Here are a few basic ideas that can make a big difference.
1-Change the Way You Cook
Many people find cooking to be one of the most time-consuming and stressful home chores. Navigating grocery store aisles can be confusing and finding a healthy recipe can seem practically impossible. And that’s before you even start cooking! Thankfully, new innovations can completely change this process to promote healthier eating and help you make better use of your time.
For example, one of the best meal delivery services in Montreal sends everything you need to cook a meal right to your door. Not only can the recipes be prepared in less than half an hour, but all the ingredients are also provided. This helps individuals and families avoid stressful trips to the grocery store and spend less time in the kitchen — leaving more time for actually sitting down and enjoying their meal.
2-Cut Out Social Media
According to some studies, the average person spends over an hour and a half on social media every day. That’s a lot of time, and in most cases, it’s time that isn’t very well spent, either. Fear of missing out and comparing yourself to someone else’s seemingly “perfect” life tends to make you feel worse about your own life. These negative emotions can follow you throughout the day, creating a constant distraction that keeps you from being productive.
Cutting down how much time you spend on social media not only allows you to reclaim a significant chunk of your day — it will also help you be happier and more satisfied with your current situation. While you don’t necessarily need to cut out social media entirely, making a conscious effort to control your usage habits will make a big difference for your productivity.
3-Quit Multitasking
It’s easy to assume that multitasking would help you be more productive, not less, but studies have consistently found that this actually isn’t the case. Your brain can only focus on one task at a time, which means that when you’re multitasking, it is constantly switching back and forth between different activities.
As your brain goes back and forth between these different tasks, it becomes much easier to get distracted or reach a mental roadblock. Ultimately, this can cause you to be slower at finishing your daily chores. Instead, you should try to give your current task your complete attention. Stay focused on it until you’ve finished. This will allow you to get through your “to-do” list much more quickly and have more time for yourself later.
Parting Thoughts
Learning better time management skills takes some practice, but the end results are always worth it. As you create more time for the things that matter most in life, you’ll be happier and less stressed. You’ll sense greater fulfillment in the things you do. And you’ll even be able to take a few extra moments to relax. Few things are better than that.