7 Simple Strategies To Help You Take Back Your Time In 2023
Ratnakar Mavilach
?? Chairman - Mavilach Group | ?? Chief Trustee - Be Debonair Foundation | ?? Co-Founder - Digivanced | ?? Marketing Head - Bigger Than Race VC ($150M Portfolio) | Mentor & Personal Branding Expert
Time management is a skill that you can learn, and like any other skill, it takes time and practice to master. The good news is that once you've mastered the basics of time management (and I'm talking about the simple things like reserving time for tasks), it's actually not that difficult to incorporate those techniques into your daily life. In fact, once you've practiced them enough times, they become second nature—just like riding a bike or driving a stick shift!
1. Set Priorities Straight, And Work Backward
You’re working hard and doing a great job, but do you feel like your days are filled with busywork? It might be because you don’t have your priorities straight.
If you want to take your time back in 2023, then set priorities and work backward from there. Start by taking inventory of everything that needs to be done over the next week or month, then evaluate each task based on its importance to your goal or project. Now that you know which tasks are most important (and when), it's time to figure out how much time each one will take up, not only so that others know what’s expected of them but also so that everything gets done on time!
Once you’ve got your priorities straight, it's time to look at how much time each task will take. This might be a little tricky if you don’t have any data on previous projects or tasks that were similar in nature. If this is the case, then try using an average of how long similar tasks took in the past (or just guessing).
2. Book Your Time In Advance
By planning ahead, you can avoid distractions, procrastination, and the last minute rush. By booking an hour a week before you want to do the task, you'll have no excuse not to get it done. You might be saying, "But what if something comes up?" Well, you can always reschedule!
The idea is to make the time in advance. If you do this, there is no need to worry about any other commitments that might get in the way of completing the task. If you don't schedule it and leave it open ended, there's a chance that something else will come up and push back your tasks.
The same goes for planning your day. If you don't write down what you want to accomplish, it's easy to let other things take priority over it. Having a plan of attack means that you can stay focused on the task at hand and avoid distractions.
If you're looking for a way to stay focused and get things done, try scheduling your tasks in advance. By booking an hour each week before you want to do the task, you'll have no excuse not to get it done. You might be saying, "But what if something comes up?" Well, you can always reschedule! The idea is to plan the time ahead of time so that there are no other obligations that might interfere with completing the task.
3. Create A Routine, And Stick To It
A "routine" is a set of actions, behaviors, or rituals that you perform on a regular basis. It can be anything from brushing your teeth every morning to going to the gym after work. The key to having a successful routine is consistency. If you've had trouble sticking to routines in the past, chances are that it's because they weren't consistent enough (or long enough).
A good way to start creating your own routine is by figuring out what works best for you. Are there certain times of day when you're most productive? When do you need breaks from work? What kind of physical activity would help energize your mind and body? Once you've figured out some answers to these questions, all that remains is finding ways to incorporate those activities into your daily life.
For example, if you find that working in the morning helps you get more done than any other time of day, then set aside some time on your calendar for this activity. If a walk outside is what clears your mind and helps you focus better, then make sure to take one every day (or several times a week). The key is to make your new routine something that's not only fun but also beneficial—something that will help improve both your productivity and well being.
The more consistent you are with your routine, the easier it will be to stick with it. If you miss a day or two, don't give up—just start again the next day and keep going until it becomes a regular part of your life.
4. Don't Let Procrastination Win The Battle
When it comes to procrastination, there's a lot of talk about how bad it is for you (and it is). But what many people don't realize is that it's also a habit—one that can be broken with some effort. Here are some tips on how to stop procrastinating and get things done:
This is why it’s so important to make a list of everything you have to do and then break the list down into smaller tasks that can be completed in an hour or less. That way, you don’t feel like you have to do everything at once. Instead, you can work on one task after another until they are all finished.
Finally, make sure you’re getting enough sleep and eating well. Being tired or hungry doesn’t help anyone do anything well.
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5. Stop Wasting Time On Social Media
It’s likely that you spend a lot of time on social media, but few people realize the amount of time they actually spend on these platforms. In fact, studies have shown that smartphone users check their phones an average of 150 times per day! This can include checking emails and text messages as well as scrolling through Facebook or Instagram. In fact, recent research has indicated that people who use social media often feel more connected to others than those who don't use it as much, which means there's no reason why you shouldn't be able to take advantage of social media while still maintaining your own personal boundaries for this purpose.
If you're looking to reduce your social media usage, there are a few strategies that can help. First, try to set specific times during the day when you will check certain platforms (like Facebook). Then, use the rest of the time in between those times for other activities like reading or exercising. Second, try setting limits on how much time per day you spend scrolling through posts and comments; this could be anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour.
Finally, consider deleting the apps from your phone. This will allow you to avoid social media altogether if you really want to, or it can at least give you a break from having access to it all day long.
If you want to reduce your social media usage, there are a few strategies that can help. First, try to set specific times during the day when you will check certain platforms (like Facebook). Then, use the rest of the time in between those times for other activities like reading or exercising. Second, try setting limits on how much time per day you spend scrolling through posts and comments; this could be anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour. Lastly, consider deleting the apps from your phone.
6. Take Control Over Your Digital World
The Internet can be a wonderful place, but all too often it also becomes an enemy of productivity. One way to regain control over your digital life is by using software that blocks distracting websites and apps. Other options include turning off notifications on your phone, setting up "do not disturb" mode on your phone, turning off all notifications on your computer while you work, or simply not using social media if you need to focus on something else.
Another way to regain control over your digital life is by using software that blocks distracting websites and apps. There are many options available, including Freedom and Cold Turkey.
Freedom is a free program that allows you to block distracting websites and apps for as long as you need. It allows you to enter the websites or apps that distract you, along with how long each one should be blocked for. For example, if Facebook is a problem for you, enter it into Freedom and set an amount of time where you won’t be able to access it (e.g., 2 hours).
7. Multitask When You Have To, But Focus When You Don't
Multitasking is a term that gets thrown around a lot, but few people actually understand what it means.
The truth is that multitasking isn't always helpful and can sometimes be harmful to your productivity. Most of us think we are good at multitasking when we're really not, which leads to a decrease in productivity and efficiency. Not only that, but there's also evidence showing that working on multiple tasks at once can actually make you feel less accomplished than if you had focused on one task at a time. Psychologists call this phenomenon the “Hawthorne Effect” because of its prevalence among factory workers who were being studied by researchers during the 1930s: Even though their workload didn't change, the workers did a better job just because they knew they were being watched.
So how do you know when it's okay for you to multitask? Well, that depends on what kinds of activities those tasks represent (e.g., work vs. school vs. family). If your work requires focus from start to finish—like writing an article or designing something from scratch—then focus is best for those tasks; however, if the work has elements where other people need input along the way (such as sending emails), then it may be worth taking advantage of their availability elsewhere so long as such activities don't require too much concentration themselves.
It takes time to learn about effective time management techniques, but after you've mastered them, it's not that difficult to incorporate them into your daily life.
It can take some time to learn about effective time management techniques, but once you master them, it's not that difficult to incorporate them into your daily life.
It's important to remember that although these strategies may help you take back your time in 2023, they won't change your past. But they will help ensure that the future is brighter than before. As you continue to use these strategies, they will become easier over time and eventually become second nature—like brushing your teeth or tying shoelaces.
Conclusion
It’s time to take back your time. You don't need to be a superhero or a business guru, these strategies will help you reclaim some of the hours in your week and make them count!
You can use the 7 strategies outlined above to gradually reclaim your time. Try one or two at first and then work up to the others as you gain confidence. Next year, when January rolls around again, we hope you'll be feeling more relaxed about what lies ahead because, after all, it's only one day at a time!