How To Add More Hours To A Busy Day

Are you constantly struggling and having to work late into the night just to keep up with your workload? Do you find yourself wishing you could get more done in a shorter amount of time?

You're not alone. Often I find myself working a little later than expected as I try to finish that last digital marketing proposal for the day before rushing home for dinner with the wife and kids. During my 20 minute drive back home, I often think about ways I can add a couple of extra hours to my day. Many other busy business people are experiencing the same problem, which is why I've put together this guide to help you add more hours to your day.

These easy time-saving hacks and tricks will help you spend less time on tedious tasks so that you can allocate more time for the projects and tasks which truly matter to your business, helping you save both money and time.

Here's how to add more hours to your day:

Chunk Your Workload

When faced with a daunting list of daily tasks, it can be tempting to try and get through them all as quickly as possible. This is not the smartest way to use your time if you want to save both money and time.

Instead, you're better off breaking these daunting tasks down into smaller chunks of work that are more manageable. For example, if you had to make 20 cold calls, try and make them in 2 batches of 10.

Or if you had to write a proposal or report, split the work into chunks such as brainstorming ideas, doing research, writing an outline and then finally completing the final copy.

This tip works great because it allows you to cross off multiple tasks at once and put your mind at ease, rather than leaving you worrying that there's still unfinished work to do.

Plan Ahead

Another great time-saving tip is planning ahead. Instead of making a list and planning your day the night before, try doing it first thing in the morning instead. This means you spend less time stuck figuring out what needs to be done and more time executing important tasks.

Making plans the night before can be a great strategy, but if you work better in the morning, there's no reason why you shouldn't start your day by planning your day! This is often one of the most effective time-saving hacks for busy business people.

Delegate Wherever Possible

It might sound counterintuitive, but sometimes it's better to let someone else do some of the work. This is especially true for repetitive tasks which aren't key to your company's success.

If you find yourself doing certain jobs on a regular basis, it might be time to hire an intern, an agency (like Merged) or task out the job to your employees. Not only will this save you time but it will also save you money in the long run, especially if this frees up your time to focus on more important projects.

Structure Your Day

A common reason why business people struggle to add more hours to their day is because they spend too much time dealing with unstructured and unplanned work. Without a plan in place, you're bound to waste a ton of time trying to figure out what to do next.

The key is to create a structured, routine day where at the beginning of every hour you sit down and plan exactly what your priorities are going to be for that hour. If necessary, schedule regular breaks so that you have time to refresh and recharge.

Don't be Impulsive

You can also save time with this hack by avoiding impulse decisions. One example is not checking your email every ten minutes because if you do, it will take significantly longer to get through all of the mail in your inbox.

Instead, schedule specific times in the day when you're allowed to check your emails and set aside enough time to process them. If necessary, learn how to prioritize and delegate your email so that you can make sure important emails are dealt with first.

Another great way to cut down on impulsiveness is to only commit yourself to things that have been planned out carefully. This means no last-minute meetings or changes of plan unless they're absolutely necessary.

Self Discipline is Another Time Saver

Finally, a great way to save time at work is to exercise a little self-discipline. This means setting deadlines for yourself and sticking to them as much as possible or avoiding procrastination by getting into the right mindset.

In many cases, saving time costs nothing but a bit of perseverance and self-discipline.

Saving time might seem like a huge challenge, but it doesn't need to be! If you're organized and willing to invest in the right tools, you can free up your schedule and add more hours to your day while still doing great work.

I'd love to hear your time management tricks. Drop your time-saving hacks in the comments.