The subject of time fascinates me immensely. From other perspectives, e.g. the metaphysical, time does not exist. It is such perspectives that really grip me the most. I am also reminded of concepts such as the space-time continuum. Anyways, we are not getting into those intricate subjects today. Today we are just going to look at the time, as you know. You have 24 hours in a day, just like everyone else. No two individuals are the same, and the same applies to what they do. The differences in accomplishments are what tell us that time can be optimized. How though?
Plan And Start Your Day Well
Once again, let me recommend you to read the book The 5 Am Club. It unpacks this critical element of time optimization in greater detail. Personally, I have noticed that it is much harder to optimize time if I start a day badly. For instance, it can be waking up late or starting my day haphazardly. I have noticed that every time I start off my day well, by 2 pm, I would have done my day’s work. This is possible primarily when I properly plan my day the day prior. I know some encourage you to make a to-do list. It does work for many people, and you can do that.
For me, it is about making mental notes. I can make mental notes the day before what I want to do the next day. I literally envision how my next day is going to play out. Even the minutest details, such as what I shall wear, eat, and so on. I sleep with that imprinted into my subconscious mind. I have noticed that it somehow programmes me to wake up early. It also makes me wake up geared up for my day’s work. Plus, I will spend less time on decisions about certain things. I would have handled all that the day prior. My subconscious mind would have streamlined it all whilst I was sleeping. The moment I wake up, it is game time!
Figure Out Your Optimum Working Time Of The Day And Maximize It
I know not everyone might have this kind of freedom. For instance, you go to a day job. You might not have the room to choose when you prefer to work. Still, this point does apply to you to some extent. The idea is that you must figure out when your brain is at its peak. It is the first half or so of the day for most people. I am referring to between 6 am and 8 am to 12 pm and 2 pm. For others, it can be the latter part of the day. Some might even find it most optimum to work at the end of the day. Figure out what your optimum time zone of the day is. Then devote that time to focus on your core to-dos for the day intentionally.
Build A Lifestyle That Automatically Bars Distractions
We live in a digital age, and it is easy to fall prey to distractions. Distractions can stem from spending too much time on your phone. It can be from watching too much television. It can also be from spending too much time talking to other people. The list of possible distractions is endless. No one will remove or bar them from you unless you deliberately do it. At times it can be tasking to get rid of the distractions actively. For instance, it can be hard to avoid using the phone if it closes by and open to receiving communications. It can be hard to tell off a friend who shows up when you need to focus on something.
That is why you need to build a lifestyle that automatically bars distractions. For instance, suppose you want to focus on work between 8 am and 12 pm. You can put your phone on flight mode. You can shut yourself away by even using a secret location. You could go as far as letting people know you cannot be reached between 8 am and 12 pm from Monday to Friday. These are just examples to illustrate, but I am sure you get the point. Distractions always beg for your attention, so you must ruthlessly bar them.
The Indispensable Place Of Adequate Sleep And Rest
No matter how you meticulously plan your time, it will not matter if you do not rest and sleep enough. Your ability to effectively use your time heavily depends on those two aspects. Not resting and sleeping enough will drag you, causing you to need more time to do things. You might end up so drained that you cannot do anything. Most people have bought into this toxic hustle culture of sleeping late and waking up early. It is not so much about the time you put into your work but how effectively you use it. A well-rested person who gets enough sleep can require just 5 hours to complete a day’s work. Yet someone with inadequate sleep and rest can spend the whole day working and still fail to finish. Get enough rest and sleep enough hours every night.
Time is finite. This means you have to optimize it. You will undoubtedly feel you have more than enough if you successfully optimise it. The reason why many people feel they do not have enough is misuse. In 2022 I did articles on two books I highly recommend you study. These are The 5 Am Club and Atomic Habits. These books hold gems on principles you can apply to optimize your time. Now is a great time to recalibrate and re-launch in 2023. If you start the New Year 2023 with the mindset of optimizing time, you will accomplish much.
