We all want to have more time, whether it's for relaxing, exercising, hanging out with friends and family, and ourselves. There are hundreds of ways to save your time throughout the day. Take a few minutes to read the tips and advice gathered here, and start saving time today!
Step
Method 1 of 3: Method 1 of 3: Save Time at the Office
Step 1. Prioritize focusing on the most important tasks
First, complete the big tasks on your to-do list at the beginning of the day, so you won't be in a hurry to finish them later. You will feel an achievement. Plus, you won't be overwhelmed by large unfinished projects while tackling more trivial tasks at the end of the day. So you will work more effectively and save more time.
The “most important task” does not necessarily mean the “most urgent task.” If a routine paperwork has to be submitted to the boss during the day, you may not need to finish it by 11:00 by compromising the client and providing him with poor service. Learn to distinguish between urgent and important tasks
Step 2. Delegate tasks to other employees
To properly delegate a task, you must understand the strengths of yourself and your co-workers. Some people are good with numbers, others are good at writing. By identifying who has the specific skills to complete a particular task, you can save time and improve the quality of the work to be done.
- When delegating tasks, you must be authoritative but not demanding. Make the person you ask for help feel like an expert, and praise their knowledge of the area.
- Remember, if you delegate tasks, you must also be willing to accept assignments from other people whose workloads are piling up.
Step 3. Collect the same tasks
Most of a person's daily work consists of small routine tasks that are spread over the larger projects of the day. By grouping them together and working on them all at once, you can save time and work more efficiently.
- Instead of answering emails every twenty minutes, take two sufficient periods of time and handle all emails in that time. That way, you will be more focused on work without worrying.
- Make all the phone calls at once, and do all the paperwork at once.
Step 4. Set a consistent time to leave the office
Almost everyone arrives at the office at the same time every day. But when busy, they often work overtime in the office and continue to work. When they finally got home, it was very late at night. Designate a normal, less late home time from work. If overtime is not an option, you will definitely maximize your productivity during your working hours.
Let everyone in the office know that you'll be home at a certain time by using an implied signal. Tell them your plans for the evening, or ask them to deliver work materials early because you have to be home on time
Step 5. Avoid unproductive meetings and conversations
Sometimes in the office people don't work as efficiently as you'd like. Don't let their problem be your problem. Be firm and tell rambling coworkers that you should return to work as soon as they tell them what they need.
- Learn to say no. If you're invited to a meeting and don't think it's important, just say you're very busy, or have something else to do and can't attend.
- Let them know you'll be "dropping in" to the meeting, only when you're interested or when you need to attend. Co-workers may not be happy to hear this, but they will respect your work ethic.
- If you must attend, set a clear time for the meeting, for example, about 20 minutes. Or hold a meeting in your office, where you have the authority to stop the meeting when it needs to end.
Method 2 of 3: Method 2 of 3: Save Time with Technology
Step 1. Organize your email inbox
Modern email services offer many ways to maintain a clean and organized inbox. Using filter tools from your email provider can save you the amount of time you spend sorting messages. This way, you won't have to dwell on a sea of junk email either. Gmail, Outlook, Mail.app and most other email services have similar filters to help save time.
- Prevent junk email and chain messages from entering your inbox by setting your email provider to instantly identify and delete them.
- Set up work-related emails to be entered in a special directory automatically.
- Organize the groups or categories you want, such as friends and family, or social media updates. This way, you can quickly find the email you're looking for.
Step 2. Use keyboard shortcuts
Maybe this looks trivial. But once you get used to it, no matter how little, you'll save a lot of time. Whether you're using a Windows operating system or a Macintosh computer, knowing the basic shortcuts and some job-specific shortcuts can save you a lot of work time.
- Some of the most commonly used shortcuts for Windows include: Ctrl+C (to copy the selected file), Ctrl+V (to paste the selected file), and Ctrl+Z (to undo).
- Mac users can use the same shortcut by replacing the Ctrl key with the Command key.
Step 3. Limit your time on social media
Getting caught in the vicious circle of social media is easy, where one page leads to the next and another. There are many things on the internet that can distract from the important things in life. Don't let it bother you. Set a daily limit for social media use. Try surfing for an hour or 30 minutes per day. Set aside a period of time each night or briefly on weekdays, as a break.
- Don't follow too many people on Twitter, Instagram, and other social media forums. That way, the time spent on social media will be less.
- Take small steps to avoid social media. Do not open it while you are eating or while going to bed.
- Advise your friends to reduce the use of social media together. You'd be surprised how quickly you can find other ways to stay in touch.
Step 4. Watch less television
Sitting on the sofa staring at the television is indeed relaxing, especially after a busy day. But this is not a productive use of time. Reducing TV exposure will help save and maximize the time you have. If you want to go even more extreme, you can cut off your cable TV subscription. Besides being able to save money, this method will also make your time more free. Or take small steps, such as only watching one or two favorite shows each week.
- Take advantage of recording technology and save time by skipping ads, for shows you don't want to miss.
- Multitask while watching. Sometimes television shows can be watched casually. Watch while tidying things up or exercising.
Method 3 of 3: Method 3 of 3: Save Time at Home
Step 1. Cook more efficiently
When it comes to cooking, people spend more time than they actually need. So how you cook will make a big difference. This will certainly affect the time you can save every day. The first thing to consider is going to the department store with a plan. Make a list of all the items you need and stick to them. Don't shop during rush hour, and make plans for all meals throughout the week, including lunch and dinner. That way, you don't have to spend time buying additional items separately for a particular meal later.
- Make large portions of your favorite foods and save them. You can enjoy the rest later without spending any more time cooking. Dishes such as rendang, fried chicken, gudeg can usually be cooked in large portions.
- Put a bowl on the table while you cook and use it as a temporary trash can. You can save a lot of time commuting to the trash by collecting everything first and throwing it away when you're done. This method of disposing of waste is very effective.
Step 2. Save time when cleaning the house
Cleaning is like a never-ending chore, because new messes will keep popping up and dust will keep piling up. Do all the housework effectively so you can save time while having a neat home. The best way to do this is to clean up a little bit quickly. Don't spend more than ten minutes tidying up clothes, dishes, old newspapers, etc., and put everything in its place. Do the job every day so you don't have to spend a lot of time cleaning everything thoroughly later. Remember, the best way to stay organized is to always put everything in its place. Follow these rules so that you are more organized and can save time. So next time you don't have to be confused anymore looking for keys in the middle of a messy item.
- When cleaning thoroughly, do it from top to bottom. When you clean the places that are above, the dust will settle to the bottom. Finally, then vacuum it.
- Clean as you pass. Whether you're making the bed when you wake up, or wiping up spilled spices while cooking, cleaning on the go will save you time later. This method is very useful especially in the kitchen and in the bathroom. Spilled items or materials can be easier and quicker to clean before they dry and harden.
Step 3. Complete all financial matters at once
Paying bills and making bank transactions can be complicated and time consuming if not done properly. By taking care of all your bills and financial matters at once, you can avoid confusion and prevent wasting time that could happen later because of having to fix mistakes.
- Combine all the bills as much as possible. Contact your billing service provider and find out if they serve all types of bill payments. Usually they can help pay the telephone, electricity, and water bills.
- Register to be able to pay bills automatically (auto debit). Many institutions have this option, so you can save a lot of time and reduce the stress of missed deadlines.
- Find out if the company you work for offers direct deposit, and sign up if so. So, your need to go to the bank will decrease.
Step 4. Start the day with an efficient morning routine
Don't let lack of sleep ruin your morning. Take simple steps to make your day go according to plan, for example by getting dressed and eating lunch before going to bed at night. Take a quick shower and make an easy breakfast. Making a bowl of cereal certainly won't take much time.
- Take advantage of the self-timer on the coffee maker, to avoid the hassle of setting it up in the morning.
- Ignore technology while you're getting ready. Don't check your e-mail until you get to the office, as that will only annoy you. And don't activate the snooze feature on the alarm.
- Open the curtains and enjoy the natural light. Sun exposure is good for your brain and your circadian rhythm as you wake up in the morning.
Tips
- Put on a watch and watch how long you spend on certain tasks. Limit the time.
- Set deadlines so you don't spend too much time on one particular task.
- Don't procrastinate.
- One of the worst forms of wasting time is repetition. Focus on what you are doing and don't repeat the same process twice.
- Keep track of how long you do certain things, then identify activities that take up time, and work to shorten them.
