Doing More In Less Time
An intriguing thought, isn’t it? If you just can’t seem to get ahead, then ultimately, you need to inventory where the bottle neck is.
This just isn’t about using your time more efficient
Table of Contents
- Looking at time differently
- Breaking to-dos into smaller bites
- Speed, the name of the game
- Be efficient with listening/learning time
Looking at time differently
In my article, “Desperation… The Panic of Lost Time, Dreams & Goals” the category of time is a great source of anxiety for me.
Finding more time isn’t just about doing things faster and more efficiently. It’s about how our brains perceive time.
For example, if I have an undesirable task that will take 10 to 20 minutes, I will avoid it. Some of the tasks are not so bothersome. Just the other morning, I needed to order something online, but it involved some research time.
If you know me by now, I have a real problem going down rabbit holes when it comes to researching something. I actually love to jump in and study something – I dislike the time suck it causes.
That online purchase was slipped in 30 minutes before going to work.
Is this tricking your brain? Yes, completely. But we need every trick in the book we can use.
-Renee’s Rabbit Hole
Let’s not overlook that our concept of time is poor. We may be way off in what we think how long a task should take. It’s crazy, but poor time management can even be the reason for our procrastination.
Dr. Tracey Marks, in her video “How To Master Time Management” suggests that we need constant access to time pieces. She suggests having watches and clocks on the wall where you spend the most time. This could even be making sure you have a clock in your bathroom, to make sure you get out the door in the morning on time.
Tracking how long tasks really take can be an eye-opener. It reveals where the time wasters are. It can also reveal in blaring black and white how you over-schedule yourself because you don’t realize how long things take (or why you’re late to work in the morning!).
And don’t forget to factor in time for transitions in between tasks! This could be 5 or 10 minutes. Another strategy: tackle your ugliest to-dos in the morning when you have the most energy. It’s just asking for trouble delaying them at the end of the day.
Making most of the “in between”
I’ve had excellent luck sneaking tasks in “freebie” pslots. These are spots that are too brief for a bigger project, but just long enough for small to-dos.
For that online purchase, I was late getting to my job (but luckily my job is flexible). The bonus, it pushed me to make a faster decision, gaining back more time. It’s like a double-win for me!
Is this tricking your brain? Yes, completely. But we need every trick in the book we can use. Dr. Tracey Marks explains “leaving things undone chips away at your motivation and self-esteem. By complete something, even if it’s a small task, is very satisfying and motivating in itself.
Here are other ideas for making the most of those time fragments:
| FRAGMENT TIME | TASK |
|---|---|
| Standing in wait lines or at doctor’s office. | Research something on phone or clean off photos, read a book (or ebook on phone). |
| Waiting on someone else before heading out the door. | Unload dishwasher, tidy up, send a quick email. |
| After work. | Get ready for a party! (see below) |
| Breaks at work. | Take a walk. |
| Transitioning between projects. | Do some mindful breathing or stretches. |
| Driving time. | Micro-learn: listen to audio book or short podcast. |
| Waiting for someone to return phone call. | Watch a short tutorial, clean, tidy. |
I think you get the picture. Filling unused moments leaves more time for bigger projects, or just fun time. Completing tiny tasks builds momentum. They can even reduce stress and procrastination because you’re not facing that big project all at once.
Breaking to-dos into smaller bites
By the way, creating a sense of urgency really kicks your brain into gear. One of my kids would have had a graduation party during COVID, but we did a drive-through elsewhere. Cleaning for big events is when those irksome projects get completed. I missed out on that.
Anyway, I was faced with hosting a party, and little time to prepare for it. There were some small improvement projects I really wanted to tackle.
I decided to complete a task each evening after work. That would have been time sitting on the couch watching TV.
So often, I think I need a full, uninterrupted Saturday for some of these projects. The truth is, Saturdays lack boundaries. There is a good chance that I will turn a to-do into something bigger than it needs to be.
Speed, the name of the game
From speed dating to speed reading, doing things faster leaves time for the more important stuff in life.
Here are a few tasks you can speed up to free up more time for things that matter:
- Email & Messaging Efficiency: Set up templates for common responses and use voice-to-text for quick replies.
- Speed Cleaning: Focus on high-impact areas (like countertops and floors) and use multi-purpose cleaners for faster results.
- Smart Meal Prep: Batch cook meals, opt for simple recipes, and use kitchen gadgets (like slow cookers or air fryers) to streamline cooking.
- Automating Recurring Tasks: Use automatic bill payments, subscription deliveries, and calendar reminders to eliminate unnecessary manual work.
- Streamlined Decision-Making: Reduce choices for daily routines (e.g., a simplified wardrobe) to cut down on decision fatigue.
- Efficient Exercise: Swap long workouts for high-intensity interval training (HIIT) or mix movement into your day with short, frequent bursts.
- Speedy Shopping: Buy online, use grocery pickup/delivery, and stick to a list to avoid time-consuming browsing.
- Delegation & Outsourcing: Hand off tasks when possible—whether it’s home chores, work responsibilities, or errands.
- Optimized Commuting: Listen to audiobooks or podcasts, plan routes to avoid traffic, or work remotely when possible.
Time saved here can be invested elsewhere—in your passions, relationships, or simply a well-deserved moment of rest!
Be efficient with listening/learning time
I focused a little more on this, because of the great opportunities for efficiency. So many of us consume knowledge at a great rate, but not a fast rate.
If you listen to audiobooks, podcasts, or Youtube videos during travel or leisure time, take advantage of improving that time. The benefit is having more time for more media consumption.
It’s OK for media consumption to be low-level entertainment, we all need those brainless moments to recharge. I do believe our brains love to learn – in this case, being efficient leaves more time to take in more insights.
Multi-task your audio
These days, there are so many options to listen to books online – or podcasts or radio. But if you were planning to read a book, think of the time saved listening to it while driving or walking to get exercise.
You can do it on the cheap, too. Even Youtube features recorded audiobooks. I was pleased to find out that local libraries can set you up with HULU and other online sources for both ebooks and audiobooks – all free.
Listen to summaries
Guess what? The same place that can provide paid or free audio offers summaries of books! I have to say this is a game changer for folks like me who would read every book if they could. Platforms like Blinkist.com condense the key idea into 15 minutes – now that saves time!I
I discovered that the HULU service has condensed versions of books, too. Take advantage of it!
Increase playback speed
One of my common time-saving strategies is to choose a play back speed on Youtube videos. A lot of people forget about this feature.
My endless appetite for content needs to have some type of cap on it. Then I found out about playback speed. This is a godsend when it comes to long, boring videos that I really do need to get through (especially for slow speakers/narrators).
It’s just a way of life now. I mean, who’s got time to trudge through a normal speed video or podcast, when I can just get on with it. Honestly, it makes me feel powerful, like I actually have my act together ;).
