NancyLostinLife

An issue that has plagued me for years is how I use my time. For some time I’ve wanted to use my time more wisely. I want to know I’m getting things done in a day instead of wasting time looking at my phone or some other mindless activity. Time has often felt untameable, this force that I had no control over. I’d sit down for a five-minute break and suddenly an hour went by. One second I’m waking up and what feels like the next second it’s time to go to sleep. It was suffocating to feel like life was flying by with little to show for it.

So as I’ve begun a journey of self-improvement and no longer wallowing, using my time better has been one of my main goals. My first step to achieving this goal has been planning.

I’ve started with an Ultimate To Do list or Master To Do list with long-term tasks and goals to work towards. I printed out a To Do list template via Canva and wrote the list. Now it’s stuck somewhere I’ll see it every day as a reminder of what I’m working toward.

Each Sunday I’m going to plan out the coming week. I’ve been brain-dumping the things I want to complete in the week ahead into a notebook whilst keeping in mind my Ultimate To Do list so I’m always working towards my larger goals. Then I take those weekly lists and assign tasks over the upcoming week.

The main change I’ve implemented is time blocking my day. I remember hearing somewhere that if you have a task to do with no deadline or planned timeline that it can take longer to complete a task. Like liquid moving to fill a whole space you’ll drag out an activity longer with no time constraints. So time-blocking can be used as a way of assigning yourself deadlines and therefore using time more efficiently. It also means I’m aware of how long I’m taking breaks or scrolling on my phone if I’ve put a time limit on my breaks. So, the evening before I will time block my next day and it’s been helping me get a lot more done and focus my time better. I feel a little less out of control of my time but I’m also being flexible when necessary. Perfection is not what we are aiming for, we just want progress. 

Although it can be hard for me not to go slightly extreme when I want to reach a goal, I’ve been quite critical of myself during this process. Also, the internal pressure to be productive every moment has increased my anxiety overall. As I continue on I’ll need to remind myself that all these actions are to improve my life and that perfection isn’t achievable no matter how hard I push myself. 

This week I hope that we can all give ourselves a break from our high expectations whilst making progress in our goals.

Have a lovely week,