10 Time-Saving Habits

This weekend it’s time to spring forward, which means many of us are going to lose an hour. It could be an hour of sleep, an hour of fun, or an hour of getting things done. Regardless, now is a great time to think about ways you can save time on mundane tasks and free up time for the people and activities that give your life meaning. Here are ten habits you can create that will help you save time—not just this weekend but in the weeks ahead.

1. Handle small tasks right away.

When you take care of little tasks as soon as you discover them, you save time remembering they need to get done. For example, create the habit of answering emails as soon as you read them. You’ll save the time of re-reading the email again later.

2. Say no to energy-depleting activities.

Eliminate activities that drain you or create negative feelings such as guilt, anger, sadness, worry or jealousy. Not only are these activities a waste of your precious time, the negative effects spill over into other higher-value tasks…causing those activities to take longer and be less enjoyable. Take note of the activities and people that bring you down, and make it a habit to avoid them.

3. Stop striving for perfect.

Trying to do something perfectly takes extra time and energy. So decide which activities in your life deserve your best effort and then make it a habit to avoid the time suck of perfectionism for less mission-critical tasks. For example, it makes sense to put extra effort in when you’re painting a room you’ll be living in for years but it makes less sense to meticulously fold clothing that is going to be hidden in a drawer.

4. Get up as soon as your alarm goes off.

Just think…if your alarm snooze is set for five minutes and you hit it two times a morning, you can gain over one hour in a week—just by breaking the snooze-button habit!

5. Pick your outfit the night before.

You’ll save time during the time of day when you need it most!

6. Fold as you go.

Make it a habit to not let clean laundry pile up. Instead, fold or hang items as soon as the dryer is done. You’ll have fewer items that need ironing and will save time matching socks. Plus, you’ll eliminate a common source of surface clutter.

7. Don’t buy it if you don’t need it or have the space for it.

Create the habit of only letting items into your home that you truly need and have the space to store. You’ll save time by avoiding clutter and trying to find a spot for unnecessary stuff. Plus, you won’t have to spend time getting rid of it.

8. Eliminate distractions and interruptions.

Clear the clutter from your work area and turn off electronic alarms such as text, social media and email notifications. Creating interruption-free work sessions will make your work more productive and less prone to error, which means you’ll get your work done faster.

9. Write it down.

If it needs to get done, but you can’t do it now, write it down. You’ll save the time and energy of trying to remember, as well as any negative consequences that could come if you forget to do the task.

10. Focus on one thing at a time. (And that goes for this list, too!)

If you’re inspired to create some new time-saving habits, pick one and give it your full attention. It’s a faster path to the finish line…trust me.

The idea behind time management isn’t to rush through your life. Instead it allows you to efficiently and easily handle the mundane so you can savor and enjoy the meaningful things in your life.

What time-saving habits are you going to try? Do you have any to share? Please do so in the comments below.

Happy time saving!