Time Management: My 6 Favorite Tips and Tricks

I wanted to share some time management tips that have been the biggest help to me managing my schedule instead of my schedule managing me.

Time management is such a tricky thing, isn’t it?

We want to fit all the things into each day, but we never have enough time.

In an effort to offer some encouragement, I thought I’d share my favorite tips to reach goals yet keep your sanity.

I’ve learned if I squeeze nothing but productivity out of my days I become drained and exhausted.

But, if I let my schedule run wild I look back and realize I didn’t get anything done.

Whether you battle with procrastination and wasted time or you’re exhausted and struggling with burnout – we can all benefit from a few time management tools.

I’ve learned a few over the years and I wanted to share the tips and tricks that have been the biggest help to me.

These tips and tricks have helped me learn to manage my schedule instead of letting my schedule manage me.

I decided to use images of all the little goals I’ve been able to accomplish using these tips as the visual for this blog post.

Disclosure: There are some affiliate links below, but these are products I recommend. I won’t put anything on this page that I haven’t verified and/or personally used.

Time Management | Practices to Start Doing

Time Management | Use a Calendar/Planner

I received a planner as a gift from my husband a couple of years ago.

Now don’t worry, I asked for it.

So he didn’t get in trouble about it haha.

When I opened it I could hardly stay on the first page!

I wanted to flip through the entire thing and read it all!

Wait?!

What?!

Did I just say I was going to read a planner?

Yes! Yes, I did!

This planner is no ordinary planner.

It’s the Business Boutique Goal Planner by Christy Wright.

In this planner, Christy gives helpful info on reaching your goals for the year while providing plenty of space for you to schedule all activities.

To-Do lists.

Events.

Family Time.

Self-Care.

This is by far my favorite planner.

Time Management |Learn Your Goals/Priorities

I’ve seen in myself that when I don’t know what my goals are, I’m absolutely terrible at time management!

I need to know what I am aiming for, whether it’s to get all the laundry done or finish painting the chicken coop in our cottage garden.

I’ve found knowing my priorities is the most important aspect of time management.

This goal planner is wonderful for time management because it helps you clearly layout goals.

Christy gives you space in January to identify 5 large goals for the year and then each week you’re given space to identify weekly tasks to accomplish these goals.

But there are also spaces for tasks to take care of your family, and yourself.

I’m terrible at self-care.

Can anyone else relate?

It’s a constant battle for me to slow myself down and ensure I’m not overdoing it.

I’m not sure who first said this, but when I heard it, it hit me hard

How you spend your time and money shows what’s important to you.

What a self-check huh?

Time Management | Break Down Goals into Smaller Tasks

Once I know my goals I can break them down into the smaller and more manageable tasks that need to be accomplished in order to reach the goal.

Examples:

Goal:
Clean Girls Bathroom

Tasks:
Pick up toys
Scrub Toilet
Clean Bathtub
Wipe Mirror
Clean Sink
Sweep Floor
Mop Floor

Goal:
Hang Wall Rack for Pots & Pans

Tasks:
Choose Wood
Clean Wood/Sand Rough Edges
Wipe off sand particles with a tack cloth
1st Coat of Primer
2nd Coat of Primer
1st Coat of Paint
Mark and Drill Holes to Hang on the Wall
Mark and Screw-in Hooks
Screw Wall Racks to the Wall
Fill Screw Holes
Touch up paint

In the examples above I’ve done a breakdown of the different goals I’ve accomplished recently.

But I didn’t necessarily reach the goals just by writing the goal in the goal planner.

I took the goal and broke it down into smaller and more manageable tasks.

After I see the tasks then I assign each task to a specific time on a specific day.

This seems like a really detailed step, but it has been hugely helpful for me.

I don’t get overwhelmed by projects the way I used to.

It also helps create a realistic expectation for the length of time a goal will take to accomplish.

Time Management | Create an Ideal Day Template

My husband likes the Full Focus Planner by Michael Hyatt.

In this planner, he suggests literally giving every minute a name.

It seemed so silly at first.

Almost unrealistic really.

How could I possibly plan my entire day from the time I wake up to the time I go to bed?

It isn’t easy.

But I’ve found that the most valuable things in my life tend to be the things that aren’t easy.

For this exercise, you simply block out your entire day into 30-minute increments, then write what you want to accomplish in each block of time.

Time Management | Analyze Where Your Time is Going

I decided to take Christy Wright’s advice and do time tracking.

She suggests doing this to see what’s stealing your time on any given day.

It’s almost like creating an ideal day but instead of intentionally giving every minute a designated activity, you just write down how you spent your time that day.

Doing this in real-time is the best and most revealing way to do it.

Oh, my word!

This was so insightful for me!

I was on my phone ALL the time!

Which was a funny discovery because I’ve always been so adamantly against screen time.

I couldn’t believe how much of my day was spent aimlessly scrolling!

Time Management | Say “No!”

This is something I am terrible at.

But I’m learning and getting better.

I actually heard someone created a list of ways to say no, without actually using the word “No”.

I never looked it up, but maybe it would be helpful haha!

My greatest struggle with saying no is mostly related to the idea that just because I COULD do something, doesn’t mean that I SHOULD do something.

Christy Wright talks about priorities being in a pyramid, not a line.

Some of the activities we do fall above or below other activities in this priority pyramid.

This idea has transformed the way that I make my decisions.

When I look at my priority pyramid, I can usually tell which activity is higher on the pyramid than the other.

It makes the decision completely objective and unemotional.

By creating a priority pyramid it has helped me take the “feelings” out of saying no to different activities.

Since I’m such an emotional woman, this was literally game-changing for me!

Time Management | Practices to Stop Doing

Time Management | Limit Screen Time

This is a hard one.

I mean, I thought I was good on screen time.

I didn’t think I watched too much TV or spent too much time scrolling for no reason.

But after I did the time-tracking exercise, I realized I definitely had room to improve here.

Ways to cut back on screen time

1. Lose the TV
We have removed one TV and are VERY close to removing a second!! That means we would only have 1 TV in this house!

2. Get an app that tracks your screen time
This is something that I’ve heard is helpful for simply realizing how much of your time is going to your phone.

3. No screen time before bed
My husband and I implemented a “no screens while in bed” rule a while ago. Sadly we’ve slipped back into the habit, but trust me, we are reinstituting this effective immediately!

I hope that these are helpful time management tools for you.

I have been extremely blessed by putting them into practice.

It’s not an exaggeration to say that these tips and tricks have transformed my life and how I reach my goals.

Although, the most surprising thing I’ve learned is that I don’t have to be spontaneous or extravagant about family time.

I simply schedule “play with girls” for specific time slots and when I get to that part of my day, whatever I’m doing MUST STOP.

It’s on the schedule!

By doing this I’m able to make sure I fit things into each day like these fun boho garden parties with the girls.

One last piece of advice as you walk this out: GIVE YOURSELF GRACE!

I’ve yet to have a day go exactly as planned.

But with a plan, my day looks a whole lot better than it does without one!

For more wonderful info from Christy Wright click HERE to visit her website! She is absolutely wonderful and I’ve learned so much from her!

Pin for Later!

Don’t forget to head over to Facebook or Instagram to see our day-to-day fun!

Also, make sure you follow along on Pinterest to check out all the other inspiration I’ve been pinning!

Have a great week! XoXo

Open Your Doors,
Aliya

If you missed it, make sure you head to the top or bottom of this page and sign-up to join Open Doors Open Hearts!

You’ll be the first to find out all that’s going on over here and you’ll get decor and DIY inspiration!