Ways to Make Habits that Save you Time


Posted on 04. Dec, 2015 by By Jim Estill

1. Use Every Minute.

Efficient people use every minute. There’s no such thing as waiting time. You can use waiting time to make a quick call, or do a small task. For instance, why not empty the dishwasher while you are waiting for your toast to pop up in the morning?

As Thomas Edison said, “Everything comes to him who hustles while he waits.”

2. Be Prepared.

If you know that you will have wait times, then choose to be prepared to fill those waiting times. Carry a book with you.If you are not a big reader, consider doing other things during your wait time. Bring your call list, your blackberry, or your stationery.

3. Make Associations.

Sometimes the best way to get a task done is to always associate it with another task. For instance, if you never remember to water your plants, make it an association with something else. You could, for instance, choose to water your plants while your favourite TV show is on: this means that your plants get watered once a week, and you’re not sedentary on the couch for an entire half hour or hour.

4. Track Yourself.

The key to making successful time management habits is to be aware of them. If you know what you are doing frequently and repetitively, you will be able to change these habits. Often, it is difficult to track the things that we might do on autopilot: for instance, perhaps when you come home, you automatically take your shoes off and leave them in the doorway. If later on in the day, you have to come back and put the shoes in the closet, you are wasting time. You could have saved that time by simply putting them away in the first place. Try to keep a log of what you do for a few days to see where you spend your time.

At first it might seem that you aren’t making progress with your habits. Remember, it takes 21 days to create a habit. So consistently stick with your habits. They will help you in the long-run. Forming habits for success now will benefit you in all aspects of your life, in the immediate present, and in the days and years to come!