Spend Your Time Wisely: A Simple Guide to Better Days

How do you spend your time every day?

Think about it.

Do you feel like you’re using your time well, or does it seem to slip away?

Are you doing the right things to move you closer to your goals or do they seem to be just as far away as they were 3 months ago?

Many people spend their time like they spend their money, and sometimes, that can be a problem.

Why Your Time Matters

Time is precious. You only get 24 hours each day, and you can’t save it for later.

How you use your time affects your life a lot.

Some people think it’s strange to be careful about how they spend their time, but I think its necessary.

Why?

Because how most of us spend our time sucks!

What Is "Normal" Time Use?

When we look at what’s “normal,” we see a pattern that isn’t always good. Here’s how many people spend their time:

• Watching TV for 3 hours a day: That’s a lot of TV! Instead of binge-watching half a season of whatever new show is out, think about what you could do in those 3 hours instead that could increase your True Wealth.
• Absorbing propaganda on "news" shows: Doesn't matter where on the political spectrum you fall, all mainstream news is bought and paid for by advertisers and the government. Would you hang with a friend that lied to you half the time? Then why do you watch it?
• Doomscrolling on social media for 2.7 hours a day: Scrolling through social media doesn’t help you feel good. Research and common sense backs this up. I'm not saying you have to go cold turkey on social media, but cutting your time down by 50% can change your life.
• Wasting time with people who don’t share your values: Spending time with people who don’t support your goals or have similar values can hold you back. We end up like the 5 people we spend the most time with. Choose them carefully.

If this is how most people spend their time, it’s no wonder most people are struggling with money problems, anxiety and finding meaning.

If you want different results, live differently!

Make the Most of Your Time

You have about 18 hours each day when you’re awake.

It’s important to make those hours count. Here’s a simple way to do that:

1. Know Your Values and Goals: What matters to you? What do you want to achieve? Write it down so it’s clear.
2. Break Down Your Day: Think of your day in 15-minute chunks. This makes it easier to see how you use your time.
3. Plan Your Nights (5pm-9pm): These hours are the most wasted, but they can be very productive. Plan them carefully.

Steps to Spend Time Wisely

1. Start with a Plan

Each morning or the night before, plan what you will do the next day.

Include your work, rest, and fun activities.

Planning helps you focus on what’s important and prevents wasted time.

A simple to-do list or a planner can be very helpful.

2. Set Priorities

Eat the frog!

That means decide what’s most important and most difficult and do those things first.

This way, even if you don’t get everything done, you’ve done the most important things that move to you towards your goals.

3. Limit Distractions

Distraction is the greatest enemy we face when it comes to getting what we truly want in life.

It can take away a lot of your time.

Put your phone out of arms reach and on Do Not Disturb when you’re working on something important.

Turn off the TV if you’re trying to read or work.

Let people around you know when you need some quiet time to focus.

4. Use Small Chunks of Time

Have 10 minutes before your next task?

Use it to read a book, tidy up a room, or practice a hobby.

Really want to get crazy? Sit down and just spend a few minutes with breathing exercises like the 4-7-8 Technique. 

By using a few minutes a day that doesn't have a purpose, you can make big strides towards the life you want.

5. Reflect on Your Day

At the end of the day, think about what you did.

Did you spend your time well? What can you do better tomorrow?

Reflecting helps you understand your habits and make better choices in the future.

My favorite thing in my house is my whiteboard because I write down what 3-5 things I'm going to do the next day to take more tiny steps towards my goals.

6. Make Time for Rest and Fun

What's the point of life if we don't do some living?

Cut out doing things you don't want to do that aren't aligned with what you want.

Then spend some of that free time on rest and fun!

My family takes Sundays totally off.

No emails. No social media. No chores. It's awesome. Try it!

The Big Takeaway

Spend money like you spend time and it'll change your life like it did mine almost instantly.

You have complete control over your time, even if you don't think so, you do.

But many times, we allow others to control how our time is spent because we are scared of confrontation and imagined consequences. 

That doesn't mean you don't control your time, it just means it's not important enough to you to try and get it back.

It's the most precious resource we have and we don't know how much of it we do have.

Protect it at all costs and design the life you want with it.