Last week we explored time management and while we dove into tips on how to best schedule tasks into your day, it can be easy to overlook making space for the things that truly matter to you. Amid a to-do list filled with competing priorities, personal wants often get pushed aside. So how do you prioritise what you want to do, and not just what needs to be done?
Finding time for what brings joy or sparkle into your life is an important aspect of living a balanced life. According to holistic time and energy coach Christie Flora, when the balance tips too far towards the 'have to's' and what others ask of us, it can leave us stressed, overwhelmed and lacking in the sparkle of life.
In her previous session with us, we got her takes on how to organise your time to fit more of what's important to you into your day. Christie said not to expect to find time for your 'want to's', but instead to focus on making time for them. After all, doing what you want to do gives you energy for the other parts of your life. Get more insights by watching Prioritise Your Time with Christie, where she offers a gentle and refreshing take on prioritising tasks to fit more of what matters into your life without adding to your plate.
One way to better prioritise what needs to get done is to use the Eisenhower (Time Management) Matrix. It helps to organise your to-do list by dividing your tasks into four boxes based on the tasks you’ll do first, schedule for later, delegate and delete. It is a tool to sort out your tasks when it seems like they’re never-ending and identify what needs to be done immediately and what can be deleted from your to-do list.
If your task list starts to feel overwhelming, Christie also suggested having a ‘Top 3’ every day to reduce this overwhelm and give yourself focus, clarity and a sense of completion. Each morning ask yourself, what's one 'Have To', one 'Want to', and one thing someone else has asked for. Everything else you get done is a bonus. Find out more about the Top 3 Method and more on Christie’s blog.
As much as you plan, schedule, delegate and delete, distractions and the demands of life can crop up. Sometimes these are unavoidable and you need to adjust, but sometimes you can also say ‘no’. As uncomfortable as it can be, it can be an important part of securing more time and energy for yourself. Don’t forget saying ‘no’ does not mean you are being rude, especially if you are clear, respectful and communicate your needs. Check out our previous session with psychologist Rebecca Lovell for more tips on Communicating with Confidence. You can also offer alternatives like ‘No, not today but I can do it tomorrow’ or ‘I don’t have the capacity to help but I can point you in the right direction.’ Check out Learning the Art of Saying No for more insights and more.
To go back to Christie’s idea of adding sparkle to your life, time management isn’t just about crossing off tasks, it’s about creating more time for what truly lights you up.