Anyone else multitask for EVERY task? Washing the dishes while cooking dinner, only to burn dinner or drop your favorite wine glass… Applying lipstick while driving, only to have to redo it when you get where you’re going because it dried matte all over your chin & have to wipe it off with the stash of Chipotle napkins you’ve been hording…
Yeah, me neither…
Whether you like to admit it or not a lot of us try to multi task too many tasks at once & end up not being the most efficient at either task.
This is where time management comes in.
As you may know, Max & I got our Real Estate licenses last month & have been working our other full-time jobs, as well. This means in our spare time, after or before our 9-5s, we have to work on Real Estate stuff. I’m a little luckier than Max because I sit at a computer most of my work day so I have my emails up but Max can’t do that.
When he gets out of work he is glued to his phone. Returning phone calls, sending emails, looking up properties, etc… He definitely makes the most of his time off the job!
There’s a lot of stuff I can do at my 9-5 but somethings I can’t & I still want to make the most out of my free-time & be productive. Other times I want to be lazy & binge watch Vanderpump Rules…it happens!
Everyone is busy & when we’re not we make time for things we want to do & people we want to see. Sometimes this doesn’t include cleaning or work related tasks, especially when you work from home, it’s easy to be distracted or procrastinate.
Timers & time blocking are your best friends when it comes to being productive & making the most out of your time.
Blocking out time & scheduling certain chores or workouts or projects is the best thing when trying to be more productive. I usually carve out 20 minutes a day whether that’s in the morning or when I get home from work to clean. So I do the dishes, organize, make the bed, etc, whatever I can get done in 20 minutes & sometimes I go a little longer if I can. But I always make sure to do at least 20 minutes. 20 minutes a day adds up & definitely makes it easier to keep your space clean rather than saving it all for one day!
Scheduling a workout in your planner makes you feel more accountable to go rather than just telling yourself you’ll workout today. I always write in my planner fitness classes or just gym time, whether I’m going with a partner or alone it holds me accountable & I mentally & physically have that time blocked out for working out. This way nothing is scheduled in that time & in your mind it’s like an appointment not free time.
With a lot of things don’t try to do more than one thing at once. When I have people over, unless we plan to watch a TV show, I never turn the TV on so I can focus on my guest/guests! Unless I plan to watch TV in general I don’t turn it on. A lot of people will turn it on for background noise but I just find it a distraction & end up sitting down watching whatever is on.
This also goes for working from home. Whether I’m writing a blog post, working on my website or answering texts/emails I don’t have the TV on or I will 100% start watching & not finish the task at hand.
The one thing I can do is listen to music…I listen to music when I clean, read, write, etc. All through High School and college I would always be listening to music blasting in my room or through my headphones (gotta be considerate of the roomies) while doing homework. Somehow it helps me concentrate… If music is a distraction for you to concentrate don’t put any on & find a quiet place to focus. If you’re a library person go there…I am not, libraries are way too quiet for me, when I’d meet study groups there I’d always have my headphones with me!
Don’t waste time using tips that make you distracted. Find what works for you!
Max & I both try to block out about an hour a night after or before dinner to get work done. Max sits in his office in silence. Sitting at a desk helps him focus on work. He’s a background TV on kind of guy, so isolating himself works best to get work done. I have a desk but I sit at a desk all day, so I like to sit on the couch with a fuzzy blanket & glass of wine or I snuggle in bed with my computer & get shit done!
If you have time blocked out & you’re ready to get down to business & just can’t get into it. Whether it’s writers block, reading the same chapter over & over again or something is on your mind & you really can’t focus, stop! Don’t waste your time trying to be productive by just sitting there waiting to be motivated. Go for a walk, go to the gym, call a friend, clean, etc. Do something else productive. I will usually watch TV & get ideas from shows or I’ll go for a walk & clear my head.
Maybe you’re just hungry! When’s the last time you ate & was it substantial. Maybe you need a burger or tacos or an ice cream break!
Make your time work for you! Remember time is money!
Happy !
That’s all…xxTay!