Did you know that lack of time is the number one reason for not exercising or indulging in not-so-healthy foods? I understand that time constraints may be a real problem, especially when you have a very busy life. However, waiting for an opportunity to have more time in order to engage in healthier behaviors is not a realistic option. The truth is that as we grow older, life tends to get more complicated (job, marriage, kids, and so on). Finding time to exercise and eating healthy may become a big challenge. Don’t blame your (lack of) willpower for all the New Year’s resolutions that you didn’t fulfill when the actual problem may be time management.
Taking over control of your time is a freeing experience. It means that you will finally be able to do things that you were postponing forever. Don’t worry; I’m not suggesting that you should quit your job and move to the Caribbean. All you need is a plan of action that accommodates your needs. However, do you know your needs?
To assess your current lifestyle needs, try doing this exercise for a week. Every night before going to bed, sit down and write your plan for the next day. Start by listing all the activities you usually do every day: prepare/eat breakfast, get ready to work, drive to work… The more complete your list, the better. Afterwards, list the things you must do that day such as picking up clothes at the dry-cleaner, going grocery shopping, etc. Finally, write down the activities you’d like to do such as working out or preparing a homemade meal.
Next, go over your list, determining the priority for each activity. You could divide the activities into three levels of priority: priority-one to the most important tasks, priority-two to somewhat important tasks, and priority-three to the least important tasks. Then, using a calendar or daily planner, allocate each activity (starting with the priority-one tasks) in the appropriate time slot. Be realistic and take into account time for commuting and waiting, for example. If you run out of time before you are done with your list, adjust your plan. Maybe you’ll realize that some activities can be pushed to another day or that some tasks may be delegated. Your goal is to create a plan that is realistic and achievable.
The following night before you plan the next day, take some time to reflect on your previous plan. How did it go? Did you accomplish everything you had planned? If not, what went wrong? Look for the real reasons. Did you underestimate the time required for a certain activity, or did something else come up? This is an important step to help you adjust your future plans and to improve your time-management skills. Be careful not to use lack of time as an excuse. There is a big difference between “I didn’t go to the gym because I didn’t have time” and “I didn’t go to the gym because I was tired, but I’m using time as an excuse.” I’m sure you know the difference.
Following are a few tips to adjust your schedule to your needs.
- Allocate time for yourself – Let’s face it. We can’t make more time to exercise (or to cook), but we can reserve time for it. The truth is that if you don’t reserve time to pursue your goals, you will never achieve them. Therefore, assign time-slots on your calendar for pursuing your goals. Keep in mind that it doesn’t have to be 60 minutes nonstop. You may distribute the time throughout your day. For example, if your goal is to exercise 30 minutes per day, you may break it down into two smaller sessions of 15 minutes each. Another important thing to have in mind is that this time should be rated as priority-one, meaning that unless someone is dying, you shouldn’t give it up.
- Break down big tasks into small, manageable steps – There are some activities that we tend to postpone because they take up too much time. The good news is that, if you think carefully, most activities can be broken down into smaller tasks. For example, you could divide your household chores into smaller tasks such as dusting, vacuuming, doing the laundry, and so forth. Another option would be separating the cleaning by rooms. Instead of doing all the chores in one day, you could perform one or two small tasks every day.
- Ask for help – Sometimes we get overwhelmed simply because we think we should handle everything by ourselves or because we are afraid to ask for help. Focus your efforts on activities that must be done by you (such as exercising!), and delegate everything else. Ask your husband to do the dishes while you prepare the meal, and/or request your kids to clean up their own room.
- Know when to multitask – No, I’m not telling you to eat at your desk in order to get that project done. Some activities require our undivided attention; eating is one of them. But this doesn’t mean that you can’t hop on the treadmill while returning calls, watching the news, or pre- cutting vegetables while catching up with a friend. Also, you may want to use that waiting time to do something more productive than sitting on your butt. (How about walking while you wait for your kids at soccer practice?)
- Create if/then plans – Sometimes things won’t go as planned, which can mess up your schedule. When this happens, you have two options: you can get cranky and reach for the ice cream box or you can use a plan B. Developing strategies to overcome roadblocks is a valuable tool. It not only helps you to stay on track, but also boosts your self-confidence. Here a few examples. No time to hit the gym? No problem. Go for a walk after dinner or have a DVD workout available. Trying to improve your eating habits? Have handy quick and easy recipes to avoid take outs and fast food when you are short on time.
- Optimize your routine – It is amazing how much time is wasted during daily activities just because we don’t plan in advance. This may mean driving to the store twice because you forgot something on the first trip. A shopping list might have saved you time. In addition, running errands may require driving all over town. However, if you plan in advance, you may come up with a smart route that saves you time and gas.