Kathy Hamilton How to find time to do everything. That’s the questions, isn’t it? We all have jobs, interests and obligations but sometimes it feels like we’re being encouraged to add more and more to our plate. The thing is who actually has time to do it all? We all
This isn’t going to be the type of blog post where I show you an itemised list of things you could theoretically cram into your day. Starting from 5.30am wake up (shudder) and finishing with a midnight bedtime.
Instead, I thought I’d explore the idea behind “how to find time to do everything” and what it implies. What constitutes everything anyway? For me, it’s a combination of Necessary Tasks (Work, Chores, Relationships) + Personal Projects (Hobbies, Self-Improvement, Naps!) When we can find a balance between these things, we are on the way to really “having it all”. So, how do we do it?
Seize the “Fringe Hours”
We could all do with a few more hours in the day? Am I right? When life is full, it can be hard to see how to find time to do everything. Especially all those extra little things that you actually want to do! This is where the concept of “Fringe Hours” comes in. I have a whole post inspired by the book of the same name about this concept. But basically, fringe hours are the little minutes of empty time we all have in our day.
Standing in a long queue? Why not read that chapter of a book you’ve been meaning to read? Having a shower? Throw on a podcast too. Make these otherwise “wasted” minutes into opportunities for me time. It’s amazing how much more you can fit into a normal day when you start looking at the time in between non-negotiable tasks as opportunities for fun.
For example, I always try to go for a walk or read a few chapters of a book during my lunch break. In order to accommodate this I usually eat something like soup or a sandwich which I can eat absent-mindedly whilst I read. Whilst seizing a few minutes here and there may not seem ideal, when you recognise their collective potential over time, you’ll begin to see their worth.
Stop Measuring Time in Days
Which brings us nicely onto my next point. When we ask ourselves how to find the time to do everything, we’re often limiting our thoughts to single days. 24 hours to eat, sleep, work, exercise, socialise, do housework, read, watch that must-see show… It’s exhausting! No wonder so many of us feel burnt out at the mere thought of everything we need to get done in a day.
Instead, try to measure time in weeks. When you think that you have 7 days, or 168 hours, to find time to do everything it eases the pressure somewhat. I mean, that’s a lot of fringe hours right there. Additionally, when you measure time in weeks, you’ll be less likely to get annoyed when a really busy or bad day throws out your best-laid intentions. One bad day out of seven doesn’t equal no time to do anything, it’s actually a pretty great ratio!
Embrace a Whole Life Perspective
Finally, we can extrapolate this idea even further. When it comes to answering the question of how to find time to do everything, why not embrace a whole life perspective? When I graduated, it wasn’t the “inspiring” speech from the guest speaker that stayed with me. It was the woman, roughly in her mid-70s, who got up on stage to accept her degree.
What was the point? You might think. What was a pensioner going to do with an English degree? But to me, it was so inspiring. I spent a lot of time imagining the life this woman must have led. The twists and turns that had finally brought her to this moment.
It changed my attitude for life, and maybe it will work for you. There’s a phrase that gets used a lot online called “embrace the seasons”, I’m not really fond of it but I do think it works as a metaphor here. Sure, you don’t have time to do that thing but you know what? Life is in constant flux and you will have time for it eventually.
The Secret of How to Find Time to Do Everything
The biggest lesson about how to find time to do everything is to stop trying to do everything all at once. It’s physically impossible and will lead to burn out. When you embrace a whole life perspective you can say “Okay, right now these three things are my priority…but who knows what will change in a few weeks/months/years.”
