Time Management Tips - Minimalist Addition

I got tired of rushing around from one thing to another. I hate multitasking, and constantly trying to shrink my to-do list only to notice it expanding. (Is it just me, or is it that the more I do, the more I find to do?) I've noticed a huge difference in the quality of my work, my mental health, and my relationships when I slow down and take the time to do one thing at a time. This post is written for the type - A personality who is ready for a change and a simplification of their life. So, sloooow down for just a sec. Let's detox that hustle life!

Tip #1 - Do one thing at a time.

This is a reminder for those of us who tend to have five tabs open at once on our laptop. Try to start a project with intentionality. Try to remove distractions and focus. You may be surprised by how much you get done when you simply do one thing at a time. You could call this "monotasking" instead of "multitasking." When I started doing this I noticed that I needed less sleep and could continue to be productive and motivated much longer. My mental health has also started to improve because I take the time to process the emotions associated with an event before moving on to the next thing.

Tip #2 - Schedule one appointment at a time.

Is this also something that's just me, or do you also struggle with frustration when you have back-to-back appointments on your day off? This is a pet-peeve of mine. I end up going to the doctor and to get my oil changed on the same day, and before long, I've run out of time to also clean the house. This is basically a reminder to pace your appointments. Maybe it really isn't that much of a big deal if the car goes one more week without the oil changed. I always feel less stressed when I do one or two errands per day, rather than squeezing them all in. The appointments never seem to stop, so there's no benefit to squeezing it all in only to squeeze in the same number next week.

Tip #3 - Do a Sabbath from social media.

I'm on a social media partial fast, meaning I'm only on social media on Thursdays. I batch content on that day. The rest of the week, I'm staying off. We will see how long this lasts. At the very least, I want to start taking Sunday as a social media sabbath. This is something I intend to do perhaps for the rest of my life, or at least indefinitely. In fact, I've been leaning into rest on Sundays more and more. My husband and I already do not schedule anything on Sundays. As someone who desperately loves my alone time to recharge and nourish my soul, I find that a sabbath rest is so much richer and more recharging when it involves no screen time on the phone. I also have noticed how my phone distracts me from dealing with emotions. Perhaps you will be surprised by how much surfaces when the phone doesn't distract you from tuning in with what you are thinking and feeling.

It can be difficult to rest when there are tons of things to do to get ready for the coming week though, so I have found that cleaning, meal-prepping, laundry, and any other preparations for the coming week need to get done on Saturday. This helps me not to feel the compulsion to dive into a project during my Sunday sabbath. Some people opt for a different day of the week to take their sabbath. It seems that the important thing is to have a day to linger in God's presence and put the brakes on the busyness.

Tip #4 - Stop explaining yourself to everyone.

This is a process of setting boundaries with people. This involves thoughtfully calculating how much to share, and knowing when someone is crossing a line by giving unsolicited advice. One of my favorite phrases is "no thank you." It's polite and gets the point across with no room for negotiation or window of opportunity for explanation. This works like a charm with telemarketers (unless they're completely out of line.)

My favorite was one such conversation in which a telemarketer asked me if I wanted to lower my electric bill by switching to their supplier.

"You are eligible to receive this lower discount," they basically said.

"No. Thank you," I replied sweetly.

"You are saying you don't want to save money?" they replied, clearly baffled.

"That is correct," I replied with certainty.

They didn't have a come-back for that one.

It's that simple.

Tip #5 - Prioritize the top three projects on your to-do list.

(I am NOT a procrastinator by the way. I'm the type of person who refuses to eat or sleep until the work is done. I've made myself sick because of my determination to push myself. If you are a procrastinator, this may not be helpful to you, but if you tend on the side of being a workaholic, keep reading.)

When I have an entire day off, I like to schedule every single thing I can think of into the day. And just about everything seems so important! I couldn't possibly put it off until next week!

But what I have learned is that I will never get it all done. I will burn myself out trying, and I won't enjoy any of it. So, instead, I have started to prioritize the top three things on the list. I will do those and then force myself to take a break. The rest can happen tomorrow, or next week. It does not need to happen now.

Finally, accept that everything may not get done.

It's okay if things are left until next week. Life will go whatever speed you decide to take it. You set the pace. You choose what to say "yes" and "no" to. Remember, God has given you 24 hours every day. You will accomplish what He has called you to do as you seek Him. Here's a thought - if you feel like you don't have enough time to do everything, you're probably saying "yes" to something that He hasn't called you to do. After all, He would not call you to do more than you are capable of doing.

So take a step back. God doesn't need you to perform at 110% in order for His will to be done and His Kingdom to be built. Your value to God may simply be in your existence. And you can exist to the praise of His glory. As I said in a previous post, don't forget to -

Just Be.

You don't need to panic that you won't get it all done.

He's got this.