Have you ever hoped that your day would have more than 24 hours? Sometimes it feels like we need more time to finish our chores, get ahead on our projects, or just extend the fun. One way to feel like we have more hours in a day is by waking up earlier. You can get so many things done while people are still sleeping. The house is quiet so you can immerse yourself in the task at hand or just do something that fills your cup and gets you ready to start your day on your own terms. 

If waking up earlier is not an option, then another thing that you can do is to manage the time that you do have and make the most out of it. If you don’t tell your time where to go, you will find yourself late at night feeling like you wasted your whole day and didn’t get anything accomplished. In a society where it feels like too many things are competing for our attention, how can we free ourselves enough to set our priorities and make a plan? We need to be intentional with things. Whether it is time, money, the food we eat, or the information that we consume, all those important things need to be managed to be successful.  

Remember that having more control over your time will not only help you to feel more productive but will also give you the space to have more fun without feeling guilty for not taking care of important tasks. You have 86,400 seconds in a day or 1,440 minutes. How you manage your time will determine your priorities. For example, if you want to exercise but you are not allocating the time to actually do the activity, then that is not really a priority. One of the best ways to manage your time is to get a paper planner or to use a digital calendar. You need a space where you can plan your day and decide what needs to be done and at what time. Whether it is a paper planner or just the calendar on your phone, the important thing is to pick what works best for you.  A digital calendar can be easily shared with other family members, so everyone is informed. Some people prefer to use paper planners and write stuff down and check off their to-do list. There are many different varieties in the market that can take care of your needs. 

By managing your time more efficiently, it will help you to feel less stressed. The point is not to fill your day with all the things that you want to do. But to focus on your priorities as well as taking care of your mental health. This also includes doing fun things that replenish your battery and help you be more at peace. Like they say, you can always make more money, but you can never make more time. This makes time your biggest asset!