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Money, when lost, can still be earned and recovered. But time, once spent, can never be replaced. Save time; it is non-retrievable. 

One time, my nine-year-old daughter asked me what the saying “Time is gold” means. I replied, “Like gold, time is precious so we should use it very well.” Curiously, she followed up with another question, “Mommy, but why is time gold and not a diamond?” To which I muttered, “Both gold and diamond are precious, but diamond, as they say, is forever. Well, time is NOT forever. Time, once wasted, is lost. You can never bring it back.”

That moment harks back to how I use my time. If I am preoccupied most of the day, does it mean I am productive? Am I spending my time well? Or am I guilty for letting it pass me by? Time is a valuable asset at our disposal. If you are like me, feeling like there’s never enough time for everything and wishing there could be extra hours a day, here are a few tips how we can save more time: 

T – TURN OFF SOCIAL MEDIA.

Social media and technology have made our lives easier and more convenient, but they are also costing us time. They can distract and disconnect us from accomplishing our goals.

How many times have you peeked at your phone’s incoming messages or your friends’ latest posts on Facebook while doing a certain task? A quick glance on FB or YouTube is never just a few seconds, right? Let me guess. That glance might have taken a minimum of two hours or more.

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You will definitely save more time if you limit your time on social media. Turn off your gadgets or place them away from your working station so you can focus and finish your work on time.

I – ISOLATE YOURSELF.

It is important to have social interactions as an integral part of achieving a balanced and healthy well-being, but having a “Me time” is also imperative. Make time for yourself once in a while. Set a day where you can just be on your own, away from the hustle and bustle of the urban life.

Focus on the things you rarely do but enjoy such as writing a reflective journal or listening to music, working out, cooking or gardening. Having a solo moment will help you discover more of yourself and get you in touch with your inner compass.

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M – MAKE A TO-DO LIST.

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The best way to optimize time is to have a to-do list or a planner. It will enable you to keep track of time and set your priorities for the day. In my case, I prepare my to-do list the night before. An effective time management tool, like a Pomodoro planner, is one that reflects the specific time allotted for each activity. It gives you a clear picture of how much time you spend productively and how much time you use inefficiently.

Time management experts recommend that we do the most important or difficult task first. Also, they recommend that we provide ample time for a break or recess to rejuvenate. Put a check or any mark on every task you accomplish. Doing this motivates you to finish the next tasks. Once you develop this daily habit, you will be more time-conscious and result-oriented.

 E – ELIMINATE CLUTTER.

A clean and organized working space saves time. Agree?

Eliminating clutter is not only about getting rid of piles of papers on your desks or stashing away junk just to look nice; it is about achieving a lighter, stress-free environment. It’s a time saver when you know exactly where to search for the items that you need.

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I –INSTILL ROUTINES.

Successful people have daily routines. Take the case of Warren Buffett, one of the world’s richest men, who wakes up at 6:45 a.m. and reads at least three newspapers every day. He spends 80% of his day reading books and analyzing the stock market.

Having a solid daily routine makes you feel in control of everything. Knowing exactly what to do from the time you wake up in the morning to the time you retire at night can save you more time and provide you with a sense of direction. You also don’t have to constantly push yourself to do something when you have already ingrained habits or routines in your system. Developing discipline congruent with your goals is a key to your progress and success. As the saying goes, “Success is found in your daily routine.”

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S – SLEEP EARLY. RISE EARLY.

“Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.” Get enough sleep to make you feel supercharged in the morning. Alongside some health benefits, sleeping early and waking up early give you the energy to perform your daily tasks. Feeling tired and sleepy can compromise the quality of your output, resulting in task repetition or zero productivity.

G – GET INSPIRATION.

Get inspired by acknowledging your accomplishments for the day, for the month, and for the whole year. Give yourself a reward for the tasks that you have successfully accomplished, whether big or small.

For instance, if you could save P88 pesos a day or P10,000 a month, you’d have P120,000 savings a year. With this achievement, your motivation is to set more and even higher goals. Also get inspiration from people who have accomplished a lot in life, like athletes who became successful over time through practice and discipline, or a friend of yours who regularly went to the gym and eventually lost weight, or anyone whom you can draw inspiration from. They show us that anything is possible and achievable if we know how to make use of time to our advantage.

O – OPTIMIZE TIME.

How many times have you been stuck in traffic? waited at the airport terminals or bus stations? endured a long queue when paying bills? Boring, isn’t it? Our goal is not just to overcome boredom but also to avoid wasting time. While waiting in line, you may squeeze in reading a book, responding to emails on your phone, listening to music, or tuning in to the radio for the latest news. Optimize your time by converting idle time into productive time.

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L – LIMIT TIME DEMANDS.

Say “no” nicely to an invitation, a favor, a demand, or a message that you think will deviate you from your scheduled tasks. Set limits to the time when people or work can demand from you. Check first with your schedule before agreeing to go out or taking additional work. Our time is valuable and saying no to less important things enables us to spend time on the more important ones. 

D – DELEGATE TASKS.

While it seems we can do things by ourselves, it wouldn’t hurt to ask some people for help. When you delegate certain tasks, you allow people around you to work faster and more easily, thus giving yourself time to focus on your passion, your strengths, and the most important things in your life. 

COMMITMENT TO SAVE TIME

There are other ingenious ways to save time. Find those that practically work best for you. Just remember that time is valuable, and how we use it determines our future success. Commit to save time by starting today. We all have 86,400 seconds a day and every second counts, so keep moving!

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