We all know that feeling of being absolutely exhausted at the end of a long day. As women, we tend to wear many hats and are constantly juggling different roles. Whether we’re taking care of our families, running businesses, or teaching classes, it can be tough to find time to take care of ourselves. When we’re tired, it’s easy to let things slide and become time (to include energy) wasters without even realizing it. However, there are some simple tips we can all follow to help reduce time wasters and make the most of our time and resources. Here are a few suggestions:
1) Take breaks during the day to refresh yourself – even if it’s just for a few minutes. Get up and move around, drink some water, or step outside for some fresh air.
2) Plan ahead – avoid last-minute rushes by planning your day/week in advance as much as possible. This will help you stay organized and on track while also reducing stress levels.
3) Don’t overcommit – saying “no” is not only ok, but necessary sometimes! If you have too many commitments on your plate, it will be difficult (if not impossible) to give your 100% to each one. Prioritize what is most important and let go of anything that isn’t serving you well.
4) Automate when possible – with technology today, there are so many ways to automate tasks that take up valuable time (think: social media scheduling tools, online bill pay, etc.). Free up your mental space by letting go of these menial tasks so you can focus on more important things.
5) Delegate when possible – related to #4 above, don’t be afraid to delegate tasks to others who can help you out! Ask your spouse/partner for assistance at home; utilize interns or virtual assistants for work-related tasks; hire a babysitter so you can have some “me time”; etc. By following these tips and making small changes in our daily routines, we can reduce energy wastage significantly! What other ideas do you have? Share in the comments below!
Educate yourself about the different types of time wasters
Self-care includes taking the time to educate yourself about the different types of energy wasters. How much time do we waste by not staying focused on our priorities? As self-awareness increases, so does the power to change unhealthy habits, like wasting energy. Taking a self-assessment is a simple way to get started in optimizing your own energy. This can help you identify what steps need to be taken next, and how you can start being more mindful of your time and energy.
Make a list of all the time wasters in life and business
Working in business, feeling overwhelmed and tired? It may be time to look at what’s draining your energy. Research shows that there are a variety of things that can be compromising your enthusiasm and success day after day. From skimming emails, getting lost on scrolling social media, arguing with coworkers over projects, team meetings taken up by meaningless conversations, and performance reviews that produce nothing more than frustration – the list of possible sources for draining energy is often longer than we’d like. If you’re ready to fight off fatigue and experience increased productivity within an energized workspace, it’s time to start pinpointing those sources of zapping and take steps toward fixing them!
Find ways to reduce or eliminate each time waster
How often do false urgencies derail our focus on the most important tasks? Taking a few moments each day to prioritize our daily tasks helps to eliminate false urgencies, placing self-care back in focus. With these initiatives consistently at the forefront of our minds, we can find ways to reduce or eliminate each time waster, improving our results with optimizing productivity. Let’s all make it a priority today!
Implement your self-care plan
It’s important to know what’s essential and making clear decisions that bring you closer to feeling good. That’s why setting aside time to develop a personalized self-care plan is the best way for your wellbeing. It might include taking time out of each day for yourself, making sure you have alone time, scheduling regular check-ups with healthcare professionals, or making time for fun activities. When you start taking care of yourself first, everything else in your life starts to fall into place and you’ll be better equipped for making decisions about what matters most.
Now that you understand the different types of time wasters, it’s time to get rid of them so you can take your business to the next level. Make a list of all the time wasters in your life and business and find ways to reduce or eliminate each one. Once you have removed the time wasters, implement your self-care plan so you can maintain a healthy work/life balance.
If you want to learn more about normalizing healthy productivity over hustle, join our All in Flow email community at https://lenitacornett.gumroad.com. You’ll receive weekly tips and resources to help you create an abundant and flourishing life and business.
XO
Lenita
Your Success Strategist & Wellbeing Mentor/Facilitator
Elevating Ease for Women Who Lead 