How to Budget Your Time and Spend It Wisely
Your time is important. For some people, time is as important as money. While most people are concerned about spending their money wisely, few consider spending their time wisely. By budgeting your time, you may accomplish your goals and enjoy the things that make life worth living. Are you unsure how to get started budgeting your time? Here are a few tips to help you begin.
1. Perform a Time Assessment
One of the main reasons that most people fail to budget their time wisely is that they are unaware of how they spend their time. Take one or two of your busy days each week, and keep a journal of what you do at each point of the day. You may find that you are wasting time with things that are not important or may find ways to consolidate your chores and tasks to get them down more efficiently.2
2. Organize Your Schedule
Organizing your day and the projects to work on helps you stay on track and not waste time deciding what to do next. Find a calendar that allows you to organize each day by time. First, pencil in all the necessary appointments, meetings, pickups, etc. Then, determine which periods you may get chores and tasks done. Be sure not to overschedule yourself and allow adequate time for sleep, meals and downtime.1
3. Set Goals for Each Day
One way to stay on track and make your time work for you is by setting daily goals for what you need to accomplish. Then, create task lists to help you complete each goal. It is vital to remember that goals help you to stay focused during the day, but you should not get down on yourself if you do not complete them. Some items may take longer than expected, but scheduling and planning for them may make accomplishing them easier.1
4. Find Tools to Help You Manage Your Time
Having the proper tools to help you manage your time is essential. Clocks, alarms, calendars, and planners are all tools to help you plan your day and stay on track. If you have tasks that require quiet, consider purchasing noise-canceling headphones. If some of your goals include your at-home work, create a dedicated workspace in your house. Whether it is a room or part of a room, having a specific space allows you to stay better focused and have the tools you need to accomplish your goals at a close hand.2
Your time is precious, and it is important to budget it the way you would your finances. By following the tips above and understanding how you use your time, you may be able to create a schedule that allows you to budget your time wisely and complete your tasks more efficiently.
Important Disclosures:
The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual.
All information is believed to be from reliable sources; however LPL Financial makes no representation as to its completeness or accuracy.
This article was prepared by WriterAccess.
LPL Tracking # 1-05351239.
Footnotes
1 How to Budget Your Time Like You Budget Money, Calendar,
https://www.calendar.com/blog/budget-your-time/
2 How to Budget Your Time In Order to Find Your Balance, HerMoney,
https://hermoney.com/enjoy/wellness/how-to-budget-time-to-find-balance/