5 Ways to Get Yourself More Time in a Day

We have all wished that we have more time in a day, haven't we? In our fast-paced ever demanding lifestyle, there are just too many things to be done and 24 hours simply isn't enough. However, as much as I'd like to meddle with the rules of the mechanics of time, there isn't a magic formula to buy yourself more time to add on to your scarce 24-hour day. Nope, not even a millisecond. Then how, you may ask. The answer is to harvest all the wasted time in the day. Wasted, because they are those needless chunks of the second needle ticking that we ignorantly add to our mundane routine. Wasted chunks of preparation time, in fact. And I'm not only referring to the ritual of getting ready for the day, but of things we do to prep ourselves for the things on our to-do list. Therefore, here are some time-saver tips that will leave you with more time for productivity at the end of the day.

Do all that thinking and deciding in the shower
Do you know that we spend many wasted minutes thinking and deciding the unimportant things in life? What should I wear today? What should I cook later? Should I grab the laundry first or pay the bills first? And that's basically where some precious minutes get wasted when the rhythm of our day stands still for a little while before we make up our minds and get back into motion. So do all that in the shower. Or do it while driving to your next destination(only if it's a regular route). Basically, do them while you're performing your habitual daily ritual as your body will manage itself without you actively telling it to, hence, leaving you more brain space for to think. If you wanna up the level, yes you could even do a little brainstorming for that thesis paper you need to write or for that project at work.

Have a notepad and pen at your disposal at all times
For when an idea hits, or when you're suddenly reminded of something that needs doing, or for a random thought that you know you wanna remember, etc. Write them down. Then you would not have to keep willing yourself to not forgot them and keep going through them in your mind, and in the process, slowing you down.

And note that I said notepad instead of cellphone. That's to prevent yourself from 'just opening the notepad app' to 'let me check my Facebook status at the same time' or 'my New York Times news ticker just flashed something interesting.' You know you'd be tempted to. And there goes the minutes.

Make your to-do list at night
Why spend your morning bogged down by the 'task' of planning what you need to do for the day, but instead jump straight into the getting-them-done mode? Not to mention that you'd probable be still half-awake in the morning, thus making your planning take longer than necessary. High chances are, you would be infected with the dreamy vibe of dawn while resting your chin on your palm, elbow on table's edge, thinking what task deserves the first bullet point.

Get ready tomorrow's stuff the day before
It's been said so much, but still not enough. Again, so it's one less thing to do in the morning. When you wake up well-prepared, you start your day with lower stress levels. Have your documents ready, pack your handbags or school bags, place things you have to bring with you near the main door so you won't risk forgetting and having to make unnecessary trips back.

Ladies, don't pick what to wear the night before
While it's encouraged to have all things ready the night before, for ladies it is actually counterproductive when it comes to the apparel section. If you're a lady, how many occasions can you think of that you had changed your mind in the morning of what you had planned to wear the night before? I bet those recollections are now bursting forth rather chaotically in your head. Exactly. Ladies dress according to their moods. Decide what you want to wear during your morning shower and then slip on what you've thought of, instead of additionally having to put back the garments you've laid out to wear.

And there you go. Five minutes of your time here is gonna earn you more than 5 minutes infinitely. Pretty good exchange, ain't it?

What other things can you do to help gain yourself more time for precious moments? Let me know in the comments!