We’ve been decluttering our closets and detoxing our bodies, setting ourselves up to being healthier this year, staying happier and cleaning out just about every corner we can find… But I had to ask myself, what about learning how to make time for the things we love and spring clean our schedules? 

If you’re like I am, and you’re wondering how to make time for the things you love most, then it’s the perfect reason to give your schedule a good detox. Just like any budget workshop or eating plan, taking inventory and writing down the line items is SO important. We have to know where we are, in order to plan out where we’re going.

HOW TO MAKE TIME FOR THE THINGS YOU LOVE

When taking on a new diet, it’s recommended to write down each thing we put into our body.

Why?

Because it keeps us accountable and shows us what we’re really eating. When setting up a budget, it’s the same, write out EVERY expenditure. Think about it in terms of your schedule for a minute… do you really know how you’re spending all of those minutes?

What we spend our time on is important, because it’s an investment in who we are, and helps to shape who we’ll become. 

I loved the perspective from this BuzzFeed article, 8 Insanely Easy Ways To Detox Your Life, with tips like limiting your time on social media and not RSVPing “yes” to events we really don’t want to attend.

But one that really stood out? 

Embrace routine and schedule time to actually take care of yourself.

If you’ve been reading here for any amount of time, you know I’m big on routine, and often talk about creating the ultimate morning routine that works for you, but it’s so easy for us to put our own self-care on the back-burner. 

There’s already such a big pull for our time in work and family life.

Thinking about all that’s on our shoulders to take care of with deadlines and homemaking, carpooling and project management, dinner and diaper duty… and the list goes on.

When you think about it, you can understand that it’s enough to bring on the desire for Netflix bingeing and vegging out.

And if that’s something that you love most and want to make time for, go ahead! I have those nights myself. #noshame

But I also want to be the person that truly embraces what it is to take care of all of myself. The kind of person that knows when to shut the laptop and switch off the television, the person that invests time in being present in the moments.

Someone who can examine their own thoughts, intentions, emotions.

Ok so, back to that point about embracing routine and scheduling time to actually take care of yourself, “Sure, you could watch house-hunting shows until you pass out on your couch at 2:07 a.m. Or you could be a functional adult who brushes their teeth every night and feels good about themselves in the morning.”

To make that happen, I’m sharing a few ways that I’ve learned how to make time for the things I love, like self-care and the crazy, beautiful, usually chaotic, and unscheduled moments…

10 Ways I’ve Learned How to Make Time

Track your time spent.

Just like I mentioned before, it’s like starting a new diet or working out a new budget, you’ve got to put in the effort of tracking yourself to truly be honest with yourself. Many times we don’t even realize the time-wasters in our lives until we start keeping track of where our time is going.

Learn to say “No.”

There is an art to saying no gracefully, but the good news is that it’s easy to learn. Just begin! No need for long excuses or rude comments. Just politely decline when something takes you away from where your time should be spent.

Don’t fuss over the unnecessary details.

Ask yourself, is this thing that’s stealing my attention pivotal or unimportant to the job I’m trying to do or the goal I’m working to accomplish? If it’s unimportant, then you have to let it go.

Block out distractions.

Back to that BuzzFeed article, sometimes you just need to remove the distractions rather than try and ignore them. It could possibly be time for a social media detox or a Netflix fast as well?!

Prioritize.

Ask yourself, “Is this my priority right now?” The thing is, priorities change, sometimes hourly, and that’s okay. But if it’s not the priority for that moment, go back to the last line item and block it out.

Eliminate the time wasters.

While sitting here writing this article, I had to turn off notifications and shut down social media?

Why.

Well for one, I get enough distractions with my kids running in and out of their rooms trying to stay up later than they should, and asking for water. But with a distraction like social media, emails, or even Netflix – or worrying about something happening tomorrow – these can become time wasters if we don’t stop them at the appropriate time. This brings me to the next point…

Attach a time limit to each task.

When we’re getting the house cleaned up in a rush, I like to set the timer and play a game in which we all pitch in and race the clock. When that happens, everyone does their tasks, and quickly. Why? There was a time limit set and it’s in our nature to want to accomplish it. When we don’t put on the timer, we allow ourselves freedom to wander and roam with our thoughts and actions. That can be a good activity when on sabbatical, but if you’re wanting to know how to make time in your life, then assign a time limit to your tasks to keep you on track.

Delegate.

Have something in your life that someone else can do? Let them! It’s as simple as that. If you are able to have someone come once every few weeks to deep clean your house, or pool or even mow your lawn, or someone else in the family who can start a load of laundry, do it. All of these tasks need to be completed, but that doesn’t mean that you have to be the one to complete them. If you can delegate, embrace the help.

Pair similar tasks together.

If you have a few different items to prepare to mail out, sometimes it’s best to tackle one right after the other. Or group cleaning tasks, phone calls, and other like items with one another. I find that once I get into a groove for whatever it is that I’m doing, it’s easier to keep going. This ends up saving time in the long run because you’re not interrupting the flow to switch gears and use a different part of your brain to focus on a completely different type of project.

Clock out or cut off.

When you’ve reached the time you’ve assigned for a task, unless you’re REALLY in the flow and have extra padding of time, cut it off and come back to it later. At first, this may feel weird, but give it a chance, the results may surprise you.

If you implement these little tips into your daily routines, I truly believe you will be able to learn how to make time to add in more self-care and even some extra fun.

Start with small things that you can add into your day that will ultimately make you feel and be a better person, like washing your face every night, making your bed every morning (a proven habit of successful people), making sure dirty clothes land in the hamper, not the floor, and ultimately figuring out a routine that works for you!

So, this spring cleaning season, wave goodbye to a few toxic habits in your schedule as you learn how to make time for the things you love most.