Ever heard the saying ‘time is money?’ There a lot of similarities between the two. Just like money, you can spend time on friends and family.
You can invest time into learning new skills that – if chosen carefully – will improve you as a person. You can also waste time on pointless pursuits that will not give you anything in return.
However, there is one key difference: Unlike money, you can’t generate more time. So where are we spending ours, and how can we make the most of it?
It often feels like we’re not using time very efficiently. For example, the average Australian adult spends 13 hours every week watching TV, according to figures collated by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. This means that we spend one month out of every year in front of the tele.
Social Media is another terrible time suck. In fact, marketing firm Sensis found that the average user checks Facebook 31 times per week, up from just 16 visits across the same timeframe in 2011. In total, we waste around 8.5 hours per week trying to keep up with the Digital Joneses on Facebook.
Ultimately, these statistics prove that time is at a premium. While we’re huge proponents of being responsible with money, we’re even bigger supporters of saving time. After all, even the most impressive personal bank account in the world is largely pointless if you don’t have the spare time to use it.
So, what can you do to put more hours back into your day?
Make use of technology: There are countless apps on the market that can help you track how you spend your day and help you form positive and productive habits based off of the results.
Set a structured schedule: With so many things vying for our attention throughout the day, it’s important to consciously set aside structured periods to fulfil certain goals.
Learn to say no: Whether it’s social media feeds or overly inquisitive work colleagues, the modern world is rife with distractions that act as barriers between you and unlocking greater productivity.
