You can't teach new tricks to an old Self-Improvement Junkie. Or can you?

Over the last year, I've been feeling uninspired with time management tricks for finding more “balance” in my life, because no matter how hard I try for that perfect “balance” - nothing seems to do the trick.

As you can imagine, this has left very little room for creating routines, systems, and habits that feel exciting and new - and create more space in my days.

However, in trying to get my mojo back, I've discovered that I was making it way too complicated!  Turns out - the simpler, the better.

If you're in a similar place and have been feeling more and more overwhelmed with daily life but not sure what to do about it, you’re going to love this post. I’m sharing three new time management tips that are simple, easy, and working for me!

Hint: There's also one work-life balance thing I'm giving up despite the fact that virtually every coach and motivational speaker swears by it!

Can you guess what it might be? Read on to find out.

Why is Trying New Time-Saving Tricks So Important?

You may think that you’ve figured out how you use your time and how you balance “all the things,” and you don't need to be more intentional or more deliberate about your day.

However, after working with dozens of overwhelmed and burnt out women, I've discovered that you may actually be contributing to that overwhelm, rather than easing it - and not even realizing it. 

For example, one client thought her busy days would be easier and more meaningful if she just made sure to do these three things each day: 1) Eat breakfast and dinner with the family - no matter what.  2) Get 45 minutes at the gym every day.  3) Wake up before everyone else so she’d have 45 minutes to herself each day.  It sounded like she was simply honoring her top three priorities, right?  And that would make life more fulfilling.

Well…  Once we started working together, we were both surprised to discover that these daily obligations were actually stressing her out MORE.  By trying some of the tips and tricks I’ll share in this post, she learned how to flex her time each day and week so that she could enjoy the moments she had with her family; appreciate the various ways she could sneak movement in throughout her week; AND still find time for self-care in the midst of it all.  And the best part?  She learned the strategies needed to notice when things weren’t working for her - and tweak and re-tweak until she got back on track.

Now when she gets stressed out or overwhelmed, she knows it will be short-lived, because she has the tools to turn things around.

Want a similar strategy for managing your time so you can create your own work-life balance? You're in luck! I currently have 2 openings for my “Joy-Filled Life” Coaching Program!

Thankfully, I’m not the only one who benefits from my strategies for “riding the wave” of work-life balance. 

Let's get into the three things I’ve been trying in my own journey to honor what is most important to me and to help use my time most effectively.

#1. New Time-Saving Trick: Simplify, Simplify, Simplify.

As people-pleasing women, we are often prone to saying “Yes” to everything we are invited to, requested to help with, or even simply notice needs doing.

I know for me that means I’m beginning to feel stressed before the conversation is even over - and I often find myself avoiding situations where I might be asked to help.  Because the thing is… I could actually squeeze this task or event in between the million other things I have going on - right?

That's right, when we see that we actually do have a little time, we feel bad if we say no.

But what if….?  Instead of saying yes to “all the things” we actually decided at the beginning of each week what is most important to us that week?  What if we named our top three priorities and filled our calendar and planner with time set aside for those first?  When we block off time for how we plan to honor those priorities - suddenly things are much simpler.

For example:  My top 3 priorities this week are 1)Family Time 2)My Career 3)My Health.  I block off times throughout the week that I plan to use for these three priorities.  Then, whatever is left over I can fill as I wish.  I get asked to volunteer at church - if my kids come with, it could be more family time.  I get offered an opportunity to do a talk for a local business - that’s a great use of time for my career!  A friend asks to go for a hike - benefiting my physical and emotional health.  Therefore - these could be powerful Yeses!

But…  Being asked to do work that has no benefit to my career for someone that doesn’t truly value my contribution?  No thanks.  Being asked to help with a fundraiser for a cause I don’t particularly feel called to support?  Not this time.  See how it makes saying No so much easier?

Next time you feel stressed about how many things are going on your schedule, why not try taking a good long look at how much time you actually have to give AFTER blocking off time for what’s most important to you first?  Then, if the invitation isn’t a “Hell Yeah!” Then it’s a “No Thanks.”

Check out this great article on How and When to Say No. It's chock full of tips on how to confidently say no in order to simplify how you use your time.

#2. New Time-Saving Trick: Break Everything Into Smaller Pieces.

I know, just like you, I have been rolling my eyes whenever people talk about not overwhelming ourselves with to-do lists… Yet, we keep adding steps to the to-do lists!

Thankfully, one of my client’s put it into perspective when they suddenly were getting so much more done each week!  She acknowledged that when a to-do list is done right, it can be the one thing that changes everything.

Here's what I discovered when I started breaking my to-do list into bite size pieces:

• If you keep an ongoing to-do list that you just add to when something else pops into your mind - you always have everything in one place.  (I particularly like doing a brain dump onto my list each morning.)  It takes away the guesswork - I’m no longer wondering what I’m forgetting about.

• Next, find the big projects on the list.  “Plan the birthday party.” “Pack for vacation.” “Register for summer camps.”  Yes, these each sound like one task - but really, they’re many small tasks that make up a project.  Break them up - you get so much more done without being overwhelmed!  For example:

• Birthday Party: Make the guest list.  Research spaces.  Reserve a space.  Decide the theme.  Purchase the decorations.  Order the Cake.  Etc etc.  Each of these smaller tasks are the to-do list item.

• Pack for Vacation: Try on the clothes.  Do laundry.  Pack the suitcases.  Shop for toiletries.  Make sure you have your ID, passport, and tickets.  Pack snacks for travel.  Etc Etc.

• When you have those bite-size tasks, it’s so much easier to ask for help!  It’s much easier to ask your partner to place the order for the cake or call to reserve the space than to ask them to “take care of the birthday party.”  Ha!  It also allows you to include others so that you’re not doing it all alone - it can be a team effort.

#3. New Time-Saving Trick: Ditching Overwhelm with Routines

It’s silly to think that I used to believe being free-spirited was the only way to experience freedom and a stress-free life, but there I was drowning in a million little things that had to be done, weighed down by responsibilities, and having no idea when or how I was going to get to it all.

It dawned on me that if I just had a plan… Things might go a little smoother.

As a new, overwhelmed mom, I sat down and began to comb Pinterst for ideas... How could I make my life make sense?!  Thank goodness, I found a million ways to clear the clutter and establish routines for my daily life.  Gosh, I pushed back on that idea for so long - thinking routines would make life too predictable and boring.

But guess what I found out?  Routines gave structure and order to my day - I knew what needed to be done and when.  I could plan my day more effectively because I knew how long things would take.  My routines became habits - which gave me the freedom to not have to think about everything…  So much of the day-to-day tasks in my life - from self-care to managing the house to my workload -  became routine and automatic…  Allowing my mind the freedom and energy to enjoy more of my time!

Fast forward to today, and I’m happy to say that I am finally significantly less overwhelmed and stressed, because I do have a plan - and I work that plan each day, without giving it a lot of thought or energy.

Some recent studies also celebrate the effectiveness of routines:

• According to a survey by the American Psychological Association, 61% of adults who have a routine report lower stress levels.

• A study published in the Journal of Health Psychology found that individuals who establish a daily routine are less likely to experience symptoms of depression and anxiety.

Want your own “5 Secrets That Every Mom Needs to Know to Ditch the Overwhelm?” Download this free guide over here - and learn my favorite 5 tips for creating routines in your daily life.

Bonus! I've Given Up On Waking Before The Sun.

Here’s what I’m not doing anymore:

Through my years of trying to perfect my time management skills and productivity…  as well as my self-care and mental/emotional health - I’ve decided waking up at the butt crack of dawn isn’t my thing. 

I’ve been there.  Done that.  And yes - at times it’s been a lovely gift of alone time.  But there’s also times when it’s more struggle than it’s worth; when my sleep is more needed; when the crabbiness that comes over me at 3pm undoes the positive vibes at 6am.

This means that I don’t get my self-care in before the family gets up and I need to arrange the rest of my day accordingly (hence that tip #1 above - time blocking what’s important!).

There is enough overwhelm, burnout, stress, and quite frankly, lack of sleep among women who are already overscheduled and exhausted without taking another hour of sleep out of the equation.

We’re already tired. Getting up to meditate, exercise, read, journal, etc is only a good thing if it feels good to you.  Some people THRIVE with this habit.  Others simply don’t - and we shouldn’t give into the pressure to do what others say we “should” do.  Each of our bodies, lives, mental health, responsibilities, etc are different.  We have different environments, health issues, stressors, and contexts - and that’s ok.  I’m giving you permission to find what works for you.

Here’s what I do instead:

I break up my self-care moments throughout the day.  Rather than take a whole hour first thing - I take 10 minutes here; 20 minutes there; 5 minutes later; and 30 minutes after that.  It’s been proven that taking regular breaks throughout our day helps us to recharge and refocus - so why not use that time for what lights you up? I read in the morning, meditate before lunch, move my body mid-afternoon, do my gratitude journal in the evening…  For me - and I can only speak for me - this is just as powerful as when I had my best morning routines.

You can make the most progress in time management when you pick a few strategies, give them a spin, and see how they work for you. And if one strategy isn’t a good fit, you’re better off finding one that is better suited to your personality and life situation. 

There are so many ways to alleviate stress and ditch the overwhelm, and I hope this post has given you some new ideas to try in your daily life - so you can spend more time enjoying life doing what you love with who you love.

Is there a main takeaway that was especially intriguing for you? Let me know over on Instagram or Facebook. I would love to hear from you!

Here at Ignite Joy Life-Coaching, I’m all about helping busy women manage their time so they can stop trying to juggle it all - and instead, focus their time and energy on creating a life they love.

Want to know more about how to manage your time and increase your energy so that you can create a life you love? Reach out to megadams@ignitejoycoaching.com with any questions or comments.

Don’t forget to download your free “5 Secrets Every Mom Needs To Ditch the Overwhelm” here!