Ok, I keep hearing this over and over again: “I don’t have time.”
Recently, a good friend told me, “I don’t have time to do this or that.”
It’s not just about him, I’ve heard this from others and seen it on Facebook groups and in other places. Hearing this repeatedly or reading about this complaint triggered me to write about it based on my own knowledge.
This also involves some mathematics, depending on your situation.
First, instead of saying, “I don’t have time,” which is a very easy and quick answer, why don’t you ask yourself, “How can I manage my time better? How can I find a solution to this ‘I don’t have time’ issue?”
We are wired to say, “I don’t know,” or “I have no idea.” It’s easy to say because we aren’t naturally inclined to think deeply about solutions. We need to ask, “How can I fix this?” or “What solution can I find for this problem?”
Regarding time, I’ve seen many complaints: “I don’t have time to learn new things,” “I don’t have time to watch the new video.” It’s very interesting when you see these same people in public transport listening to music or scrolling on social media.
Why not use that time to read a Kindle book using the Kindle app, or a paper book, or watch that video course? It’s very easy to complain!
It’s easy to say, “I don’t know,” or “I don’t have time,” but it’s crucial to learn how to manage your time and use it effectively.
Check and ask yourself, “What do I do every day? What happens every week?” See where you lose time, analyze it, and I’m sure you will find many instances where you use your time unproductively.
Learn to ask yourself, “How can I fix this? What’s the way, or who can help me learn to manage my time?”
It took me some time to understand the power of asking the right questions.
Another thing to consider is how much your time is worth per hour.
For example, if you earn $15 per hour and you lose an hour cooking, why not ask, “Why should I lose my productive time and the $15 when I can pay someone to cook for me for $10 per hour? I’d still be in profit by $5 per hour.” You don’t lose all the money by cooking yourself; everyone wins. It’s a win-win situation and no one loses that time.
The same applies to cleaning the house. Don’t think, “Why should I pay someone to do it when I can do it myself?” or “It’s expensive.” It’s not, if you know your numbers. If the time you spend doing it yourself costs you more than paying someone else, and even if you have less money for a couple of hours, you are still making some money and not losing it!
No matter your income level, just see where you lose time and how to manage it productively. If you can afford to pay someone else and be productive at the same time, just do it and invest in yourself and your time.
There’s something I experienced back in 2007 when I moved to Sweden. I got a job, but I knew what I wanted to do online, so I could learn more about things I was passionate about. Maybe it was luck, or maybe I was just very passionate, but I never said to myself, “I don’t have time. I come home from work and I’m tired.” No, I was waking up an hour earlier and creating blog posts before going to work. Over time, even though I was tired from work, I started to write blog posts after work as well.
This is like compound interest. You go step by step and grow slowly.
How can others handle their time when all of us have 24 hours and some manage to run a couple of companies?
It’s about numbers. Don’t regret paying someone to do something for you. It’s a win-win situation. You save time, and the only way to BUY TIME is to delegate to others. Pay the price, and at the same time, you make money.
Time is precious!
To your success,
Marius