How many times have you thought of something you would like to do but then realized that you don’t have time to do it? Many people spend time doing things that they feel they should do, but do not have enough time to do what they would really like to do. Not doing things that feed well-being can make people feel more stressed or unhappy.

The ability to find time in a busy schedule is important for several reasons. Not only do emergencies appear that can demand your time, but it is necessary to have enough time to do recreational activities, time for yourself or simple time to do nothing. Finding balance is essential for the emotional well-being of any person, whatever the lifestyle of each one.

People, especially introverts, need time to rest and regain their energy, and the amount of downtime required to be well increases during times of stress. In other words, the more stressed an introvert is, the more they need that downtime.

If you want to increase your level of happiness and the satisfaction of your life, you will have to make some changes to find more time in your schedule and that it reflects what you generally would like to do. These steps can help you get there.

Eliminate clutter on your schedule

You will have to look at how you spend your days and what you can reduce. Are you watching several hours of television a day? Could you be more efficient in your work? Are there things on your schedule that can be eliminated without causing problems?

Although this can be complicated, you may need some extra time to be able to make the most of all your time in the 24 hours of a day. If you are spending too much time on social media out of habit and not out of need for rest, you may be wasting a wonderful time so that you don’t really enjoy yourself without realizing it.

It is necessary to establish awareness about what you really need and what not to be able to have good changes in habits that help you give yourself a little time that you can use in the best possible way.

Delegation

There are responsibilities that you may not have to do. Reassigning cleaning responsibilities to children, for example, can free up time normally spent on housework and foster a sense of responsibility in your children at the same time. 

If you need to hire help with household chores that often leave you without time and energy … it is well worth the expense. Sometimes allowing others to take over tasks that you usually do will bring you additional benefits: you can enjoy that feeling of being calmer without neglecting all the tasks that you have pending.

Learn to say ‘no’ without stress

Before taking on new responsibilities think about how activities can impact your life, both positively and negatively. Also think about the motivations you can have when you say ‘yes’ to another person. Maybe you want to avoid feeling like you are disappointing someone else? Do you tend to convince yourself that you have unlimited time in your schedule and find time for everyone except yourself?

Saying ‘no’ can have some consequences but in the vast majority of cases, it is worth it. Saying ‘no’ becomes much easier with practice and when you know how to say it with assertiveness and empathy, everything will go better.

If you want, you can improve the quality time you dedicate to yourself, you just have to set priorities and organize the time without having to procrastinate. In this way you will better deal with stress and enjoy more time, making better use of it according to your daily and emotional needs.