How often do you think or tell someone, “I just don’t have time”?

Chances are it’s more often than you realize (daily I predict). You’re welcome to prove me wrong but I can tell you, it’s just NOT true.

We all have been granted exactly the same amount of time. 

Hourly, daily, weekly, monthly, annually. The same. 

How we spend our time varies greatly. 

You’ll see why this matters below.

Becoming a master of your own time will lift you to an easy life versus those who waste time and elect for a hard life. 

Joy, abundance and fulfillment is the bounty for the time master. 

Here’s 6 ideas for you to consider as you become more conscious of your timekeeping:

1. Pressure

Firstly, there’s a really good chance you don’t have time because you’ve invited pressure upon yourself. 

The pressure comes from everywhere - family, work, friends, acquaintances. 

If you want to eliminate all this pressure, you’ll need to make a decision.

A decision to reevaluate what you allow, accept or admit into your life and schedule.

Use a system to decide yes or no. Either way, you must preserve your time and turn down more opportunities than you accept. 

Release the pressure on yourself.

2. Parasites, Freeloaders and Hangers-On

The people pleasers among you are already triggered by the terminology. 

Let’s not pull any punches, people are bloodsucking leeches with other people’s time, especially yours.

They show up on the day when you were supposed to be focused on something else. 

Like a parasite, they’re living off of you. Except the nutrient they’re eating is time not flesh.

These freeloaders will take as much advantage as you possibly entertain. 

It arrives in the form of a seemingly harmless question…

“Got a minute?”

“Can you make a call next week?”

“Can I ask a quick question?”

All they care about is taking your time (and attention) for their agenda. 

Create an environment where it’s difficult for this to even happen. Anything less is giving up the time spent working on your own dream to somebody else’s.

Kill, using metaphorical industrial grade equipment, parasites, freeloaders and hangers-on.

3. Interruptions

Unlike parasites, interruptions come in different forms. 

The most common are; door knocks, telephone calls, emails, text messages and now instant messaging. 

It is your job, IF you value your time, to obliterate all notifications, interruptions and distractions from your daily schedule. 

Here’s why?

Depending on which research study you read, it’s going to take anywhere from 20 to 50 minutes to regain focus to the same level it was before the interruption.

Meaning, every single interruption is costing you hours weekly and days monthly. 

Those same studies estimate interruptions cost a human an average of 500+ hours per year! 

For the non-mathematicians here, it’s 2 working months! 

Level up here or you are going to be leveling off. 

4. Be On Time, Every Time

There is no excuse for lateness. 

If you want to be a person who has more time, be on time, every time.

Your own punctuality sets the standard for other people to respect your time. 

Of course, be where you need to be but if you’re late it’s a sure sign you are not planning your days very well. And other people know it.

Add on to this, your own boundaries. Be clear how much time you are giving to a specific meeting, task or activity with other parties. Set clear agendas. 

Your standards dictate your own time mastery. 

5. Mastering Time - How To Get More Time

Now, knowing where you are losing time is one thing but…

…it’s going to be even better for you if you know where you can get more time for you.

There are 3 primary ways to get MORE time:

a. Learn the art of using other people’s money. 

You heard me right.

If you have a lofty ambition, and you want to move fast, figure out how to get yourself funded or better yet …

Use other people’s money to BUY what it is you desire.

If you want a successful business, BUY one! 

I’m not going to get into the details here but using a methodology known as a Leveraged Buyout (LBO), you can become the ruler of your own business empire MUCH faster than building your own one. 

b. Learn the art of delegation

Easier to accomplish. 

Get more time by asking other people to work on your behalf - either paid or unpaid. 

Get creative. 

Using another person's labor, passion or skills to get tasks done will give you more time to focus on what it is you are a genius at. 

Outsource = you set the schedule and you get paid the dividend. 

c. Learn to leverage your competitors customers

Love this time mastery gold.

You will need to be creative but if you want to move faster, make a bigger impact and increase your time and income, talk to and target other people’s customers. 

Figure out what message they need to hear to solve their problems and the pains those problems create. 

When you do this, those customers will come to you and give you their money, time, resources and energy.

In turn, you will move faster with more time available to you i.e., less chasing, more attracting. 

6. Majoring in MINOR activities, tasks and behaviors

Spending most of your waking hours on activities bringing minor rewards is a major time and money suck. e.g., building a website BEFORE you build a business. Build the business! 

Likewise, avoid endless hours with the “Electronic Income Reducer” (aka TV!). Average US TV consumption per day is now 3 hours per day.

This is down 30 minutes per day after the pandemic BUT there’s a problem…

We transferred our TV to the small screen. Phone screen usage is up to an average of 5-6 hours per day. 

You don’t need me to tell you the math again do you? 

Yes!? OK, well, 9 hours a day on TV and phone. Another deep well of available time for your dream!!! 

Spend your waking hours on your dreams, desires and life goals.

This is a high value productivity conversation. Motivation is required to get you going but habits are required to keep you moving forward. 

Implement these strategies today and notice how a well organized day, week, and month transforms your output and results. 

Changing lives, together

James ‘I have all the time’ Hilliard