The proactive planner: Habits busy people swear by

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Let's face it; the last few years have been tough on most of us. We adjusted to new ways of existing, and now that everything is starting to approach a level of normalcy once again, it's easy to start feeling overwhelmed by the transition back.

So, if you've found yourself thinking that you never quite have enough time to handle everything on your plate, you're certainly not alone. Luckily, this also means a lot of people have come together to cut down on the panic with helpful time-saving habits.

Whether you're struggling to get back into the swing of things or simply just need a way to get more into your days, we've got you covered. So, without further ado, let's get into a few ways that you can save time and cut stress without having to make sweeping changes to your overall lifestyle.

When we think about how to declutter our minds and improve our processes, it's easy for us to fall into the same trappings over and over again.

This is, in part, because we often only see the world around us as what it is, rather than what it could be.

So, if you find that there are some tasks that keep building up or causing problems again and again, it's important that you actually sit down and address them, even if that process ends up coming with a price tag.

For example, we all have obligations when it comes to cleaning up our homes, yet few of us have time to do every maintenance task we need.

If you feel that you're constantly swamped by home cleaning duties, there are things that can be done to help. Robotic vacuums keep the floors clean, humidifiers and air purifiers keep everything feeling fresh, and even a basic dishwasher can save you hours across the week, depending on your situation.

If you find yourself really struggling to keep up, you could even consider a monthly maid service for your home care.

Solutions may be pricey, and not everyone will be able to afford them, but the amount of time, mental strain and clutter that you will no longer have to deal with make them more than worthwhile for those that can.

When we have an idea of who we are in our head, we will often do anything that we can to hold onto that internal sense of self.

This often comes at our own detriment, as we hold onto behaviours and traits long after they're proven to be unhelpful and unsustainable.

This is especially true for those that consider themselves perfectionists, as there is a pull to make everything perfect, even when that is incredibly unrealistic as a goal.

To put it simply, you can't give your full attention to everything in life. People have hundreds of things vying for their attention at any given moment, and trying to balance all those things equally will only lead to burnout.

So, try to focus on prioritising the tasks you really care about and don't feel the need to constantly be at your best.

This can come in the form of checklists, either physical or mental, detailing the most important things that need our full attention, followed by the smaller things that we will get to eventually. Simply accepting that you can't do everything is a fantastic start for anyone looking to de-stress and improve their time management.

Do you ever feel like your worth is tied to your output? Do you take pride in your ability to take on anything, no matter how stressful the situation may be?

In a world where we are seemingly always being graded on our performance in one way or another, having our focus become incredibly goal-oriented is a natural outcome. However, it's also one that leads us to take on more than we can chew.

Even the busiest of us has times in which we feel we should be doing more, whether in our business lives or our personal lives.

This has become a growing issue for many with the rise of the gig economy, as professionals now have no limit to the number of jobs they can take on, whether inside traditional work hours or not.

This can also lead to an "always-on" mentality, where time for the self becomes time that could be spent making more money or progressing your career.

We all have our breaking point, even those of us who seem to be able to take on the world. So, set realistic limits for yourself, and always make sure that you have time set out for rest and enjoying life in other ways.

Otherwise, you'll end up lowering your performance and wasting a lot of time in the process.

Direction is important no matter what you're looking to achieve. So, get into the habit of loosely planning out what you need to achieve on a daily basis, preferably the night before.

Obviously, this doesn't have to be down to a minute by minute plan, but having your main objectives for the day will allow you to focus your energies way more than just winging it.

Do you have a project for work that has to be done by tomorrow, and five smaller projects that need to be done through the rest of the week?

Working out timelines and prioritising certain tasks over others will allow you to space your obligations out and avoid crashing.

This will also allow you to avoid overbooking yourself, as you will be forced to have a strong understanding of when you're free and when you're not.

It's a simple process, but one that will allow you to save a lot of time and mental energy in the long run.

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When we're busy, it can feel as if we just need to get everything done no matter the cost.

However, when we are perpetually busy, we start to live our lives as a balancing act, always feeling as if everything could fall apart at any moment.

By taking stock of the world around you, and how you conduct yourself within it, you can allow yourself the mental freedom to actually finish things without overburdening yourself.