We hear it all the time, “life is short." Now, I agree with this to a point, in that we should seize the moment and make the most of our lives. But, I would agree more with the ancient philosopher, Seneca; it's not that life is too short, it's that we waste so much of it. There is plenty of time if you know how to allocate it to what's most important to you.

If you have time for frivolities like spending hours in front of the television or scrolling on social media, then you certainly have time to learn a new skill, take a class or meet new people. Instead of thinking of life as too short, think of how you're spending the time that has been allotted to you. You have plenty of time. Trend it wisely.

When You Don’t Feel Like You Have Enough Time...

I have always been a big believer in time management and that structure allows for spontaneity. I even build relaxation and fun into my schedule. Even though I'm a big planner, I know a lot of people are not. I just can't help but get frustrated when I hear people say, "I don't have time..." and in the same breath they catch me up on all the shows they watch. All I hear is that they do not have good time management skills.

Now, I am no stranger to a day of Netflix and bumming on the couch, but it's not a frequent thing for me. Celebrities, wealthy, or uber-successful people do not get any more time in their week than the average person. It really comes down to knowing how to allocate your time.

There are 168 hours in a week, so if you have time for social media, Netflix binging, fuckboys, or sleeping in after a late night of partying, then you definitely have time to learn something new, pursue a goal, take a class and invest in some personal development. Evaluate where you're spending your time and see where you can fit in some much-needed time for self-betterment.

Two Simple Time Management Tips

You can maximize your time and find space for activities you want to fit in with two simple steps. The first is to take stock of your time. Where exactly are you trending your time? I use a simple worksheet that breaks down all 168 hours in a week into 30 minutes increments. I then write what I predict I will be doing during each half-hour. What does my ideal week look like?

Then during the week, I write what I actually do during that time. It’s interesting to see on paper where all your time goes. Especially if you’re honest with yourself; it’s amazing to see what you want your week to look like versus what it actually looks like. It’s similar to tracking your budget down to the penny.

Making every moment count. Being accountable for every minute.

The second step is to prioritize what you want to spend your time on. For example, how much sleep do you really need a night to function at an optimal level? How much time do you spend at work? What other items are you doing that you could cut back? For example, 3 hours of TV a night could be cut to 1 hour per day. Now make a list of all the things you “don’t have time for” and see where you could fit them in.

Can you read that book you’ve been meaning to get to? Can you take that class you’ve been putting on hold? Time management is just another method of taking ownership of what’s really important to you. What do you value? What goals can you truly put more energy and time into if you do some maneuvering with your schedule? Can you make time for friends and family? Can you put some time aside for self-care?

Keep Appointments with Yourself

A critical but often neglected component of time management is keeping the appointments we make with ourselves. This is too often the place where people tend to let themselves overcommit to outside demands and end up feeling drained. They’re not placing themselves at a high enough priority. They’re not treating the appointments with themselves with the same importance as they are others.

I argue that keeping appointments - keeping promises to ourselves is more valuable than anything. Your time is non-replenishable. You must dedicate more time to yourself if you truly want to give more to the world around you. It is critical to be selective of who you give your time because you cannot get it back. Stop overcommitting to others and depleting yourself.

I’m not saying you should be entirely selfish with your time. But in order to be the best version of you to present to the world, you must put in the time. this is key to developing your best self.

Going to the gym or being active, self-care, reading that book, taking that class, nurturing those relationships, enjoying that hobby are all ways to delegate your time in a way that will enhance your life and make the best use of the precious and limited resource we have – time.

Take Control of Your Time

Another mistake I see people making is allowing others to own their time. We sometimes do this without even noticing. We let others put appointments on our calendars before we have the chance to decide if it has value to us. We let it slide when our friends are constantly late to meet up with us. These are small ways in which we teach others not to value our time.

We give too freely the most precious resource we have. We over-commit; we say "yes" to things we may not really want to do; we stay late at our jobs more often than we need; we spend time with people who drain our energy and we stay in jobs; relationships and friendships that do not serve us well.

You are in control of your time. You decide who gets it and how much. Guard your time as if it's all you've got because it is all you've got.

You Deserve More of Your Time

Learn to manage your time and your life will change dramatically. Start taking stock of your time. Where are you hemorrhaging time? Who deserves your time? Are you giving yourself enough of your own time?

Today is the perfect day to take back control of your time and make it well spent. Trend your time wisely.

If you want more tips on intentional time management, watch my video “Trend Your Time Wisely.”

Fellow blogger Laura Vanderkam has a great worksheet for the 168 week. Check it out here.

If you’re looking for more inspiration on building confidence and being more intentional with your time then join the Truthatude Tribe and subscribe below for the monthly newsletter!

TREND YOUR TIME WISELY: How to Be More Intentional with Your Time