I’ll be honest — I hate wasting time.
It’s not just that I hate it, but I get a sickening feeling in my gut when I know those precious minutes and hours are wasted.
Gone forever.
Whether you are aware of it or not, every precious minute of our life is constantly passing us by.
Over the years, I’ve become fiercely protective of every minute. Whenever I have a chance to buy back even a sliver of time, I’ll do it without thinking.
Here are 13 ways I’ve learned to reclaim control over my time.
1. I no longer stand in lines anymore.
Waiting in a queue feels like an ancient ritual that has no place in today’s life. For just about everything these days, there’s a priority pass or VIP service that lets you skip the line entirely — from airports to government offices.
I’ll gladly pay for conveniences like grocery delivery, errand runners, and concierge services. If I had dogs, I would hire a dog walker.
Why waste time on trivial tasks when you could be investing those hours in something more productive or meaningful?
2. Managing monthly bills and subscriptions is a mind-numbing chore.
This is why when I do it, it gets done all in one batch, and well before the due dates.
And for any recurring expenses, I’ll opt for the annual billing option. It’s just easier. You also end up paying less for services when you pay annually.
For example, with a yearly gym membership already paid up, there’s no psychological barrier if I want to restart my workout routine after a break. This also prevents the “I don’t have to feel guilty about wasting another monthly fee” mental game you play with yourself.
3. Sometimes a leisurely visit to the farmer’s market and handpicking berries can be pleasant.
But for my everyday needs, I buy all my consumables in bulk.
My goal is to never have to leave the house for the purpose of grocery shopping — at least for weeks at a time, because I’ve stockpiled everything that’s practical to stockpile. This frees up my schedule by reducing weekly shopping runs (and yet more waiting in line).
4. The difference that a professional cleaner can make in your life is remarkable.
Learn to accept the fact that they will do a much better and faster job than you could on your own.
I know what you’re thinking — hiring regular cleaning services is an over-the-top luxury. I’m here to tell you that it’s a practical investment that buys back your time and preserves sanity.
Another benefit is that it precludes arguments with your partner about why the toilet is still disgusting.
Instead of having to dread cleaning day, I can look forward to coming back to a clean home without having to spend hours getting it that way.
5. It’s easy to assess others in the picture, but it’s always harder to assess yourself.
That’s why I work with personal coaches. The guidance and insight they’ve given me have helped me bypass years of mistakes and painful trial-and-error.
A great personal coach is the closest thing to a real-life shortcut — they can literally save you millions in potential mistakes and, more importantly, wasted years.
6. Get a dedicated professional trainer.
In areas such as fitness, sports and health, there’s no substitute for a professional trainer. YouTube videos can never replace a personal trainer who knows you and whose entire job it is to get you to perform at your highest level.
When movie stars need to transform their physiques, they don’t use an online program — they hire a top-notch trainer.
7. Just because I can do something myself doesn’t mean I should.
I can easily end up squandering precious hours on tasks I’m ill-equipped to do efficiently.
Trying to do everything myself is nothing but arrogance and ego. This is where delegating comes in.
I’ve learned to identify my limitations and supplement those skills with those of experts where needed. Yes, if I spend enough time and research, I can eventually figure out how to file my business tax returns. But I hire an accountant who will do a much better and efficient job.
8. Services that handle meal preparation are a big deal for me.
I can’t afford to hire a personal chef, but prepared meals allow me to not have to constantly think about what I’m going to eat for each meal, each day.
This frees up an incredible amount of my finite mental energy.
9. Minimize your commute
I used to spend around two to three hours a day commuting. Now, my office is in my home, and I will never go back to that commuter life.
Eliminating or minimizing your commute is one of the best investments you can make in terms of time and money.
Let’s imagine a scenario where your time is valued at $300 per hour. A two hour daily commute is $600 each work day flushed down the drain. This equates to around $12,000 per month of your life you’ve thrown away. I don’t know about you, but I can’t stomach that kind of waste.
If working from home isn’t an option, then live closer to work.
10. Don’t interrupt when I’m concentrating
We’ve all experienced that soul-crushing feeling of finally regaining focus after a disruption, only to get thrown off track again. When I need to devote my full attention to something, I proactively block all distractions. Period.
11. Everyone has a time of day when their mental stamina peaks.
For me, it’s as soon as I wake up first thing in the morning.
That’s why my mornings are sacred, and I guard this time mercilessly. For any important work that requires all my mental energy and focus, it gets done in the morning, before noon. This is why I cluster all my high-priority, high-concentration tasks into that time, when I’m at my sharpest.
You need to recognize when you’re most productive and then schedule your most challenging tasks during this window.
12. Plan your downtime
Do you find yourself scrolling on your phone during your downtime at work? That used to me as well. But no more.
That’s because I schedule my downtime and what I do during this time. I treat and schedule my free time and rest periods with the same level of intent as work meetings and tasks. If I don’t, those open pockets of time will get swallowed up.
I prepare a list of activities for this time. For instance, I might read, listen or watch enriching content during these rest periods. This way, instead of mindlessly scrolling, my time is filled with activities that will give me something of value or learn something new.
13. Bundle meetings
On the days where I have meetings, I always try to bundle them into consecutive blocks. Having four 30-minute calls spread throughout the day feels much more draining and disruptive compared to two straight hours of back-to-back meetings.
Final Thoughts
One thing I discovered for boosting my productivity and results is to leverage the power of momentum.
Three consecutive, jam-packed days feel quicker and less tiring mentally than five relatively slow, long, and drawn-out days. That’s because momentum carries you forward from one task to the next without as many sudden stops and having to constantly restart, which throws you off track.
Naval Ravikant, a successful entrepreneur and investor, says that time is the most precious and limited resource we have. Unlike money, which can potentially be earned back, time is finite and non-renewable. Once time is spent, it’s gone forever.
His philosophy is to place an extremely high value on your time, almost to an irrational degree, such as mentally valuing your time at $1,000 or even $10,000 per hour. With that mindset, it forces you to be much more selective about how you spend your precious time.
