So, this week I wanted to talk to you about finding yourself more time. More time to do something you love and to follow your dreams. 

Finding more time

Time, we all want more of it, don’t we? It’s a constant battle, we are all running around, getting things done, looking after children, keeping on top of the house, trying to pay the bills, the list is endless and it got me thinking, how do I make time to get things done that really need to be done each week? 

I have written down my three top tips that I do each week to make sure I am as productive as I can be and things are constantly moving forward.

‘I just don’t have time’

How many times do you say or think it in one day? ‘I just don’t have time for that right now’, ‘that will have to wait, I don’t have time’. We say and think it without even realising. But, how much time do we take up, thinking, worrying, stressing and saying we don’t have enough time? It’s probably enough time to get something ticked off our to-do list. 

Stop saying. Stop thinking. Change your mindset to think, ‘I do have time to get that done’. When we stop focusing on the lack of something we have, our brains can be a lot more focused. By thinking we do have the time in our mind we will then, quite often make the time and equally get more done.  

For a lot of us, it’s a trigger. Write somewhere, that you’ll see all the time, I do have the time, I have the same time as everyone else. We all have 24 hours in a day and it is how we use those 24 hours that is key. 

Remind yourself you have lots of time. The moment I stopped saying ‘I don’t have enough time’, I found myself with more time and things were getting done. It’s a little shift that can make a big difference.

Do less

Yes, this one may sound a little crazy, but when I started to do less, I actually got more done. We are all suckers for to-do lists but quite often we do this wrong. We over fill them so we become overwhelmed by it. We often have many on the go and then start to become pointless. Nothing gets ticked off and we don’t make progress. 

What I started to do was, to create a list that’s a lot smaller. I have three things that I need to complete in the week. Just three. I make them a priority, I focus on them and get it done. Think, what three things do I need to get done this week? 

Every Monday morning, I sit down with a drink and get all my ideas out on paper. I then have a look at what is the most important. What three things need my attention this week? I write them down and this is my list. 

I also use a ‘snag’ list – this is for all those little things that need to be completed that are quick and easy to complete. This will often become one of my three things to complete in a week. 

But by trying to do less, you actually can complete a lot more. So if you feel overwhelmed by an ever growing to-do list, try doing it this way.

Creating habits

My last tip is to segment your time and week. I have created habits for myself and have set days where I do get things done. Now, I put this off for a long time, as I have ADHD. My brain is a little spontaneous and some days I focus better than others, however, I have learnt that you can be flexible but still in a routine.

Having some structure to your week can really help and it enables you to create habits. So for example, Monday is my admin day. There are certains tasks on my to do list that I will do every Monday and it’s become a habit. On a Friday I carve out time to create art for a few hours. Again, this has become a habit. These times are non-negotiable and I make sure I am fully focused whilst getting them done.  

This is how I first started United ArtSpace. I had two babies and time really wasn’t on my side. I was up at night feeding. I was a mum and I was tired, but I had this dream and I really wanted to do something for myself. 

I read an article which said, if you have a dream, find the time to work on it. If you don’t it will never happen. So I decided that I was going to set an hour each week to start work on this idea that was bubbling away in my head. After a while, an hour then becomes two and then two become three. Five years on I have built this online community that has helped thousands. It is my passion and my full time work. It’s amazing how that one hour a week, which seemed so insignificant, has led to this.

Honour where you are

So I hope these tips help you out in some way or another. Remember, everyone is on a different path so it’s about honouring wherever you are right now. If you’ve got something that you want to do, I am sure you can find just an hour a week to get started with it. We all can if we put our minds to it. 

Following our dream is so important, so finding that non-negotiable time is key to making a difference so you can grow and enjoy your passions. 

Much love, 
Michelle x.