If you find yourself tired and irritated at the end of the day, stressed out by school, college or work, it can get difficult to find a motivation to get up and do it all over the next day. In between all the hassle, you need some time, a few hours, to yourself when you can catch a breath and feel in control.

Here are five ways to find the time to do so.

Go on a social media diet
Trust us, you don’t need to check your social media every ten minutes. We have all wasted a lot of time mindlessly scrolling through social media – nothing productive comes out of it and we all know it. All the time you use talking to friends or people you meet everyday or often, on social media can be used to do something recreational like getting back into the painting habit or knitting. Also, most apps have reminders that you can set that will tell you how much time you have spent on them. So, you can manage how much time to spend on them accordingly. This, you will find, will give you a few minutes or perhaps even hours to yourself, during which you can do things that make you happy and in control of your life. Also, ask yourself, “Do I really need to be on every social media platform?” Some are essential for work or talking to family and friends but if you have too many, you are left maintaining them – from writing captions to posting pictures and it can all be pretty time consuming. So monitor your social media use and free up some time for yourself.

Turn off the notifications
Oh, those dings and rings of notifications that pops up on your lock screen, tempting you to sneak a peek. And it’s all downhill from there because there you are, an hour into Harry Styles’ Instagram feed. The solution is simple. Simply, turn the notifications off. If something is really important, you will probably be aware of it beforehand or will get a phone call – so relax, you are not missing out on anything. You are instead saving a few hours to properly interact with people around you or picking up a book you kept pending. Just one day of shutting down your notifications can be a fulfilling experience, simply thanks to the lack of distraction and stress that comes from answering to a device in your pocket every few minutes. And while it may seem like a tiny difference, changing a small habit can significantly alter your lifestyle. Also, it helps you to concentrate on the task at hand, especially ones that take time and patience like studying for a test or meeting a deadline.

Designate one day to do the chores
Chores can be quite a hassle, if not properly managed. Most of us, at the end of the week, find everything from laundry to cleaning piled up and are in no mood of tackling all the work. It doesn’t have to be this way. If you find yourself home early, then go ahead and do some chores right there and then. But not all of us can shift to ‘laundry mode’ in little to no time. So dedicate one day to do the chores. You will be mentally prepared for this day and the fact that most of your household work will be completed by the end of the day is satisfying, to the say least. This way you can save time for yourself. Grouping all your chores together on a chores day will also ensure it all gets done every week. For example, rather than doing the laundry in small amounts throughout the week, you may designate one day as laundry day and get it done all at once. You can then use the time you might have spent on laundry throughout the week on pampering yourself instead. 

Make a daily to-do list
A list might as well be the best way to go about a day when it comes to saving time. Without a list, it’s easy to get pulled in different directions throughout the day leaving you unfocused and unproductive. A simple list lets you concentrate and schedule your time effectively. You can make a list of the most important things you have to do for the day. This can include a work meeting, lecture, eating healthy or exercising. You can use a day planner where you schedule your tasks for the day. Include an hour of time for yourself as part of your schedule and then plan around it. You can also try overlapping tasks so you can get two things done at once. For example, you can listen to an audio book when commuting to class or work – this way you are utilizing time you would otherwise have wasted in traffic jams. Plus, it feels good to check things off as well when they are complete.

Let family and friends know you need some “me time”
This is the most important thing on this list. How many times have gone to a lunch or dinner, just out of courtesy, when what you actually wanted was to get home early and curl up in bed? It’s perfectly okay to want some “me time”. You should also communicate your need for “me time” with those closest to you. Let your family and friends know that you are trying to set aside an hour a day for yourself and ask them to respect your alone time. You can also ask your family and friends for support and request them to help you out and cover a few of your responsibilities so you can enjoy a little bit of down time. You can use this time for some self-care – you could practice emotional self-care by writing your thoughts down in a journal or by doing meditation to manage your stress levels. You could also do physical self-care like going to a fitness class or for a relaxing walk. 

 
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