There are no people without time

Introduction

It's common for us to make excuses that we don't have time for anything, that we can't make the day productive, that it's not possible to study that framework of the moment... but is that really true? Could it be that we're prioritizing things that don't generate results?

The problem isn't a lack of time, but priority...

We all have the same 24 hours or 1,440 minutes, no more and no less, to take care of every aspect of our professional, financial, and emotional life, our health, our relationships, and our leisure. Reading the phrase above, you may already have noticed which aspect is taking up more of your time. Usually the professional side (work) is what takes up most of our time. Sometimes even all of our time. That leaves no time to walk the dog, do some physical activity, watch a movie, read a book, etc.

How to make better use of time?

The first question to ask is "what is important to me at this moment?" Well, if I'm during working hours, work should be the priority. Of course, if something urgent comes up with a family member, work will stop being the priority. If I'm outside working hours, my priority might be studying, family, leisure, etc. Now let's do the time math: in the 24 hours of a day, you sleep 8 hours and work 8 hours (some work 8:45, but let's round). By my calculations, 8 hours are left. Subtract 2 hours for eating, going to the bathroom, showering, and brushing your teeth. That leaves 6 hours a day — what do you do with those 6 hours? One of the biggest villains of time is social media, because whether you like it or not, you end up getting hooked on content that often won't help you reach your goal. What if every minute lost on a social network were converted into minutes of knowledge? That would improve your results. It's also very important to remember that you have a body and a mind. So set aside time every day to renew your energy in whatever way works best for you.

Still using the time excuse?

Well, if you're still using time as an excuse, know that the revolution around the sun hasn't changed and a day still has 24 hours. If you have something important but can't do it because you lack time, I suggest you start small — test whether this is really what you're looking for. For example: "I want to study Android development but I don't have time." Start with just 10 minutes. Those 10 minutes won't interfere with your schedule, and if those minutes create value for you, they'll turn into 20 or 30 minutes. If they don't create value, you'll realize it and can spend that time on something more important that does produce results. If we learn to manage our time, we'll be more productive and less stressed. And, if having time is a personal choice, remember that:

• the person who has time isn't lazy, they just manage their time very well;
• the person who manages their time well doesn't live racing against it;
• the person who uses their time well enjoys better physical and mental health.

Now, how about some self-analysis? And remember to swap "I don't have time" for "I'm prioritizing other things right now."