How To Take Control of Your Time
Have you ever felt like the day ended before you even had a chance to begin? Like your time slipped through your fingers, leaving you wondering where it all went? You're not alone. In a world that moves fast and demands more, it’s easy to feel like there’s never enough time for what really matters. But here’s the truth: you have more control over your time than you think. With a few intentional shifts—starting with awareness—you can reclaim your days, protect your energy, and make room for what fuels you.
Let’s explore how.
1. Notice where your time goes
One of the most eye-opening things you can do is observe how you're spending your time. Over the next few days, try jotting down where your hours are going—every meeting, email, conversation, and interruption. This isn’t about judgment or guilt. It’s about awareness. So often we feel like we don’t have enough time, when we’ve just stopped noticing where it’s slipping away.
Try This: Write down how you spent your time at the end of each day for the next week. Look for energy-drainers—those tasks or habits that take up a lot of space but offer little value. Don’t judge them—just notice. Once you’re clear on where your time is going, you can start making small changes that open the door to something new.
2. Make space for what matters most
When your calendar is packed, imagining creating time for anything new can feel impossible. But the truth is, you don’t need hours of open space—you need to start with a small block of intentional time. Even 30 minutes set aside each week for something meaningful can shift your energy and focus in powerful ways. It might be time to think, dream, create, or be present with yourself.
Try This: Choose one 30-minute window this week and protect it like it’s non-negotiable. Use that time to reconnect with something that matters to you—journaling, reading, planning, or simply being. This isn’t extra. This is essential. Let that small act of prioritizing yourself become a weekly ritual.
3. Practice saying no to protect your yes
It’s easy to say yes out of habit, obligation, or fear of letting others down. But every time you say yes to something that doesn’t align with your priorities, you’re saying no to something that does. Your time is a finite resource, and how you spend it reflects what you value. Saying no can feel uncomfortable at first, but it’s also one of the most empowering skills you can build.
Try This: The next time a request comes in, pause. Ask yourself: Is this aligned with what matters most to me right now? If not, practice a simple, respectful no: “Thanks for thinking of me, but I’m not able to commit to that right now.” Notice how it feels to honor your yes by guarding it with a no.
4. Schedule rest without guilt
We’ve been conditioned to believe that rest is something you earn after everything else is done. But when you live that way, rest keeps getting pushed to “someday”—and burnout shows up instead. The truth is, rest isn’t a reward. It’s a requirement. It’s how your mind resets, your body heals, and your spirit reconnects with what matters.
Try This: Schedule rest this week. Start small: a slow morning, an evening walk without your phone, or even a weekend nap. Treat it like any other important appointment—and keep it. You'll not fall behind when you give yourself permission to rest without guilt. You’ll build the energy to move forward with clarity and purpose.
The truth is, you have more power over your time than it might feel. Small shifts in awareness, intention, and boundaries can open up space for what truly matters. Start where you are. One choice at a time is enough to change everything.