How to Save Time and Get More Done

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Do you know how to save time and get more done? Neither did I, at first.

Last Tuesday, I found myself staring at my mobile screen at half three in the morning, wondering how I’d managed to waste yet another evening doom-scrolling through social media. My to-do list sat mockingly on my bedside table, virtually untouched.

The presentation for tomorrow’s class? Not even started. The laundry? Still in the washing machine, probably needing another spin. Even my poor husband was giving me that look that said, “Remember that date you promised?“

Something had to change.

I was drowning in tasks, perpetually exhausted, and somehow always running out of time despite having the same 24 hours as everyone else. That’s when I decided to completely overhaul how I managed my time.

What I discovered not only transformed my daily routine but also helped me reclaim hours I didn’t even know I was losing.

In this post, I’ll share the exact strategies that helped me go from a chronic time-waster to someone who actually ticks off their to-do list before sunset.

Whether you’re struggling with productivity, feeling overwhelmed by your schedule, or simply wanting to carve out more time for what truly matters, I’ve got some practical solutions that worked for me – and I believe they can work for you too.

Table of Contents show

Why do I Waste Time so Easily?

Have you ever reached Sunday evening and wondered where the entire weekend disappeared to? I certainly have.

Just last month, I caught myself mindlessly flicking through YouTube channels for what I thought was 20 minutes – only to realise two hours had vanished into thin air.

This got me thinking about why we so often feel like time is running away from us, especially when we’re trying to get more done.

The Digital Time Vortex:

Our phones have become both our greatest tools and our worst time thieves. I’ll admit it – I’m guilty of picking up my mobile to check one quick email, only to emerge 45 minutes later from a rabbit hole of Facebook reels and Reddit threads.

It’s not just social media, though. The constant ping of notifications, the endless stream of emails, and the perpetual availability that technology demands create an illusion that we’re being productive when we’re actually just being busy.

The Myth of Multitasking:

Remember when I thought I was absolutely brilliant at juggling multiple tasks? I’d be cooking dinner whilst joining a Zoom call, simultaneously trying to help my husband with his Japanese study.

The reality? The pasta was overcooked, I missed half the meeting, and my poor hubby was stuck on one section for a whole week.

What feels like saving time in daily life often results in everything taking longer and nothing being done properly.

The Pressure of ‘Productive’ Culture:

In our quest to get more done, we’ve somehow convinced ourselves that every moment must be optimised. I see it in my colleagues’ eyes during our morning commute – that guilt when they’re simply gazing out the window instead of responding to emails or listening to a productivity podcast.

This constant pressure to save time and maximise every second paradoxically makes us more aware of time ‘wasted’, even when we’re simply taking necessary breaks.

The Curse of Choice Overload:

Here’s something that resonated with me recently: having too many options actually consumes more time. I spent 30 minutes last week deciding which word processing app to download, only to waste another hour setting it up, before abandoning it entirely.

Sometimes, having too many tools and techniques for how to get things done actually prevents us from, well, getting things done.

The Invisible Time-Stealers:

The most dangerous time-wasters are often the ones we don’t notice. Those “quick” five-minute tasks that invariably take 20, the meetings that could have been emails, the perfectionist tendencies that keep us polishing a project well past what’s necessary.

It’s like having a leaky tap – each drip seems insignificant, but over time, you’ve lost gallons of water without realising it.

The Planning Fallacy:

Perhaps the most frustrating reality I’ve faced is how consistently we underestimate how long tasks will take. Last month, I promised myself I’d sort out my sewing room in a weekend.

Three weekends later, I was still finding cables I couldn’t identify and documents I wasn’t sure whether to keep or shred. This psychological quirk makes us feel like we’re wasting time when really, we were just optimistic in our initial planning.

Thankfully, understanding why we feel like we’re wasting time is the first step to making meaningful changes. But that’s a story for another section.

Is it ever OK to waste time?

Last Saturday, I spent three glorious hours relaxing and just lounging around with my husband. According to my productivity app, I’d accomplished absolutely nothing.

No emails answered. No tasks ticked off. No progress made on my work projects.

Yet, somehow, those ‘wasted’ hours felt more valuable than any efficiently managed afternoon at school.

The Hidden Value in ‘Wasted’ Time:

The truth about time management and getting more done isn’t always what the productivity gurus would have us believe. Here’s why sometimes, what looks like wasting time might actually be exactly what we need:

Creative Breakthroughs Need Mental Space

Picture this: I was stuck on a challenging blog post, desperately trying to save time by powering through. After two frustrating hours, I gave up and took what I thought was an unproductive walk around the neighbourhood.

Halfway through aimlessly wandering past the local shops, the solution hit me like a bolt of lightning. What my calendar would label as ‘wasted time’ had actually given my brain the space it needed to solve the problem naturally.

Relationship Building Isn’t Time-Trackable

That coffee break that extended into a two-hour heart-to-heart with a colleague? On paper, it looks like a massive drain on your day.

But some of my most valuable professional relationships – the ones that later helped me get more done than I ever could alone – were built during these seemingly ‘wasteful’ moments. The same goes for those lingering family dinners and meandering phone calls with old friends.

You can’t measure the value of connection in minutes saved.

Rest Isn’t Waste – It’s Investment

Remember when I felt guilty about spending an entire Sunday afternoon reading in my bedroom? I’d planned to use that time to get ahead on work, to be more productive, to save time for the week ahead.

But here’s the thing: that peaceful afternoon recharged me so thoroughly that my Monday productivity soared. Sometimes, what looks like wasting time is actually an investment in our mental and physical wellbeing.

The next time you feel guilty about ‘wasting time’, perhaps it’s worth asking yourself: are you really wasting it, or are you spending it on something that productivity apps simply can’t measure?

After all, life isn’t just about how to save time in daily life – it’s about how we choose to spend the time we have.

10 Unexpected Ways to Save Time and Work Smarter

Recall how I mentioned my late-night doom-scrolling earlier? Well, after hitting rock bottom with my time management, I discovered some rather unconventional ways to save time and get more done.

These aren’t your typical ‘make a to-do list’ tips – though those are brilliant too. Instead, these are the peculiar but effective strategies I stumbled upon through trial and error.

The “Only Handle It Once” Revolution:

Here’s a game-changer: I started treating my emails like hot potatoes. When I open one, I must deal with it immediately – reply, delete, or schedule it.

No more of that “I’ll come back to this later” nonsense. Initially, it felt impossible, but this approach has saved me countless hours of re-reading and re-deciding.

My inbox has never been clearer, and I’ve reclaimed hours of my week.

The “Productivity Playlist” Method:

I created different Spotify playlists for different types of work – each exactly 25 minutes long. My ‘writing playlist’ has become such a powerful trigger for focus that merely hearing the first song puts me in work mode.

When the music stops, I know it’s break time. No more checking the clock every few minutes or getting lost in two-hour stretches without a break.

The “Meeting-Free Monday Morning” Rule:

During brief school breaks, I blocked out every Monday morning until 11 AM as ‘unavailable’ in my calendar. These sacred hours have become my weekly planning powerhouse.

The trick? I use this time to tackle the week’s most daunting task when my energy is highest.

By getting more done before most people have finished their second coffee, I set a productive tone for the entire week.

The “Energy Mapping” Technique:

Instead of planning my days by time slots, I started mapping tasks to my energy levels. I’m rubbish at detailed work after 3 PM, but surprisingly creative late in the evening.

Once I aligned my schedule with these natural rhythms, I stopped fighting my body clock and started getting things done more efficiently.

The “Phone in Flight Mode” Focus Hack:

Every day between 6-8 PM, my phone goes into flight mode – not just silent, but properly disconnected. These two hours have become my ‘deep work’ paradise.

The twist? I tell everyone I’m only available for emergencies via my chromebook during this time. The world hasn’t ended yet, and my productivity has soared.

The “Backwards Planning” Strategy:

Rather than starting with the first task, I began planning projects from the end goal backwards. It’s like reading a mystery novel in reverse – you spot the essential clues much faster.

This approach has helped me eliminate unnecessary steps and save time in daily life that I didn’t even know I was wasting.

The “Three-Box System”:

I placed three boxes on my desk: “Today“, “This Week“, and “Later“. Every time something lands on my desk, it goes straight into one of these boxes.

The clever bit? The “Later” box gets emptied every Friday – if something’s been sitting there all week, it probably isn’t as important as I thought.

The “Five-Minute Preview” Ritual:

Before leaving work each afternoon, I spend exactly five minutes speed-reading through the next day’s schedule and tasks. This tiny investment helps my brain process and prepare overnight.

I often wake up with solutions to problems I haven’t even properly started tackling yet.

The “Context Bundling” Method:

I started grouping tasks by context rather than type. Instead of having a ‘phone calls’ block, I bundle all tasks that require being in a particular headspace – whether that’s creative, analytical, or communicative.

Switching mental gears less frequently has dramatically improved my efficiency.

The “Productivity Wardrobe” Approach:

This might sound barmy, but I created a capsule wardrobe with specific outfits for different types of school days. Active days get one look, deep work days another.

It’s eliminated decision fatigue and somehow tricks my brain into the right mode faster. Plus, it’s saved countless minutes of morning wardrobe deliberation.

Final Thoughts

As I sit here typing this conclusion, my phone is deliberately out of reach, my ‘focus time‘ playlist is winding down, and I’m wearing my ‘writing day‘ jumper. It might sound a bit mad, but these small changes have revolutionised how I save time and get more done in my daily life.

The journey to better time management isn’t about squeezing more tasks into each hour or never taking a break. Rather, it’s about understanding our relationship with time and making intentional choices about how we spend it.

Sometimes that means implementing clever productivity hacks, and other times it means lounging around with a loved one.

Please remember, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to saving time. The best strategy is the one you’ll actually stick to. Start small – perhaps with just one of the techniques we’ve discussed – and build from there.

Your future self will thank you for the time you invest today in learning how to work smarter, not harder.

And the next time you find yourself doom-scrolling at 3 AM (we’ve all been there), remember that change doesn’t happen overnight. Every minute saved is a minute earned, and every seemingly ‘wasted’ moment can be a stepping stone to better habits.

After all, the goal isn’t just to save time – it’s to create a life where we spend our time on what truly matters. Whether that’s smashing through your to-do list or taking a guilt-free afternoon nap, you get to decide what makes your time well spent.

What will you do with all the time you save?

Happy thriving!