Hi, how do you manage your time in order to get your things done?
At the moment I focus on the most important things first which I have on my to do list (generally things for university with dead lines etc.) and afterwards things which make fun, hobbies etc.
The good thing about this, I get the most important things done during the day. However the bad thing is, I spend so much time on my important things, that afterwards I am either too tired, lazy or it is very late in the evening to spend time on my fun things.
For example, I try too learn Russian and I am reading a book at the moment. These things don´t have a dead line but are somehow important to me.
So my question is: Should I do the most important stuff first or should I do the “fun things” first for a fix time and afterwards spend all my time for the more important things?
If I do all my fun things including Russian that would take not more than an hour a day and It would be perhaps even easier to start working in the first place.
What are your tips and strategies about it? What works best for you?
Well, the important stuff needs to get done. You should probably do that stuff when you’re fresh. Think about saving some of it for later in the day when you’re tired! Now you have something you don’t really want to do, needing to be done at the end of the day.
For language learning, if it is a hobby, you need to make it fun. So even at the end of the day you should be able to do some. If you aren’t on a time crunch for a class or needing to know the language before moving there, then simply take it slow. Try to do a little bit each day. Even if it’s 10 minutes. It will add up. It may take longer but it will add up.
With the technology and apps nowadays it is super easy to squeeze a little bit of language learning throughout the day. Even for a couple minutes here and there. Read or listen to part of a lesson, or the whole one if it’s short while standing in line. In between sets while working out. Listen while walking or doing the dishes or some other chore. Read a lesson right before bed. Read a lesson while using the bathroom. All of these things can easily add up to an half hour, hour or more a day.
Another idea you can use is the Pomodoro Technique.
Use the 25 min timer to work on important stuff. After the 25 minutes is up, spend 5 minutes doing some language learning. Then go back to doing the important stuff for 25 min…etc.
If you’re worried about being too tired by the time you get a chance to focus on your hobbies then I would advise you to consider taking a nap after the necessary work and before the hobbies. I used to sleep for 30-60 mins after work and before piano study. It makes a big difference to have a fresh and well-rested brain. Also, getting some hobby time in during the week is important but you always have the weekends to make up for lost time.
Wake up - > start listening to a morning native podcast in my TL
Shower, shave, brush teeth, getting dressed → listening to podcast
Check morning news and weather → I do this in my TL
Driving for business → listening to podcast
If I get a lunch break by myself → reading in my TL
I also set a mindfulness bell to go off 8 times during the day and use it to listen and read easy podcasts for 5 mins each
Drive home → listening to podcast
Check evening news → I do this in my TL
Go to gym → listen to podcast
Chores → listen to podcast
Last 20 mins of day → reading in my TL
Going to sleep → put a podcast on
Wake up in the middle of the night, for 20 mins → listen to a podcast and fall back to sleep
Better half → TL
Business, work colleagues, friends, acquaintances → all tend to gravitate to something in my TL
I feel I get at least 4-5 hours a day, without actually doing anything.
During the summer, when the sun goes up early it’s not difficult for me to wake up an hour or two before everyone else in my home and focus entirely on languages, but in order to do that I have to go to bed early as well (at least 7 hours of sleep per day is really important for your brain). Winter’s different for me:) I know I don’t have that much energy and I am OK with that