Making Time for What Matters

Most people want to make positive changes in their lives such as exercising more, adding meditation or other personal practices to their daily routine, or spending more quality time with friends and family. I often see clients who want to make healthy changes like these but they feel like time keeps getting in the way. Between work, family, and endless to-do lists, it’s easy to feel like there’s no space left for doing the things you love or that will benefit your life. 

One of the first steps I suggest is taking a look at how you spend your time each day because often there are ways that you can save time, freeing up space for other things that bring you more joy, help you make your body healthier, and give you a better sense of balance in your life. 

Step 1: Take Stock of Your Time

When I was in grad school, one of our professors had us all write out a schedule, in 15 minute increments, of everything we did in a day to see what we were spending our time on, where we could save time, and how we were going to fit in the demands of school with other life commitments. It was a real eye-opener to see on paper how much time I was spending on things like talking on the phone or watching YouTube videos. While there is nothing wrong with doing these things, I realized I had to make some life choices on how to focus my time to accomplish what I needed to during the program.

I encourage you to review how you spend your time to give you a better understanding of where your time actually goes. A time inventory is a powerful starting point before trying to add healthy habits to your life. Track your activities for a few days, from the moment you wake up, to when you go to bed. Be honest and curious, not judgmental. You might discover, for example, that:

• You scroll social media for 45 minutes in the morning or before bed.

• You spend longer than expected getting ready.

• You spend a lot of time preparing meals each day.

  
  

Once you see where your time is going, you can begin to make small changes to create more time in your day.

Step 2: Start Small and Be Strategic

Small intentional shifts to your daily routine can create real progress over time and often reduces stress in the process. Review your time inventory, select a few areas you want to improve on and make a short list of how to do that. For example, If you notice you spend too much time on social media, set a timer and stop after 15 minutes, or go on social media while you are doing other things (e.g. waiting at the doctor’s office, while you’re on hold with the bank, etc.). 

The goal isn’t perfection; it’s progress. Even a few minutes reclaimed each day can provide more space for other things you want to accomplish.

Step 3: Make Healthy Habits Efficient and Enjoyable

An effective strategy for time saving is combining two activities, often one that feels productive and one that feels enjoyable or that you want to do more of.  This technique allows you to use your effort for two things at half the time. My favourite example of this is exercising and socializing. Let’s say you normally go for a meal on the weekend  with your friends. Why not switch it up so you meet them for a walk, or pickleball, or some form of exercise instead? You can still catch up and connect, but you’re also checking off your work out at the same time. 

Some other examples:

• An easy one… Exercise + Learning: Listen to a podcast or an audiobook that inspires you while walking or working out.

• Cleaning + Socializing: Tidy up while chatting on the phone with a friend or make any “to do” calls such as to your cell phone company, etc. that you have to make while you are cleaning.

• Coffee Break + Journaling: Pair your morning coffee with five minutes of reflection or intention-setting. 

  
  

By connecting two habits together, you can check more off your list in a day and use less time doing the tasks. You can also utilize Habit Stacking, the term that James Clear popularized in his book Atomic Habits. Habit Stacking is linking a new habit to a solid existing one so the old habit becomes a natural cue for the new one making it stick. For example, stretching after you brush your teeth or going for a 10 minute walk after your morning coffee.

Step 4: Choose the Right Time of Day

Not everyone’s energy peaks at the same time. For some, mornings are ideal for exercise or meal prep; for others, evenings feel more realistic. The key is to align habits with your energy. Do what matters most when you’re at your best and the most energetic and focused.

For example:

• If you’re a morning person, try getting your workout or meditation done early before the day fills up.

• If you find focus in the afternoon, schedule healthy meal planning or a short walk then.

• Protect your most alert hours for priorities that energize and restore you.

  
  

Step 5: Keep Perspective

Time management isn’t just about squeezing more into your day, it’s about making space for what truly matters. Small steps can lead to profound shifts when practiced consistently.

Recap:

1. Do a time inventory.

2. Choose one or two areas to adjust to create more time to do what you want.

3. Add 1-2 new healthy habits that really matter to you. Use Habit layering and/or stacking to make the new habits stick more easily.

4. Check in weekly to see what’s working and what needs tweaking.

   
   

Remember: you don’t need more time, you need more intention on what you are doing with your time. With awareness, small changes, and realistic planning, you can create room for the habits that help you thrive.