Finding Time to Enjoy Life

There aren't enough hours in the day...

I just ran out of time...

Where did the time go?

Hmmm...

“You will never find time for anything.

If you want time you must make it.”

– Charles Buxton

Wise words. And, how exactly do you make time?

Three, simple first steps...

One... Close the entrance.

A simplified life, full of time to enjoy people and experiences does not focus on physical “stuff”. The more physical items you own, the more time you need to acquire, store and look after everything. You don't need to get rid of anything you love and use, but you can stem the tide by reducing the number of new items that come into your possession.

On your phone (or in a small notebook), start two lists. List one is “Groceries”: food, toiletries and cleaning products. All consumable items, usually bought in one store, this is an ongoing list with items added and then removed when purchased. List two is “Replacements”. Anything on that list is needed and will replace the equivalent item I already own. The decision to buy something is actually made before you shop, not while you're in the store. A new sweater, garden hose, kitchen gadget...apply the “one in, one out” rule and donate, sell or recycle the equivalent item you already have.

• Time created? 3-4 hours/week. In my case, shorter, more efficient grocery store trips and fewer return trips to pick up something I've forgotten equals time saved. A substantial chunk of time is created, however, by eliminating those weekly browse and shop sessions, looking for “things I might need”. Do I ever shop for fun? Yes, I still sometimes go out for lunch and check out the stores with a friend – a good time – but I restrict my buying to consumable items (handmade soap, a new flavour of balsamic vinegar) or spend my time searching for an item on my “replacement” list.

Two... Clear horizontal surfaces.

Not in one day or even one month, but slowly work first on clearing as many horizontal surfaces as possible. Start slow, ignore drawers, cupboards, etc., and work 10 minutes a day on clearing tables, counters, shelves, the top of your dresser. Be prepared. It's amazing how much calmer you'll feel. The hard part is keeping those horizontal surfaces clear. Everyone will immediately gravitate to them. Be patient. As you leave those spaces (the kitchen after dinner, the living room at the end of the evening, the bedroom after you wake up), check that those spots are still clear before you leave the room.

• Time created? You'll save half of the number of minutes you currently spend per week cleaning. Cleaning doesn't actually take long. It's the picking up, sorting and returning items to the correct place that takes time.

Three... Prop open the exit door.

Confession... I have actually sorted, decided and eliminated some items more than once from my home. Why? Because I've not had a particularly efficient system for removing (donate, recycle, sell, trash) those items from the house. I'll identify items to remove on almost a daily basis (see step two), but three or four small items are not enough to justify a trip to your local donation centre. Deciding where to store items that are on their way “out” is crucial. It needs to be a handy spot, out of high use zones and able to accommodate items for a length of time if required (example, one box of things I have will go to the lake three months from now).

• Time created? Hard to calculate! But the bottom line is “less = more”. Less stuff means less time accumulating, storing and cleaning. That equals more time enjoying the important things in life.