5 Habits That Save Me 25+ Hours a Week | Time Management For Busy People

Summary

This video offers five powerful daily habits to boost productivity and achieve better work-life balance. The habits include using portable tasks during idle times, eliminating small time-wasters, habit stacking by combining passive and active activities, understanding personal energy patterns to align tasks accordingly, and time blocking to structure tasks efficiently. With practical examples and motivational insights, the video provides a comprehensive guide to optimizing time management and maximizing productivity while still prioritizing self-care and personal growth.

Takeaways

• 🗒️ Keep a portable task list to utilize spare moments for productive work such as responding to messages, creating content, reading, or brainstorming ideas.
• ⌛ Identify and eliminate small time wasters like mindless scrolling, indecisiveness about meals or clothing, and inefficient commuting to reclaim valuable time.
• 🧠 Practice habit stacking by combining passive physical activities with active mental tasks to maximize productivity and prioritize personal growth.
• ⏰ Recognize that not all times are equal and plan your day based on your energy and focus levels, aligning high-value tasks with peak productivity hours.
• 📅 Implement time blocking by allocating specific time slots for tasks to increase focus, productivity, and reduce the effects of Parkinson's law.
• 🚆 Utilize commute time effectively by engaging in portable tasks instead of mindless scrolling, potentially reclaiming 7.5 hours per week.
• 📚 Leverage habit stacking to make progress on personal development, learning new skills, or relaxation by combining it with routine tasks.
• 🧘‍♀️ Identify your unique energy patterns and focus levels through self-awareness and experimentation to optimize task scheduling.
• 📝 Create a dedicated space or system to maintain your portable task list for easy access and reference during spare moments.
• 🔄 Regularly review and adjust your time blocking schedule based on actual time taken for tasks and fluctuations in energy levels.

Q & A

What are the five daily habits discussed in the video?

The five daily habits discussed are: 1) Keeping and using a portable task list, 2) Eliminating small time wasters, 3) Habit stacking, 4) Realizing that not all times are created equal, and 5) Time blocking.

How much time can be saved by keeping and using a portable task list?

According to the video, keeping and using a portable task list can save at least 7.5 hours per week, which is equivalent to an entire workday.

What is habit stacking, and how does it help save time?

Habit stacking is the practice of combining a passive activity (like walking or doing dishes) with an active one (like listening to a podcast or writing). It helps save time by allowing you to multitask and accomplish more in the same amount of time.

Why is it important to realize that not all times are created equal?

It's important to realize that our energy and focus levels fluctuate throughout the day. By aligning high-value tasks with our peak energy times, we can multiply the quality of our work and get more done in less time.

What is time blocking, and how does it help with productivity?

Time blocking is the practice of allocating specific time slots in your calendar for specific tasks. It helps with productivity by setting boundaries and creating self-defined deadlines, reducing the negative effects of Parkinson's law (tasks expanding to fill the available time).

How can one identify their high and low value times based on energy and focus levels?

To identify high and low value times, you can track your energy and focus levels for a few days or reflect on the times when you typically do your best work. Then, dedicate your high energy times to high-value tasks and low energy times to low-value tasks.

What is the recommended approach to implementing these five habits?

The video recommends starting with one habit at a time and gradually adding more habits once the previous one has been successfully incorporated into your routine. It suggests not trying to implement all five habits simultaneously.

How can eliminating small time wasters save time?

The video suggests that small time wasters, like scrolling on social media, deciding what to eat, or looking for a closer parking spot, can add up to a significant amount of wasted time each week. By identifying and eliminating these small time wasters, you can potentially save around 4.37 hours per week.

What is the importance of creating a portable task list?

Creating a portable task list allows you to utilize your "empty time" effectively, such as when commuting or waiting for someone, by having a list of tasks that can be completed without requiring deep concentration or large blocks of time.

How does time blocking help in reducing the negative effects of Parkinson's law?

Parkinson's law states that work expands to fill the time available for its completion. By time blocking and actively setting boundaries and deadlines for tasks, you reduce the tendency for tasks to expand unnecessarily and fill the available time, thus improving productivity.

Outlines

00:00

🕰️ Keeping a Portable Task List

This paragraph discusses the habit of maintaining a portable task list, which helps utilize waiting or empty time productively. It recommends having a list of tasks that can be done on the go, such as responding to messages, creating content, reading articles, or simply thinking through ideas. Doing these tasks during commutes or waiting periods can save up to 7.5 hours per week, which is a significant amount of time that can be used for other meaningful activities.

05:00

⏲️ Eliminating Small Time Wasters

This paragraph highlights the importance of identifying and eliminating small time wasters that can add up to hours wasted each week. It suggests being aware of activities like mindless scrolling on phones, deciding what to eat or wear, or inefficient routines. Strategies like moving app icons, meal prepping, and creating a capsule wardrobe can help reduce these time wasters. By becoming aware and implementing strategies, one can save several hours per week and use that time more meaningfully.

10:00

🧠 Habit Stacking for Personal Growth

This paragraph introduces the concept of habit stacking, which involves combining passive activities (physical tasks) with active activities (mental tasks) to maximize productivity and personal growth. Examples include listening to podcasts while exercising, creating content during commutes, or responding to messages while walking. Habit stacking is an effective way to prioritize personal development and learning while managing a busy life, potentially saving up to 5 hours per week.

15:02

⏱️ Aligning Tasks with Energy Levels

This paragraph emphasizes the importance of understanding that not all time is created equal and aligning tasks with energy and focus levels. It suggests that individuals have natural peaks and dips in concentration throughout the day, influenced by factors like sleep patterns and lifestyle habits. By matching high-value tasks with high-energy times and low-value tasks with low-energy times, individuals can multiply the quality of their work, find tasks easier to accomplish, and finish the day feeling more accomplished.

🗓️ Time Blocking for Increased Productivity

This paragraph discusses the strategy of time blocking, which involves allocating specific time slots for tasks in advance. It explains how tasks tend to expand or contract to fit the available time (Parkinson's law). By setting predefined time blocks, individuals can reduce procrastination, increase focus, and complete tasks more efficiently. Time blocking involves deciding how much time to allocate for a task, adding it to the calendar, and potentially aligning it with energy levels. It recommends starting with realistic time estimates and adjusting as needed through experience.

Keywords

💡Portable Task List

A portable task list refers to a dynamically accessible list of tasks that can be performed in various settings, particularly those involving 'empty time' such as commutes or waiting periods. The concept emphasizes the importance of utilizing idle moments productively by engaging in tasks that require minimal resources, such as a phone or one's thoughts. In the video, this concept is introduced as a strategy to reclaim 7.5 hours per week by transforming passive moments into opportunities for personal growth, work, or relaxation, thus contributing to a more balanced and fulfilling life.

💡Empty Time

Empty time describes periods in one's daily schedule that are typically underutilized, such as waiting in line, commuting, or waiting for meetings to start. The video highlights how recognizing and strategically using this time for portable tasks can significantly enhance productivity and personal development. The concept underscores the potential of these moments, often overlooked, to contribute to one's goals and hobbies, thereby maximizing the overall utility of one's time.

💡Productivity

Productivity in the context of the video is defined as the effective use of time to achieve personal and professional goals. The script discusses various strategies, such as habit stacking and time blocking, to optimize productivity. By aligning tasks with one's energy levels and focusing on high-value activities, the speaker illustrates how productivity can lead to a more balanced life, encompassing work, personal development, and leisure.

💡Time Wasters

Time wasters are activities or habits that consume time without contributing significantly to one's goals or well-being, often manifesting as brief, unproductive periods throughout the day. The video script addresses the importance of identifying and eliminating these small time wasters, which collectively can account for a substantial amount of lost time each week, by implementing strategies like rearranging apps to reduce mindless scrolling and meal prepping to minimize decision-making time.

💡Habit Stacking

Habit stacking is defined as the practice of pairing a passive activity with an active one to simultaneously achieve two objectives, thereby saving time and enhancing personal development. The video illustrates this concept by combining tasks like walking with listening to podcasts or using commute time to respond to messages. This approach leverages the inherent multitasking capabilities of humans when engaging in one physical and one mental task, thus optimizing the use of time for learning or personal growth.

💡Energy and Focus Levels

Energy and focus levels refer to the fluctuating capacities for mental and physical engagement throughout the day, influenced by factors like sleep, diet, and personal rhythms (chronotypes). The video suggests planning tasks around these natural peaks and dips to improve efficiency and work quality. Recognizing that not all times are created equal, it advocates for scheduling high-energy tasks during personal peak times and saving low-energy tasks for when one's focus and energy wane.

💡Time Blocking

Time blocking is a time management strategy where specific blocks of time are allocated to particular tasks or activities. This approach counters Parkinson's law, which states that work expands to fill the time available for its completion. By setting boundaries and deadlines, time blocking helps to focus effort and increase productivity. The video promotes using time blocking to prioritize tasks, match them with optimal energy levels, and minimize wasted time, thereby enhancing overall life balance.

💡Parkinson's Law

Parkinson's Law is the adage that 'work expands to fill the time available for its completion.' It suggests that the more time one allocates to a task, the longer the task will take to complete, often due to inefficiencies or procrastination. The video references this concept in the context of time blocking, illustrating how limiting the time dedicated to a task can lead to more focused and efficient work.

💡Capsule Wardrobe

A capsule wardrobe is mentioned in the video as a strategy for eliminating small time wasters related to deciding what to wear each day. It involves curating a limited selection of versatile and interchangeable clothing items that simplify the decision-making process, thereby saving time and reducing decision fatigue. This concept exemplifies a practical approach to reducing daily inefficiencies and reclaiming time for more meaningful activities.

💡Self-awareness

Self-awareness in the video is discussed in the context of understanding one's own energy and focus fluctuations throughout the day. By recognizing personal productivity patterns, such as peak times for focus and creativity, individuals can optimize their schedule to align tasks with their natural rhythms. The script emphasizes the importance of self-awareness for effective time management, suggesting that it is a foundational step in applying strategies like time blocking and habit stacking to improve productivity and balance.

Highlights

Spent 3 years experimenting with productivity and time management tips.

Uses five small daily habits for optimal time use and balance in a busy life.

Keeps and uses a portable task list, saving at least 7.5 hours a week.

Finds value in using public transport time for productive tasks instead of social media scrolling.

Portable tasks can include personal admin, content creation, and personal growth activities.

Eliminates small time wasters, saving 4.37 hours per week.

Identifies and reduces time spent on unproductive short activities.

Habit stacking combines a passive and an active task, saving at least 5 hours a week.

Realizing not all times are created equal for energy and focus, which can revolutionize productivity.

Adjusts day around energy and focus levels for more effective task completion.

Time blocking as a strategy to make tasks fit into defined time slots, used by successful figures.

Parkinson's Law and its effect on task completion efficiency.

Matching tasks with energy levels for improved work quality and enjoyment.

Start with one habit and gradually add more for better time management.

Provides actionable steps for implementing each highlighted habit.

Transcripts

I have spent the last 3 years

experimenting with almost every

productivity and time management tip out

there there are five small daily habits

some evidence backed and some of my own

that I now use to get the most out of my

time and balance everything in my busy

life if you want my credentials I'm

currently working full-time with a 2hour

commute I write one newsletter and

create one YouTube video each week I

exercise every day eat well and get 7

plus hours of sleep at night and still

try and make as much time as possible to

do the things that I love like seeing

friends and reading and working on my

personal development the first habit is

keeping and using a portable task list

and this saves me at least 7 and 1/2

hours a week this might be an unpopular

opinion but I genuinely love public

transport it's literally a free pass or

a $5 pass to getting where you want to

go without having to do the driving

yourself I would say about 85% of people

use this time to scroll on social media

and 5% spend at playing games on their

phone if this is you it's not your fault

and it's what I used to do as well it's

because it's the path of leas resistance

scrolling and consuming social media

content has turned into a norm every

time that we are sitting on public

transport waiting in the car for our kid

or our friend or filling in time in

between meetings and classes I like to

call these waiting times empty time and

there's something that the other 10% of

people do with this empty time that

allow them to make these small parts of

their day more meaning meaningful or

more useful they use something that I

like to call portable tasks whether they

realize it or not a portable task can be

used in almost any situation where you

have empty time they typically involve

things that require only your phone or

your brain they don't require deep

concentration and they don't require

large blocks of time these portable

tasks could be work rated they could be

personal admin or they could be related

to your personal growth and development

or even rest and relaxation so every day

I drive Drive 15 minutes to the train

station and then I take a 45 minute

train to work instead of scrolling

social media on these train rides I've

used the time to respond to messages to

create and edit content I'm probably

editing this YouTube video on the train

right now I've read and saved articles

and posts that I wanted to explore more

I've even just sat on the train for 45

minutes and let my mind work through a

current problem that I'm having or an

idea that I've come up with it might not

sound like much but let's do the maths

if I am taking the train for 45 minutes

twice a day 5 days a week that equals

7.5 hours every week an entire work day

this is one whole day that you get back

to spend more time with your friends and

family or get in that exercise that you

can never find time for it's time you

can now use to do the needle moving work

on your side hustle or Hobbies or maybe

it will just give you the opportunity

for a bit more self-care and relaxation

time that will really help you to

perform at your best so some inspiration

for other portable task that you could

use you could read a book or listen to a

podcast you could create your next

workout program you could clear out your

overflowing camera roll or tidy up your

home screen and like I spoke about

before you could just use it to let your

mind wonder and just decompress from the

day if you do genuinely want social

media time because it is okay to be on

social media you could use this time for

that intentionally it's more just about

eliminating the Mindless scrolling the

key here is to have a constant list of

portable tasks that you can pull from so

you don't end up on the train or waiting

for someone and then spending all of

that time deciding what to actually do

with the time so create your own

portable task list based on your

interest priorities and goals what I do

is I keep a master to-do list on notion

and this houses all of my different

to-dos which I then pull from and time

block into my days so under this list I

have a category section and one of those

categories is portable tasks or phone I

think it's called called so every time

I'm in a situation where I only have my

phone on me but I have a bit of spare

time then I just sort this notion

database into phone tasks only and I

pull things from there if you want to

make your own one of these lists then

you can take the free notion 101 course

that I created which I'll pop in the

description below a small habit like

this is something that contributes

massively to a more balanced and

fulfilling life by giving you time back

and helping you to use your minutes more

meaningfully the second habit is

eliminating small time wasters which

could save you 4.37 hours per week this

is inspired by the weekly Apple screen

time report which always makes me

question what I am doing with my life I

went through a phase where I was racking

up almost 7 hours of screen time a day

yes I was using my phone to create

content and track my workouts and listen

to things on Spotify but those things

absolutely did not take me 7 hours and I

could never quite work out how it

somehow got up to that amount because I

wouldn't spend an hour straight

scrolling on Instagram or Tik Tok I

started paying more attention to what I

was actually doing with my phone and I

came to realize that it was all these

little 5 to 10 minute Scrolls that

somehow added up to hours each day it

was the ones where I would just finish a

work and reward myself with a little

scroll on my phone or where I didn't

know what to do next and so I would

procrastinate by scrolling on my phone

even when I just got home from a long

day and would just spend 5 minutes in

the car before going inside just just

doing a small scroll they really don't

feel like much but all it takes is 10 of

these little 5 minute Scrolls to waste

almost an hour of your day and it's not

just our phone that's the issue because

these small time waster are absolutely

everywhere deciding what to eat for

lunch or dinner can add up to 70 minutes

a week going back and forth on what to

wear each day can add up to 35 minutes a

week looking for a closer park for 10

minutes instead of just parking 100 m

away and walking can add up to 70

minutes a week and things like driving

all the way home and then going back to

the gym instead of just driving directly

to the gym eliminating that saves me 80

minutes a week once you become aware of

these things they start appearing

absolutely everywhere so the first step

to getting your time back is to identify

these time wasters I did this just by

starting to become aware of what I was

doing as I went throughout the day what

are you doing repeatedly that you really

don't need to what things are taking

extra time that you could eliminate and

how can you make the things that you do

regularly slightly more efficient once

you've gained this awareness then you

can start to implement strategies to

reduce the time wasting so for example

with my bad Instagram scrolling habit I

would just move the Instagram app on my

home screen every week this brought my

conscious mind into the picture when I

was trying to look for the app and gave

me a moment to question whether I

actually wanted to use it another thing

that I do is meal prepping because this

eliminates the decision making when I'm

trying to work out what to eat for lunch

and dinner another massive thing was

creating a capsule wardrobe to make

choosing my clothes each day so much

simpler so identify your time waster

think about some different strategies

that you could use to eliminate these or

to reduce your bad habits and start

giving yourself back the time to do more

meaningful fulfilling things habit

number three is one of my absolute

favorites and this is habit stacking

which has saved me at least 5 hours a

week if you feel like you don't have

time for personal development or

learning a new skill or exercising or

even just responding to messages then

this one is for you habit stacking has

been the single biggest tool that I have

used to prioritize my personal growth

and learning while living an extremely

busy life there's a lot of different

definitions for this but my favorite way

to explain this is combining a passive

activity with an active one passive

activities are normally physical ones

things like walking doing the dish es

working out or meal prepping active

activities are mental so things like

listening to a podcast taking a phone

call writing or thinking about something

now multitasking on two passive or two

active tasks doesn't work you can't run

and meal prep at the same time and you

can't write an email and respond to a

message at the same time but habit

stacking one of each of these does work

for example I wrote the outline for this

you you video while I was walking I

create content and respond to messages

while I'm on the train I listen to

podcasts and audio books while I'm at

the gym or meal prepping or washing the

dishes these are really simple

activities that can solve the problem of

feeling like you never have enough time

in the day or having your personal

growth always put in the do later pile

you are sitting right now with a

portable device in your hands that you

can do absolutely anything on this makes

habit stacking one of the easiest ways

to implement more productivity into your

life and manage your time better so

experiment with some different forms of

habit stacking and work out which

combinations work best for you and your

goals habit number four is more of a

mindset shift but it's realizing that

not all times are created equal this is

a big one when I first realized this my

life completely changed and I have never

looked at time planning or productivity

the same way again I used to look at my

mental capacity and focus as this

straight line that stayed constant

throughout the whole day I thought that

doing a task at 7:00 a.m. would take the

same amount of time feel just as

difficult and be done to the same

quality as if I did that task at 700

p.m. turns out it doesn't quite work

that way our bodies go through natural

Peaks and dips in concentration energy

and focus throughout the day these Peaks

and dips depend on our sleep and wake

times our chronotypes so whether you're

an early bird or a night owl as well as

things like our habits and our lifestyle

and the way that we look after our

health realizing this made me start

planning my day around not just my time

but also my energy and focus levels I

used to be a 5:00 a.m. morning gym girly

I would head to the gym before work get

my workout done go to work feeling great

and then come home try and work on my

side hustle or work on creating content

and feel absolutely exhausted I was an

introvert spending all day talking I was

doing lots of mental work even just

having to pay attention to the way that

I was holding myself and interacting

with others all of this just really took

it out of me and I didn't have very much

left at the end of the day in terms of

my mental capacity the main issue was

that I was putting a task that energized

me my workouts at the start of the day a

time where I was already high energy I

was then putting a task that took a lot

of energy from me my deep focused work

at the end of the day when my energy was

already depleted I had nothing left to

give I was just trying to pull from an

empty cup and it was it was completely

mismatched so what I did was I started

swapping these times instead of working

out in the morning I started heading

into the city early and doing 90 minutes

of my focus work before going to my

full-time job then at the end of the day

after I'd used up all this mental energy

and I had to commute all the way home I

would use up my physical energy by going

to the gym or going for a walk but I

wouldn't do a task that required more

mental energy that I didn't have

understanding your unique patterns and

energy fluctuations really comes down to

self-awareness and experimentation you

can either track your energy and focus

levels for a few days or just have a

think about the times where you normally

do your best work and try and dedicate

those times to the work that produces

the most value for you I can guarantee

you that when you start aligning your

tasks with your energy levels you will

multiply the quality of work that you

produce it will take you less time and

you'll find doing the work easier you're

genuinely making work feel more fun

because you have more energy to give to

it so in summary first work out your

high value and low value times based on

your energy and focus levels then work

out your high and low value tasks based

on how much energy and focus they

require and how much they contribute to

your goals I spoke about deep and

shallow work in one of my past videos so

go have a look at that if you want to

know more about working out which type

of work is the most important then all

that's left to do is to match your times

with your tasks so put your low value

tasks at your low value times and your

high value tasks at your high value

times this is such a simple change but

when you start arranging your day based

on your energy and focus levels and not

just your time you will get so much more

out of your day and finish the day

feeling so much better about the work

that you've done habit number five is

time blocking time blocking is a

strategy that Elon Musk Bill Gates and

Cal Newport the author of deep work all

used to get the most out of their time

most of us treat our task like ice we

think they're this solid block of work

that take up a predefined amount of

space but in reality your tasks are like

water they mold to fit the space that

you put them in so right now it's a

Sunday and I'm filming this YouTube

video if I was to have blocked off the

whole day to film this video it would

have taken me the whole day I would have

started procrastinating and focusing on

things that didn't really matter I would

know that I'd have time to film again

and so I probably wouldn't do a very

good job the first time but the

difference is that today I have also

gone to the gym I've meal prepped I've

grocery shopped I've seen a friend I've

set aside time to read this afternoon

and so I don't have the whole day free I

don't have time to procrastinate on the

video this has meant that I am more

intentional and productive with the 1 to

2 hours that I do have this comes back

to Parkinson's law we will make tasks

more complicated and be less efficient

with our time just so that those tasks

fill the time available for its

completion so I've given 1 to 2 hours to

my task today it's going to fill up that

time if I gave it a whole day then it

would fill up all of that time instead

when we time block we reduce the

negative effects of Parkinson's law by

actively setting boundaries and creating

self-defined deadlines to complete the

task in we basically pour water into a

mold instead of all over the floor in a

world where we are increasingly in

charge of our time where there is always

a million things to do and where our

results are based Less on the number of

hours that we put in and more on the

quality of those hours implementing

structure like this has never been more

important how do we actually time block

well it's pretty much as simple as it

sounds you take the task that you have

to do decide how long you have to

allocate for it and then you add it into

your calendar this pairs really well

with habit number four about matching

your task to your energy and focus

Levels by not looking at just how much

time the task will take but also looking

at how much energy it will require you

can decide the best time in the day to

place a Time block for that task now

this will take time to get right you

won't immediately know how long a

certain task will take or how much you

can actually get done in an hour you

might not know where your energy levels

sit and when the best time to do certain

types of work is so my biggest

suggestion is to just start with what

you think and be realistic just because

you want a task to only take 1 hour it

doesn't mean that you can squeeze a 4H

hour task into 1 hour it'll just create

more stress and anxiety and really

feelings of inadequacy when we then

don't get it done so start by setting a

realistic period reflect on how much

time it actually took and then start

adjusting your times from there okay I

think there is a lot that we can take

away from this video the biggest thing

is just don't expect yourself to

implement all five of these habits at

once because that I can guarantee you is

going to be impossible I have built up

these habits over years and a lot of

experimentation has happened along the

way so what I would recommend is to

start with just one of these action

steps and then when you've successfully

added that habit in then come back to

the video and choose another one to add

in so action step one is to keep a list

of portable tasks write down an area of

your life where you can Implement these

portable tasks whether that's on the

train or waiting to pick someone up each

day and then create a space to keep your

list of portable tasks that you can

access easily again if you want to

create your list you can use the notion

101 course otherwise you could just make

something in your phone or even on a

notepad that you take with you but habit

number two identify three small time

wasters that you're currently doing and

create a strategy or multiple strategies

to start reducing these time wasters for

habit number three think about two

things that you're currently doing that

you could start implementing some form

of habit stacking into and plan out

exactly how you will do this so if you

want to start habit stacking on your

drive to work then work out exactly what

podcast that you're going to listen to

so when the time comes around

implementing it becomes that much easier

for habit number four identify your high

and low value times do an audit of what

you currently spend that time doing and

start exploring where you could transfer

more low value shallow work tasks to

lower value times and habit number five

time blocking set aside 15 to 30 minutes

on a Friday afternoon or on the weekend

to time block your week ahead thank you

so so much for being here I hope you

found this video helpful if you did

please like And subscribe and if you

have any time-saving habits or you want

to hold yourself accountable for the new

habit you're going to implement drop

them in the chat below so that we can

all support each other and share our

time management knowledge I'll see you

next video