Have you ever felt like time never seems to stick around? I certainly have. In my case, a full-time job, a part-time job, and family responsibilities left me feeling stressed all the time. Everything changed after I learned about time abundance from Claxus Consulting. With a time abundance mindset, you do not have to feel anxious about how many hours there are in a day, unlike the way most of us are accustomed to thinking. In this article, I will go over ways that will help you achieve that feeling through action steps and simple lessons from my life.
Differentiate Scarce Time vs. Time Abundance
Time scarcity is that panicked feeling of never having enough hours in the day. Research, like that cited by Claxus, shows it can lead to poor decision-making and added stress. Time abundance, on the other hand, is the opposite: feeling as though there is more than enough time for the most important tasks at hand. When stuck in scarcity mode, I would rush through things, even coffee, in an attempt to get as much done as possible. Shifting to an abundance mindset—believing I could prioritize what was essential instead—helped me pace myself and actually enjoy my day. This is far from magic; rather, it’s a change in mindset.
Achievable Goals That Bring You Joy
According to experts, every individual is capable of achieving and executing effective goals that can spark joy. Setting goals that delight you provides an elevated state of consciousness known as “flow,” allowing you to experience time more fully. Creating a routine is a wonderful approach that is aligned with your values, as it can provide a strong sense of self-empowerment. As an example, I value creativity, so I set a goal to write one blog post a week, which helped my mornings feel intense, almost like I was living in a bigger day. It can also be something as simple as learning a new skill or mentoring a colleague. Ensure that achieving said goal is challenging but attainable.
Find Those Sneaky Hours by Tracking Your Time
You can’t manage what you don’t measure. Tracking my daily activities with Controlio was a revelation—I was spending two hours a day on social media when using Controlio!
Controlio and other similar apps or journals can highlight areas of time-wasting in your life. Measuring time spent versus ideal time provides “time traps,” such as overzealous browsing or pointless meetings. Cutting my online scrolling down to 30 minutes a day opened up time for hobbies I loved, like sketching, which made my days much more fulfilling.
Automate and Delegate to Relieve Mental Load
Automation and delegation are like time multipliers. I use a virtual personal assistant to remind me of meetings and sync them with my calendar, which clears mental clutter. Non-essential tasks like formatting reports were freelanced, giving me back hours for creative work. Tasks that require no thought, like report formatting, can be automated using Zapier, while unused hours on platforms like Upwork allow you to outsource those low-value tasks. With these steps, time shifts into feeling more abundant, and mental space is created.
Set Boundaries with Confidence
The power to say “no” can give you more time. I used to be the kind of person who said yes to every little personal request, and I was constantly busy. Claxus’s tips on eliminating overcommitting transformed how I managed tasks. Now, instead of mindlessly accepting, I say, “I can’t join that project now, but let’s connect next month.” Flexibility is essential; don’t apologize or offer alternatives, and don’t say sorry—standing up for yourself is an act of self-love. This change allowed me to spend guilt-free evenings with family, creating a richer sense of my days.
Slow Down with Mindfulness
Grounding you in the moment makes time feel abundant. Mindfulness is something I practice, like smelling coffee while birds chirp outside. Claxus notes that this slows your perception of time. Need a break from work? Try some gentle body scans or enjoy a meal without scrolling. These mindful moments transform hectic, fast-paced days into more meaningful and abundant hours.
Final Note: Adopt the Abundance Mindset
Time abundance is the psychological approach to creating meaningful schedules that allow you to spend your time freely. When you set and achieve meaningful goals, track your time using the Controlio app, automate processes, and implement mindful limits, you can greatly improve the quality of your life. I remember my own journey from the scarcity mindset to the abundance one. It helped me transform frantic days into ones full of purpose and with a joyful heart. Blending mindfulness with scheduling allows one’s purpose and joy to come naturally in life. What’s one step you’ll take to create time abundance? For me, it was discovering my answers; finding my purpose came after. Either way, let me know how it felt.