How to Make Time for What Matters

Life Balance
Woman wondering how to make time for what matters

Do you ever get to the end of the day and wonder where the time went? Are you trying to figure out how to make time for what matters?

Many women feel like they’ve scraped through another packed day, ticking off their to-do list, feeling overwhelmed, and still wondering when they were meant to fit in the things that actually matter to them.

If your days feel full but not fulfilling, this article will help you gently step back and notice where your time is going so you can begin to make small changes towards creating a more balanced and meaningful life.

Key Takeaways on How to Make Time for What Matters

  • Making time starts with awareness. Notice the habits and routines that quietly use up your energy and attention.
  • Protecting even small pockets of time can make a real difference. A short walk, a quiet coffee break or a pause to breathe helps you feel more present.
  • Saying yes less often creates space. Try giving yourself a moment to think before agreeing to new requests.
  • Small swaps add up. Replacing one draining habit with something that restores you helps you make time in a way that feels manageable.
  • Change is steady and gentle. Consistent small moves each week gradually build more space for what matters most.

Why It’s Hard to Find Time for Yourself

Before you can start making changes, it helps to understand what might be getting in the way.

You might be thinking:

  • “I don’t have time for anything I enjoy.”
  • “Other people’s needs come first.”
  • “I can’t rest until everything is done.”

You might be feeling:

  • Overwhelmed
  • Guilty for resting or saying no
  • Frustrated with how your days are going
  • Disconnected from what you enjoy

You might be doing things like:

  • Saying yes to everything automatically
  • Filling every spare moment with tasks
  • Multitasking constantly
  • Scrolling on your phone or staying busy to avoid slowing down

Don’t worry if these look familiar to you as they aren’t personal failings, just patterns that have often been shaped by habits, beliefs, or expectations. Becoming aware of them is the first step towards making meaningful change and learning how to make time for what supports you.

Egg timer showing how time slips away

Why Making Time for What Matters is Important

When you learn how to make time for what matters, you’ll probably notice a few benefits like feeling less stressed, having more energy, or a greater sense of satisfaction in your day.

What’s taking up Your Time?

If you’re trying to work out how to make time for the things that matter to you, the first step is noticing how you’re spending your time. Here are some things to think about:

  • What fills your time right now?
  • What activities energise you?
  • What activities drain you?
  • Is there anything you do out of habit?
  • Is there anything you do out of guilt?
  • Is there anything you do because you feel obliged to?

Don’t worry about tracking every minute, just take a few moments to reflect on these questions and jot down your thoughts in a notebook or on your notes app. The aim is just to notice.

To get a clearer picture of your week, you could do a quick check in each evening. You might start to see some patterns you hadn’t noticed before, or spot which days and times feel more rushed or overloaded.

One area to be mindful of is technology. Whether it’s scrolling social media or playing games on your phone, it’s easy to lose time without realising (Brits spend an average of 3hrs 21 mins a day on mobile phones according to a recent survey). If you notice this is the case, you may want to ask yourself if there is a more valuable way you could have used that time.

Using a diary to work out how to make time for what matters

What to Do Once You Notice Where Your Time Goes

Once you’re aware of where your time is being spent, you can begin to explore how to make time for the things that matter to you. You don’t have to overhaul your whole life, just focus on small changes in areas you can control. If you’re not sure what matters to you, you might find this helpful: How to know what matters to you. You might also want to move away from annual planning and instead consider how to use the changing seasons to reset your life in a more sustainable way.

Small Steps You Can Take To Make Time for What Matters

  • Let go of (or reduce) something that drains you: Is there something you could either ditch altogether or delegate to someone else?
  • Practice saying “I’ll think about it” instead of automatically saying yes: Give yourself some space to decide if it’s something you have capacity and interest for. You can read about how setting boundaries and saying no can actually feel good in this Psychology Today article.
  • Replace time normally lost to technology with something you enjoy: do you have hobbies you could slot into these pockets of time? It could be something simple like swapping 10 minutes of phone time with a short walk. If you need some inspiration on hobbies I cover this in detail in this guide: How to find a hobby you love and this post: What Are the Benefits of Having a Hobby dives deeper into why hobby time is worth protecting.

Be Patient and Kind to Yourself

Remember that learning how to make time for what matters is a process, and it takes time. Change can feel uncomfortable, especially if you’ve been running on autopilot or you’re used to putting others’ needs first.

You don’t need to be perfect or figure it all out straight away, it’s a skill you can build. See where you can make some small changes and give yourself permission to try them out. Each step brings you closer to knowing how to make time for what matters.

Final Thoughts on How to Make Time for What Matters

Even when life feels full, there’s an opportunity to pause and notice what’s going on. When we’re aware of what’s stealing our time, it’s easier to see how to make time for what matters. If you need some practical guidance in assessing where you’re at, read How to Balance Your Life with a Simple Self Check-In.

We can make small changes, like letting go of things that no longer serve us and this can make space for things that support us. Over time, this helps us move towards living a balanced and meaningful life.

Time management becomes easier when it’s guided by your values. Discover how to create balance in life using your values for a comprehensive approach.

Frequently Asked Questions

Begin by noticing where your time is really going. Even a few minutes of honest reflection can reveal small habits that quietly take over. Once you see them, choose one tiny change that helps you make time for what feels meaningful to you.

When your days feel full, pick one swap such as a short walk instead of a quick scroll on your phone. Consistent small moves like this help you make time for balance across the week.

Days often fill with things you feel you “should” do, which leaves little room for the things you actually value. Noticing this pattern is the first step. When you align even a few minutes with what matters to you, the feeling of never having time begins to ease.

Focus on one small change you can control. That might be letting go of a task that drains you, asking for help, or choosing something that restores you rather than adding another task to your day. Gentle steps like these help to make space for what matters most.

I hope you found this article on how to make time for what matters helpful. I’m Lisa, an occupational therapist who loves sharing tips to help you live a calmer, more balanced, and meaningful life.

Curious to know more? Check out my about page. If you’d like to support my blog, you can buy me a coffee. Every contribution helps me keep creating content you’ll love!

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