Ah, time. What a luxury? There’s never enough of it, and the
time you do have, you probably use it for annoying tasks like chores and
errands.
Last week, I received an email from HealthyWomen regarding a
survery they recently conducted about time. The surveyed asked more than 1,000
women how they were spending their time and how they wish they’d be spending
it. I found the results interesting and wanted to share with you. I bet after
reading these results, you won’t feel alone.
Women
are doing more than ever. They are working outside the home,
yet are still spending significant time on domestic chores (49%) and
paying bills or running errands (47%). Almost a quarter of women (23%)
said that their time-draining activities included personal communications
chores such as making phone calls, texting and emailing.
Younger
women (ages 18-34) have different time burdens. They were
more likely than those over 35 to cite communicating with others through
phone calls, texts and email as an activity that keeps them from
doing what they want to do. Younger women also are much more likely
to say that personal hygiene takes up too much time.
Women
would rather be spending their time on leisure pursuits or with friends
and family. When asked what they would do if they had more
time, the majority of women (65%) would use it for entertainment,
such as reading, watching TV and using the Internet. More than half of the
women surveyed said they would spend time with friends or
family (54%). Younger women wanted more “me time" and were
more likely to say that they would spend time ‘doing nothing’ or sleeping.
Women
are saving time by multi-tasking, prioritizing and asking for
help. To get through their to-do list, women are doing chores
during commercial breaks and taking public transportation so they can
use their commute time to catch up on reading. Many women find it
difficult to prioritize their own needs – but some are finding
success by setting personal boundaries, limiting their time on the
phone or asking friends for help running errands. A little bit of
support goes a long way in saving time!
After conducting the survey, HealthyWomen asked “real women”
for tips on how they conserve and stretch their time during the day. Here’s
what they said:
- Make
Fridays left over night – you will clean out the fridge and save time and
money. Rose T., Washington
- We
know you want to be watching TV, but how about making that personal time a
bit more productive? Use commercial breaks to squeeze in some of the
end-of-day chores – sort laundry, start the washer, vacuum a room, unload
the dishwasher, organize the kitchen counter. Isabel H., South
Carolina
- Sign
up for free automatic bill-paying services for all recurring bills such as
utility bills, etc. Then set up an online bank account for free, one-click
payment of all other bills - saves time, postage, and gas! Dorothea
S., Washington
- Combine
as many errands as you can into one outing – grouping them by location and
reducing travel time. Julia W., Washington, D.C.
- Ask
for help! Keep a list of your errands and an ear open in case
your spouse, relative or friend is headed to the same place. Anonymous
- Ride
your bike, walk or run to run local errands – eliminating the need to take
time to exercise later. Rachel L, Georgia
- Set
a schedule and establish boundaries throughout the day. For example, at
the beginning of each conversation, tell others how much time you have
available. It’s as easy as saying, “I’m glad you called, but I’ve
only got about 10 minutes to chat…” Shannon S., Texas
- Make
email more efficient – spending the time to unsubscribe for all the junk
emails will give you an inbox with just the information you want, and less
time deleting the stuff you don’t. Marsha S., New Jersey
- Take
public transportation to work, and use that time to read, update your
to-do list, or answer personal emails. Anonymous
- Reconsider
your definition of clean and don't shampoo every day - your hair will be
healthier and shinier and your shower will be shorter. Ute
V., Florida
To read more about the survey
visit HealthyWomen.org.
2011 