5 Easy Tips All Malaysians Must Know To Free Up More Time
It’s crucial to spend some discretionary time to improve ourselves physically, mentally, emotionally, and to simply enjoy life.
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Have you ever felt pressured by time? It often seems like 24 hours isn’t enough when you have to juggle work and play, and still squeeze in some relaxation in between.
Recent surveys showed that most Malaysians are unhappy with their work-life balance and are leading stressful and unhealthy lives.
This is no surprise considering that many are spending an excess of two to five hours working overtime, even though they’re not getting paid for the extra hours.
For those in the Klang Valley, the time crunch is made even worse as they spend at least 44 hours a month stuck in traffic jams.
And to top it off, Malaysians on average only spend 10 out of their 14 days of annual leave and feel that they are severely deprived of vacation time.
This is obviously NOT GOOD and leaves little room for people to do other activities and spend some much-needed ‘discretionary time’.
What is discretionary time you ask? Well to put it simply, discretionary time is the time you ‘choose’ to spend instead of feeling the ‘need’ to spend it.
It’s different from the time you spend doing necessary tasks like going to work, doing chores, shopping for groceries, taking a bite to eat, sleeping or taking a shower. Those are the things that you NEED to do, regardless of choice (even if you procrastinate to get ‘em done).
Discretionary time is the time you have left after the essential things are out of the way. It’s time you intentionally take to focus on other things that you enjoy doing like reading, working on an arts and crafts project, hanging out with friends and family or just goofing off.
It’s crucial that we spend some discretionary time to improve ourselves physically, mentally and emotionally, and to simply enjoy life.
But the question still remains… How can we free up our time between the things we need to do and the things we choose to do?
Here are some simple and practical ways to improve your daily routine and gain some discretionary time for yourself
1. Plan ahead
Now we know what you’re gonna say… “How can I take time to plan my time, if I don’t have time to begin with?” Well, as the saying goes, failing to plan is planning to fail. And one of the best ways to not fail with managing your time is to plan your day ahead.
Planning ahead means prioritizing and organising tasks to help you focus on getting the important things done faster and smarter. You don’t have to be an expert organiser right away. Just start small and see where it goes!
For example, you can plan your meals ahead of time and make a quick shopping list for your next grocery run. This would not only help you save time but also make you curious to try out new recipes.
Toss in a few cans of Ayam Brand’s Baked Beans in your cart for a wholesome breakfast or try out an assortment of Ayam Brand Cooking Paste, such as Ayam Brand Thai Curry and Ayam Brand Sambal Tumis Paste, to cook up quick and tasty lunches and dinners.
And while you’re at it, why not create some succulent snacks with Ayam Brand’s range of Tuna products or use Ayam Brand’s Coconut Milk to make yummy dessert concoctions.
2. Share the load
Delegating your tasks is another way you can free up more time. Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you feel that you are overwhelmed by the thing you need to do because pushing yourself will only lead to burnout and make your days less productive.
Save some time and energy by asking your colleagues to help with an assignment, your friends and family to help with the chores or hiring some help to give you a hand shopping for groceries or tidying up the house.
Delegating what needs to be done doesn’t mean that you’re lazy. It just means that you’re choosing to be wise with your time to prioritise what’s most important.
3. Crack open a can & cook
Preparing a fresh home-cooked meal can be tedious and time-consuming. But eating fast food and getting takeaway every day can be unhealthy for your body, not to mention unfriendly to your wallet.
Cooking with canned food, however, is a convenient, inexpensive and nutritious way to satisfy your dietary needs and savour a taste of home wherever you are.
Canned foods will help you save time on shopping, prepping and cooking, and leave you more time to enjoy a good homemade meal.
For instance, did you know that canned tuna is an excellent source of high-quality protein and helps replenish your energy as well as build muscles and tissue?
This makes it a perfect choice to provide busy adults and growing kids with the vitality they need to get through the day.
For over a century, Ayam Brand has been the name Malaysians turn to for delicious and nutritious canned delights.
From making quick and easy sardine sandwiches to trying out unique recipes like tuna pancakes, Ayam Brands has been there every step of the way to help people save time in the kitchen or on the go.
Plus, Ayam Brand’s range of products is also certified halal by JAKIM and contains no preservatives or added MSG.
With Ayam Brand, you can be sure that you and your loved ones get all the necessary nourishment they need.
Discover more recipes and ways you can save time with Ayam Brand by tuning in to the video below and watch how these two busy adults get through their day with help from Ayam Brand.
Plus, stand a chance to win prizes worth RM100,000 when you stock up on Ayam Brand today! Click here for more details.
4. Mix it up
Sticking to the same routine can leave you feeling stagnant and result in you wasting your time on unimportant things. An excellent way to overcome this is by balancing your activities and mixing things up once in a while.
So instead of heading straight home after a long day at work, why not spend some time taking a walk around the park or chilling out with the squad, or even taking online classes to make the most of your time and lead a more fulfilling lifestyle.
Break the routine by doing different activities that fill you with joy, challenge you in some way or bring you new experiences.
5. Say no
It might be hard to decline someone’s request for you to do something or an invitation for you to go somewhere. But learning to say no more often can keep you from feeling overwhelmed and save time for you to focus on your own goals and interests.
It’s definitely okay to politely turn people down and not feel guilty about it so you can spend your precious time doing what matters most to you.
On the other hand, remember to not be discouraged when other people tell you no instead and try to arrange a raincheck whenever possible. They deserve to spend some free time for themselves too.
Give these tips a try and we bet that you can make the most out of your day and have some quality, discretionary time to enjoy a healthier and more wholesome life.
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