I Shaved 20 Hours Off My Week Using 60-Second Hacks
I Discovered 10 Simple Habits That Transformed My Time — Here’s How I Balance Work, Family, and Life Without Feeling Overwhelmed.
What if you discovered that 10 simple habits — each taking less than a minute — could bend time in your favor? What if I said you’d finally feel in control, free to design a life where chaos turns into calm, and your days feel purposeful, not rushed?
I’ve spent over a decade obsessing over time: reading 100+ productivity books, testing strategies from the world’s top minds, and battling the overwhelm of juggling multiple roles — content creator, business owner, and parent to a very energetic toddler.
The good news? I found the cheat codes.
Tiny, effortless habits that saved me 20+ hours every single week. And the best part? They don’t demand sacrifice — just small tweaks that unlock massive results.
Ready to see how you can reclaim your time… and your life? Let’s dive in.
Switch to “Flight Mode” Before You Work
Picture this: You’re on a plane. Your phone’s off, the outside world disappears, and you’re free to do one thing — rest, read, or plan. Now imagine applying that same silence to your work.
Here’s what I do: Before a deep-focus session, I prepare the night before. I write down the 3 most important tasks for the day — no 20-item to-do lists to paralyze me. Then, I flip my phone to Do Not Disturb.
The result? I hit the ground running. No distractions, no wasted minutes deciding where to start.
Try it: Three tasks. Flight mode. Pure, uninterrupted focus. You’ll wonder how you ever worked without it.
Slice Your Day Like a Pizza
Time is like a pizza. If you don’t slice it with intention, chaos will devour it.
I block my day into deliberate slices: one for work, one for exercise, another for family time, hobbies, or pure relaxation. Even “downtime” gets a slot.
What happens when you do this? Your life feels whole again. Every important part gets its piece — no more overwhelm.
Why it works: A busy calendar feels calm when it’s filled with what you care about.
Batch Your Tasks to Avoid “Brain Lag”
Here’s a hard truth: Multitasking steals your time and your brainpower.
I used to jump between emails, chores, and creative work, thinking I was being efficient. Instead, I was losing hours to “brain lag” — that fuzzy, distracted state where nothing gets done.
Now? I batch similar tasks together. All emails happen at once. Laundry gets one block. Cooking? One prep session for the whole week.
Batching feels like unlocking turbo mode — your brain stays in the zone longer, and you finish faster.
Try it: Group your tasks. Stick to one “slice” at a time. Watch your focus skyrocket.
Automate What Can Be Repeated
What if you could set certain tasks on autopilot and never think about them again?
I automated bill payments, household restocks, and even my savings. Essentials like detergent show up at my door before I need them, and 20% of my income moves to savings automatically.
The result? I stopped wasting energy on tiny, repetitive decisions — and freed my brain for bigger, better things.
Why it works: Automation doesn’t just save time — it gives you back peace of mind.
Work During Your “Power Hours”
Here’s the thing: One hour is not like the other.
Your brain has a ‘best time of the day’ it is the time that is flooded with focus, with creativity, with sheer energy. For me, it’s 9 AM to 11:30 AM. That is the best time to do the most challenging work that comes with writing, strategic planning, or development.
Later, when my energy dips? I do that if I have emails to respond to or other low-attention tasks that don’t need much focus.
Find yours: What type of person do you consider yourself to be — morning lark or night owl? Determining the peak hours that you have for the business is very essential in its growth; don’t let anybody or anything infringe on your peak hours.
Use a Timer to Lock In Focus
This one’s simple but powerful: Work with a timer.
If the clock is going — well, twenty or thirty or fifty minutes something happens to the human brain. All of a sudden, everyone cares about how to focus, and distractions become powerless.
If I get distracted? I pause the timer. No cheating. It makes me stay on my toes and focused on the material and feels like it helps me stay honest the most.
Pro tip: Start with 20-minute sprints. Soon you will have momentum that can not be stopped.
Procrastinate on the Right Things
Surprised? So, not all procrastination is negative. The key here is to delay on the correct things.
I had to break the working process to read the messages or to have a look at the feed. Now? I minimize interruption — whether it is texting, browsing on social media, or side tasks — until the break time or idle time.
Takeaway: Get it done, procrastination tips and tricks.
Say “No” to Things That Don’t Matter
By doing the latter and saying no to everything pointless, you are saying no to things that are essential to you.
Here’s what changed for me:
Things I don’t have the skills, time, or interest in, such as design projects, are done by others.
I decline social events that wear me out.
A simple rule to follow: In the case of Marissa, she only agreed to do things she had a hell-yes a feeling about.
It let go of my time for what was important — without guilt.
Create a Place for Everything
For how many minutes per day do you rummage through your pockets, bags, and drawers for keys, wallets or gym wear?
I recall how 10 minutes of my morning were successfully wasted looking for the keys — aan bsolute mess. Now, everything has a designated spot:
House and office keys are kept in a tray near the door.
The last thing on my gym bag is on the list to go.
They are so micro but having these organizing habits each reduces the daily stress and time wastage.
Make Appointments with Yourself
Here’s the secret to building habits you never stick to: Treat them like appointments.
I even put the exercising, journaling, and reading in the calendar as appointments. If it’s on my list that means I do not miss it — the same way I wouldn’t miss a meeting.
The Result: Now I am being guarded about my health, personal development, and happiness — no more excuses.
What Will You Do With Your Extra Time?
When I combined all of these habits, I’ve effectively gained an additional 20+ hours in my week. That’s the time I now spend with family, watching movies, reading books, or reflecting on matters of value.
Imagine this: You wake up in the morning, have your coffee with sunlight playing around you, and organize your day without pressure. This isn’t a race; there is no pressure, just time. Your time.
What would you do with it?
Perhaps you will start making that morning walk which has been on your mind for some time, or get a chance to read that interesting book. Perhaps you will take your afternoon and head for the romantic, sunny cottage for the weekend that you have always wanted.
Picture this: Evenings without guilt. Work done, priorities clear. It’s time for a glass of wine with dinner while saying no more to micro-technology making you full to the brim with to-dos.
It’s not just that extra time is the freedom to do more. And, the phrase means creating your corresponding life that is purposeful, peaceful, and unique.
The question isn’t if you can find the time.
The question is: But once they get it…what will they do with it?
Because when you take back your hours, then the whole world shifts.