3 Crucial Steps to Creating Extra Time in a Day

“Starting your day early gives you an immense advantage. It boosts your energy, puts you ahead of the rest of the pack, and allows you to be better organized so success will come more easily.”

– Michael Masterson, creator of Early to Rise

By Realttorney

If you are at a loss on how to make 2024 your best year in real estate, you can read the article I wrote regarding this topic. The tips written there can be used and applied in all endeavors not just real estate.

Since we all have the same 24 hours given to us, how we use our time determines whether the goals we set for ourselves are accomplished or not during the period we allocate.

Way back in 2003, I subscribed to a newsletter from an author who wrote daily articles based on the motto of Benjamin Franklin: “Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.” It was written by Michael Masterson (a pen name) and the website is Early to Rise (ETR).

I read his articles and it fascinated me immensely. He became my unofficial mentor in the aspects of goal-setting, time management, and wealth-building.

I subscribed to his newsletter and purchased his books. I also joined the 2007 Total Success Achievement Program of ETR. This article is inspired by one of the weekly Power Surge Messages that was emailed to the participants by Robert L. Cox, the Success Mentor of the said Program.

What is the most common reason why goals are not accomplished? Lack of time. I am very familiar with this and have used this reason as an excuse to explain why my goals have not been achieved year after year.

How can you overcome this great obstacle of “lack of time” and achieve more this 2024? By creating time. But, this is not to say that we will be having a 25-hour or 26-hour day. That is quite impossible.

Robert Cox said, “Successful people know how to ‘create time’ by using their time better than the majority of the population.” Therefore, if you want to be successful you should be able to know how to create time.

But, there have been other articles written about the topic of finding more time in a day. One of these is written by my then unofficial mentor Leo Babauta – the creator of Zen Habit.

What are the 3 crucial steps to creating extra time in a day?

First, get up an hour earlier each morning. According to Michael Masterson, “The extra time gives you a tremendous advantage over everyone and everything you compete against.” This resonates with me because I am a morning person. I cherish the quiet time each morning while my wife and children are still fast asleep.

I don’t waste this golden hour. I perform my morning routine. I meditate, pray, read my vision and mission statements, review my plan for the day as well as revisit my weekly and monthly goals.

Leo Babauta wrote the “10 Benefits of Rising Early, and How to Do It” way back in May 2007. I fully subscribe to the 10 benefits that he listed. It is a great article because Leo also gave 8 tips on how to become an early riser.

For this year, I want to establish the habit of writing for 60 minutes for the books, blog articles, and scripts for the videos within this golden hour. I think this is the missing link that will elevate the execution of my monthly plans and accomplish my goals efficiently.

Second, become better organized. By waking up early in the morning, I can review my weekly and monthly goals and recalibrate them based on the progress or setbacks that I have encountered daily. Why? Because life happens. That’s why?

As you get better organized, you become more efficient with the use of your time. Tasks that take an hour to do, may be accomplished in just half the time. In effect, you gain an “extra” 30 minutes to use for the completion of other tasks or goals.

Third, determine your definiteness of purpose in life. The phrase “definiteness of purpose” was coined by Napoleon Hill in his book “Think and Grow Rich.”

Mr. Hill said that definiteness of purpose is the starting point of all achievement, and its lack is the stumbling block for ninety-eight out of every hundred people simply because they never really define their goals and start toward them.[1]

“Definiteness of purpose develops self-reliance, personal initiative, imagination, enthusiasm, self-discipline, and concerted efforts. All these are required for success… Once you have determined your definite major purpose, you will begin to budget your time, your money, and all your day-to-day endeavors so that they will lead to the attainment of your major purpose. Time budgeting always pays dividends because each moment is made to progress toward your goal…”[2]

Knowing your definite major purpose focuses all your efforts toward the achievement of that purpose. Therefore, it is easier to give up binge-watching various Netflix series, or mindless surfing the internet.

If you are a news junky like me, it will be easier to stop reading the newspaper and watching the news on TV if you have identified your definite major purpose.

All the time that you gain from giving up watching Netflix, YouTube, and surfing the internet can be redirected towards achieving your goals. And that is one of the major advantages of having a definiteness of purpose.

These 3 crucial steps can be individual topics that can be discussed lengthily in an essay. But, it is important to know and implement these 3 steps to have more time on your hands in the pursuit of your goals.

Following them will guarantee your success in all aspects of your life. Try them out, you have nothing to lose.

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[1]“Napoleon Hill’s Keys to Success: The 17 Principles of Personal Achievement,” Edited by Matthew Sartwell, New York, Plume, October 1997, page 1.

[2]Ibid., pages 3-4.

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Atty. Jojo is a real estate attorney, an estate planning attorney, a licensed real estate broker, and a PRC-accredited Lecturer/ Speaker for Training Programs in Real Estate. He is committed to helping new and veteran real estate service practitioners be well-informed of the latest laws, rules, regulations, and information relevant to the real estate service sector.