“Time is a created thing. To say ‘I don’t have time,’ is like saying, ‘I don’t want to.” 
― Lao Tzu

It’s always hard to make decisions based on your values and priorities, but without them you would say yes to everything and everyone and you loose a lot of time, you could spend with working on your dream future.

When people say they don’t have time to work on their passion or for their dream, they just don’t set priorities and spend time on things and people they don’t need or aren’t good for them.

That’s why minimalism is also saving you so much time, because you have less things to worry about and less things you have to do.

So setting values and priorities is important to save time and make decisions faster and easier.

“Don’t waste your time with explanations: people only hear what they want to hear.” 
― Paulo Coelho

Here are a few things you could do to save time and make decisions easier:

An Absolute No List

This is a principle I read about in a book. You write down all the things you definitely don’t want to do and don’t want to waste time on. It can be anything from I don’t want to spend time with people who don’t understand me, to I don’t want to buy groceries with palm oil in it.

By listing all the things you don’t want to do, you can check it every time you have to make a decision.

For example, you’re grocery shopping and you have to choose between two products, you just choose the one without palm oil. Or friends are asking you to come to a party, but you already know what people will be there and you don’t want to explain them anymore why you’re freelancing, what you’re doing the whole day and how you can afford to live.

Check your list before deciding something and you can be sure that you’re not doing anything anymore against your values. You decide for the things you want to do and which are useful for your dreams.

Set Priorities

By setting priorities you are able to live according to them and they should lead to the life you want to live.

Write down all the things you love and appreciate the most in your life. Write down what you want to achieve in life.

See those things through and think about the things and the beliefs you need for those things to happen or to stay that way.

What are things you want live for?

It could be something like Freedom, Peace, Love, Family, Passion, Adventures, Entertainment,…

There are priorities which aren’t that good for your life like Entertainment, because then you’re always chasing the next fun thing and you won’t achieve anything by doing that.

You shouldn’t have a big list of priorities because then the decision making would as hard as before. Choose around five priorities and then live according to it. Write them down and check them whenever you have to make a decision.

If your priorities are for example love and family, then you shouldn’t choose spending a night with your friends drunk in a bar.

You now know what’s most important to you and now it’s your choice to live according to it.

Live More According to Minimalism

You don’t have to get rid of all your stuff and friends when I talk about minimalism. Just take small steps.

Minimalism can help you have more time for the things you really want to do. By getting rid of some stuff you’re not using anymore and by buying less stuff that you don’t need, you will have more time and money left for your priorities in life.

Ask yourself every time you’re buying something if you really need it and then let some days pass by until you ask yourself again if you really need it. Sometimes you will notice that you don’t need that thing anymore.

By buying stuff you’re also always spending time on it by buying it, cleaning it, selling it or throwing it away. And when you have a lot of things, it will add up this time really quickly.

You don’t always need the latest phone, the biggest TV or car. Using all the things until they’re really not working anymore, can save you a lot of money and time. Often we buy those things to impress other people, but do we even like these people, their opinion or their friendship?

Well, I can say that I don’t need people which I have to impress by new stuff. I don’t want those kind of people in my life anyway.

Why should I spend time and money on things I don’t need to impress people I don’t like?

You see that you have possibilities to save money and time which aren’t that hard to follow.

I’m now trying to follow my absolute no list which includes for example:

• I don’t want to have stress in the morning
• I don’t buy products with palm oil in it
• I don’t want to spend and waste time with people/friends I can’t trust or don’t appreciate me and my time

This list can include any part of your life.

There are still ways to save more money and time. I hope this post will help you to save some for you and your dreams.

“The consumption society has made us feel that happiness lies in having things, and has failed to teach us the happiness of not having things.”

– Elise Boulding

Thanks for reading!

If you are interested in reading inspiring books, then take a look at my book list.

Check out my profile to continue reading. I’m also publishing this posts on Medium. Check it out here and support me and the writers by becoming a member.
Join my free newsletter to get a direct message from me once a week about topics like minimalism, questioning thoughts and beliefs. And stay tuned as I will soon publish a free booklet about Time Management!