How to Take Control of Your Time: 9 Proven Strategies That Work (Even When You Have No Time)

Summary of How to Take Control of Your Time: 9 Proven Strategies That Work (Even When You Have No Time)

by Mel Robbins

1h 25m•February 2, 2026
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Overview of How to Take Control of Your Time: 9 Proven Strategies That Work (Even When You Have No Time)

Host Mel Robbins interviews time-use researcher and bestselling author Laura Vanderkam about how to reclaim discretionary time in busy lives. Laura uses time-diary research and a 9-week trial of her “nine rules” to show practical, evidence-based shifts that help people feel more in control of their hours (and happier doing it)—without asking you to become a hyper-productive machine.

Key takeaways

  • Time is a weeklong resource: there are 168 hours in a week. After a 40-hour job and ~8 hours/night of sleep, most people still have ~72 hours to allocate.
  • Small, consistent choices change your experience of time more than heroic one-off efforts.
  • Focus on designing your week (not just individual days). Weekly rhythms create habits and identity.
  • Simple habits—bedtime, a weekly planning slot, small movement breaks, and a protected weekly “you” night—deliver big gains in energy, satisfaction, and control.
  • In Laura’s nine-week experiment, participants’ general time satisfaction rose ~16% and satisfaction with yesterday rose ~17%.

The 9 rules — quick summary, why they matter, and immediate actions

1) Give yourself a bedtime

  • What: Pick a consistent sleep-start time (and an alarm 15–30 minutes before to wind down).
  • Why: Day-to-day sleep variability causes fatigue even if weekly sleep totals look OK. Regular sleep improves energy, mood and decision-making.
  • Action: Decide your wake time; subtract 7–8 hours to set your bedtime. Set a bedtime alarm.

2) Plan on Fridays (designated weekly planning time)

  • What: Block time weekly to plan the next week—what must happen and what you want to happen—across career, relationships, and self.
  • Why: Planning Friday afternoon reduces Sunday scaries, helps you use Monday productively, and turns wasted Friday hours into preparation time.
  • Action: Reserve 20–45 minutes on Friday to list priorities for Career / Relationships / Self and schedule them.

3) Move by 3 p.m.

  • What: Build a short burst of physical activity (5–10 minutes brisk walk, stairs, quick bodyweight set) into your afternoon.
  • Why: Short activity lifts energy quickly (studies show big energy gains even after 5 minutes) and improves focus for the rest of the workday.
  • Action: Set a 3 p.m. reminder to get up and move for 5–10 minutes.

4) Three times a week is a habit

  • What: Think in weeks not days—regular patterns of 3x/week create identity and habit without requiring daily perfection.
  • Why: Many life goals (exercise, family dinners, hobbies) are feasible if scheduled multiple times a week rather than “every day.”
  • Action: Choose one practice (e.g., exercise, family meal) and schedule it 3x/week in your calendar.

5) Create a backup slot (rain date)

  • What: For things you want to do, schedule a backup time so missed slots don’t erase progress.
  • Why: Life is unpredictable; backups keep progress from sliding into the next week and reduce overwhelm.
  • Action: When you book a workout/dinner/meeting, block a nearby rain-date slot you’ll use only if needed.

6) One big adventure, one little adventure (weekly)

  • What: Aim for one small and one bigger novel activity per week—novelty creates memory and makes weeks feel distinct.
  • Why: Novel or intense experiences make time memorable; weeks then feel fuller and more satisfying.
  • Action: During Friday planning, schedule one “big” and one “little” adventure (big = several hours/weekend half-day; little = <1 hour on a lunch/weekday evening).

7) Take one night for you

  • What: Commit to a weekly evening for an intrinsically enjoyable activity (preferably with outside accountability—class, team, group).
  • Why: Committing to others makes self-care stick; the weekly “you” night becomes a tent pole that changes identity and mood.
  • Action: Join a regular class/league/group that meets weekly or block a fixed “me night” in your household schedule and negotiate coverage.

8) Give things less time (batch small tasks)

  • What: Collect minor, non-urgent tasks into a “punch list” and tackle them in a low-energy block (e.g., Friday afternoon).
  • Why: Batching creates economies of scale, reduces context switching, and frees mental bandwidth for deeper work.
  • Action: Keep a “Friday punch list” and schedule 30–60 minutes to plow through small tasks.

9) Effortful before effortless

  • What: Do small acts of “effortful” fun (reading a book, calling a friend, hobby) before diving into effortless, unstructured time (scrolling social media).
  • Why: Effortful activities are more satisfying and often lead to deeper engagement; they’re also less likely to be crowded out by mindless options.
  • Action: Replace one automatic scroll with 5–10 minutes of reading or a hobby app; keep the Kindle app handy as a low-friction substitute.

Research & evidence (how Laura studied this)

  • Laura uses time-diary studies (detailed logs of how people spend time) because people misestimate both totals and variability.
  • Key framing: 168 hours/week is the true denominator—helps reframe “I have no time.”
  • She ran a nine-week trial with ~150 people learning one rule per week; measured time satisfaction and specific day satisfaction (both improved).
  • Time diary insights: people often overestimate work hours and underestimate pleasurable time; sleep quantity can be adequate but variable night-to-night, which causes tiredness.

Quick 7-day starter plan (easy wins)

  1. Track one week of time (use a simple time-diary app or calendar to see where hours actually go).
  2. Set a consistent bedtime this week with a 20–30 minute wind-down alarm.
  3. Block 30 minutes Friday afternoon as your weekly planning slot.
  4. Add one 3 p.m. movement reminder each workday.
  5. Pick one activity and schedule it 3x this week (habit starter).
  6. Create a Friday punch list and spend 30 minutes on it.
  7. Schedule one “you” night this week—book a class or commit to a standing plan with someone.

Notable quotes and insights

  • “There are 168 hours in a week.” (Use it as the planning denominator.)
  • “Give yourself a bedtime.” (Consistency > occasional extra sleep.)
  • “Exercise doesn’t take time. It makes time.” (Short activity boosts energy and productivity.)
  • “Three times a week is a habit.” (Weekly thinking creates sustainable practices.)
  • “Time is so precious, but it is also plentiful.” (Reframe scarcity into stewardship.)

Who will get the most from this episode

  • Busy professionals with caregiving responsibilities (parents, caregivers of elders).
  • Anyone chronically stressed by “not enough time” or suffering Sunday scaries.
  • People wanting practical, research-backed changes without extreme productivity rituals.

Resources & next steps

  • Immediate experiment: track your time for 3–7 days to find 30–60 minutes you can reclaim.
  • Try two rules first: set a bedtime and do a Friday planning session—both offer high ROI.
  • If you want momentum: schedule a weekly “you” activity with external accountability.

Laura’s bottom line: track where the time goes, design the week, protect small pockets, and build simple, repeatable systems. Small shifts add up—your life will feel more intentional and more like yours.