In our journey to success we realize that time is a required element. All of us are busy and want to know how to learn what we need without using more time.

Most of us are engaging in daily activities which are either not helping us grow or actually moving us away from success. However, it is possible to exchange something that is a time waster for an activity that grows us as people. We don’t lose any time but we gain growth that fuels success.

The question is where are the changes to be made?

Here are four ways you can grow your mind and business without adding to your schedule:

1. Exchange music for knowledge

Music is a powerful medium for conveying emotions. Sometimes we use music to pump us up before we speak to a group, to energize us in the morning or power through part of a tough workout. Perhaps you also enjoy music while driving or doing mundane tasks such as housework or business related activities that don’t require much thought.

A simple way to grow your mind without added time is to exchange music for knowledge. If you have a short commute, perhaps an hour or less, this is the perfect opportunity to play a podcast focused on business strategies or personal growth. For longer commutes or drives to clients or conferences find audiobooks appropriate to your goals. Some libraries offer free audiobooks for checkout or you can purchase a subscription for less than $15 dollars per month.

“Music is a moral law. It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life and to everything.” – Plato

2. Change your reading habits

Do you know the current status of political candidates in the upcoming election? Did you read about the latest news on global warming? Are you up to speed on the most recent developments in the Middle East? Unless these items have a direct impact on your business or you have a personal interest then taking time to know these things is a waste.

Instead of reading news about events that are irrelevant to you, spend that time reading books that will grow your mind and business. Again, some of these books are available in your local library. Others you can purchase online new or used. Finally, take advantage of the generally lower cost and portability of eBooks.

3. Conquer social media

Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and other social media platforms can either make you their slave or become your servants. Most people allow these sites to be their time master overlords. A few minutes to check a notification that a friend tagged you in turns into an hour of wasted scrolling through unimportant and often negative posts.

Change social media into your servant. Use automated tools to schedule your posts, set aside specific and limited periods for direct interaction with clients and fans online. Use your social media time to spread your message and engage with your audience.

4. Create content during downtime

For most entrepreneurs growing your following is essential. One of the best ways to do so is create engaging content to be shared online. These may be blog posts, articles on large media sites, podcast interviews or courses you offer. For some, a book is another great method of reaching people. Creating this content takes time.

How long is your lunch period? If you still have a job it’s probably an hour. It is certainly possible to eat your lunch in 30 minutes, which would give you an extra 30 minutes at least five days per week to create great content. If you wrote just 300 words over lunch each day (10 words per minute), you could complete a 50,000 word book in less than 6 months. You could write two quality blog posts or articles in that same time. You could be interviewed on up to 5 podcasts every week, just on your lunch hour.

“Make it simple. Make it memorable. Make it inviting to look at. Make it fun to read.” – Leo Burnett

The problem isn’t that we don’t have time to increase our knowledge, improve our people skills or grow our business. The problem is we are wasting time in other useless activities. With small changes to daily habits you can take back many hours each week.

Does success require a time commitment? Absolutely! But by exchanging music for knowledge, changing your reading habits, conquering social media and creating content during down time you can move further and faster than you ever thought possible.

How are you going to grow your mind and business? Please leave your thoughts in the comment section below!