Top 10 Time Savers for the Stuff You’re Too Busy to Do

65 percent of Americans say they are so busy they can’t make time for themselves at least once a day. 67 percent are also too busy to take more breaks to enjoy the warm, summer months that are upon us. Are you constantly running? It’s time for a major change, if you can’t take time to enjoy life, then, what’s the point? We all have responsibilities – like cleaning and paying bills. But with the creative tweaks, you can carve out more time for yourself by saving time on chores and other daily necessities of living. 1. Escape the Cult of Busy. You probably aren’t as busy as you think. In fact, if you log how much time you spend doing various activities throughout your day, you’ll probably find extra time you didn’t know you had (like time wasted surfing the Web or watching TV). Instead of saying you “don’t have time” to exercise, travel or cook more – rephrase it as “exercising is a priority for me". Make the items that you really want to do a priority, and you’ll get them done. 2. Fit in a Workout on Any Schedule. Think you don’t have time to workout? Think again. It doesn’t take hours a day to get in shape. If you have 20 minutes, you can fit in a workout. And you can even do it right in your own home, using your own bodyweight, free weights or resistance bands as your “gym.” Best of all, short, high-intensity workouts have been shown to give you better results than slower workouts that take twice (or even three times) as long! 3. Keep Your Home Clean. This doesn’t mean you have to become a neat freak, just spend 15 minutes a day tidying up and cleaning. You’ll be shocked at how much you can get done if you stick to this every day. It may be unrealistic to think you’ll keep your home spotless, but a good goal is to keep your home in a “20-minutes-to-clean state.” This way, you’ll have time to quickly make your home company-ready if an unexpected visitor drops by. 4. Sleep Better. High-quality sleep is essential to good health and staying productive throughout your day. If you feel fatigued in the morning, it could mean that you need to sleep better, not longer (maybe six hours instead of eight). One of the best solutions is to sleep in complete darkness, as even the tiniest bit of light in the room can disrupt your internal clock. Cover up your clock radio and cover your windows—I recommend using room darkening shades or drapes. 5. Try Stress-Free Shopping. For items you buy at the grocery store, try getting your groceries online using automated delivery options that allow you to get non-perishables delivered once every month (or whatever frequency you would like). Be sure you plan your meals, so you only have to go shopping once a week. By shopping at food co-ops or farmer’s markets, you can turn your shopping into an enjoyable social event and get the highest quality food possible. 6. Prepare Better Food in Less Time. Spending some time in the kitchen is a necessity for optimal health. If you feel too busy to cook, try using cooking methods that allow you to prepare wholesome meals with little or no prep time, such as using a slow cooker. Fermented foods can also be made in large batches and enjoyed for weeks. You can even try intermittent fasting, which drastically cuts down on the amount of time you spend cooking since you’ll likely be eating fewer meals. You can eat mostly raw and eliminate cooking all together. 7. Speed Through Clothing Chores. Cut down on laundry by washing your clothes less often – you can often wear a shirt and jeans multiple times, before doing the wash. Save time on sorting by keeping two hampers in your bedroom, one for whites and one for colors. Another laundry trick is to put a sheet of aluminum foil under the ironing board cover; this reflected heat will take the wrinkles out of both sides of a piece of clothing at once, so you only have to iron one side. 8. Learn to Read Faster. Whether you’re reading for work, school or pleasure, you can read faster by not saying words in your head and becoming adept at skimming. If you feel you don’t have time to read, try scheduling reading time into your day or joining a book club with deadlines you’ll have to meet. 9. Improve Your Long Commute. Make sure you’re taking the best, most efficient route to work. Web services can send a text message to your phone informing you of traffic issues. While you’re on the road, listen to podcasts, audio books or use a voice recorder to compile your to-do list for the day. Make sure you combine places you need to go that are close as this will radically increase your efficiency. Rather than making two or more trips, combine them into one. 10. Pay Your Bills Automatically. Set up your bills to be paid automatically so you don’t waste time paying bills every month. Using a software program to keep track of your household budget can also save you time you’d otherwise spend trying to track expenses. Also many banks now offer free bill payment services. This has radically decreased my bill payment time as for the last five years many bills are on autopayment. You also avoid using envelopes and postage. De-Cluttering Your Mind Is One of the Best Time-Saving Tools There Is A cluttered mind is a major detriment to reaching your full potential. Imagine, for a second, the relief and the pure joy you would feel if you knew that everything in your life was in its place, and all was well. In addition to the time-saving tips above, a clear mind allows you to focus, be mindful and speed through any given task at hand. Many of us hold in our minds an obscene amount of information, such as: Regrets from our past, feelings of guilt, worries and other negative emotions; Daily tasks that need to be done; Long-term projects yet to be completed; Reminders for your spouse, kids and other family members; Goals and dreams; Deadlines for work, bills, taxes and more. The first sentence of David Allen’s Getting Things Done the book reads: “It's possible for a person to have an overwhelming number of things to do and still function productively with a clear head and a positive sense of relaxed control.” Other simple solutions include: • Write down the thoughts in your head • Focus on just one task at a time • Be diligent about doing your weekly review and going over all your projects and accumulated items on your calendar. This is absolutely critical. • Cut down on your daily “musts,” focusing only on the few most important, essential items • Take a walk: the physical activity and time outdoors will help clear your mind • Slow down: make it a point to focus on each activity that comes up at your own, non-hurried pace Source: mercola.com, 6/25/13