Buzz
Time. They say 'Time is money.' But it’s also freedom. We all have the same 24 hours in a day to get everything done: work, eat, rest, sleep, have fun, relax, and try to please everyone. Some of us seem to have all work and no play, with whatever free time we have being consumed by stress and endless, mind-numbing tasks. So why not take control of your time and make it work for you instead?
15. Simplify Your Laundry Routine
Laundry – we all love it, right? Let’s start here. Sorting your laundry in advance can save you a lot of time and avoid mistakes. One rogue red sock in the whites load could ruin all your effort, so sort it out as soon as it’s dirty. If you have space in your kitchen or laundry room, consider setting up four separate baskets (for whites, colors, woolens, and delicates). Then, just pick the most urgent load and throw it straight into the washer. Once done, hang everything up right away – either on a line or drying rack. This will save you a lot of time ironing, and some items will dry naturally without wrinkles when hung properly.
14. Soak Your Dishes
Whenever you're using kitchen utensils, it's a good idea to have a bowl or some hot water nearby to drop your used items into. This allows you to easily clean and rinse dishes as you go. At the end of the day, empty the soaking bowl and fill it again with hot water. The grime on the dishes will have softened or washed away during the soak, which means stubborn items will be cleaned in no time. This method is especially helpful for pots and pans, but virtually anything can benefit from a pre-soak. It can also conserve water, since even cold, dirty water can still be effective for soaking, and most loads require just one bowl of hot water to finish the task. Just a word of caution: don’t leave the dishes overnight. It’s easy to procrastinate, but letting them sit too long can permanently stain your bowl, forcing you to buy a new one—and waste more time.
13. Work From Home
It may seem like an obvious choice, but working from home can actually end up wasting a lot of time for many people. Ideally, it should mean that the time spent commuting is freed up, allowing you to focus on more important tasks. However, in reality, these ‘important’ tasks often turn into chores like cleaning the house, browsing the internet, washing the car, or even scrubbing the toilet – anything but work! Additionally, the guilt of not being in the office may push people to work long into the evening to 'catch up,' which eats into personal time, leads to later bedtimes, and results in waking up later the next day, starting the cycle all over again.
12. Carry Your Laptop
If you commute by train or bus, consider using that time to tackle some tasks on the go. You can send crucial emails before you even set foot in the office. Whether it's typing up a memo, preparing a presentation, or jotting down your 'to-do' list (see #2), these small tasks can be crossed off during your commute. Laptops are also great for schoolwork; you can directly type notes into a digital format, which makes it easy to move chunks of information into your latest essay. And with email now dominating communication, you can process and analyze important messages and files on the go, saving valuable waiting time for both the sender and receiver.
11. Prepare Meals in Bulk
Not all of us follow the same work schedules. Some jobs demand long or irregular hours, even stretching into the next day. In such cases, the last thing you want to do when you get home is spend more time in the kitchen when you're exhausted. To make things easier, I used to prepare all my meals for the week in one go and freeze them. If cooking isn't your passion but you want to give it a shot, try preparing at least four dishes: creamy pasta with tuna, chili, broth, and a chicken dinner. Combine any of these with potatoes and veggies, then store the meals in reusable foil trays to freeze. Instead of reaching for fast food after work, you can simply heat up one of your pre-made meals in the oven. A single roast chicken can be portioned for up to 10 meals. You can even prep Sunday lunches or a full English breakfast the same way. My personal best was cooking and freezing 35 meals in a single day, ensuring I ate well for the entire month after work.
10. Plan Your Shopping in One Big Trip
For those who aren't fond of grocery shopping, a great strategy might be to buy everything in one go. Is it possible to purchase all your monthly needs in a single day? Absolutely, especially if you have a large freezer, a roomy trunk, and a small household. Buying in bulk can often save you money, as larger packs and multi-packs tend to be more affordable than buying individual items. Why settle for buying one bar of soap when you can get four for a better price and save time? The same goes for laundry detergent; if you know you'll use four boxes over the year, why not purchase them all at once and save yourself some trips? Another option is to shop online, which saves you the time spent traveling, browsing, and standing in line. However, this method is most efficient when you know exactly what you need and are familiar with the online store's layout; otherwise, it could take just as long as the traditional shopping method.
9. Freeze!
When you return from the store, be sure to store as much as you can for the long term. Canned goods have a shelf life of more than a month, and dry items along with chemicals have a longer lifespan too. Frozen foods can be kept in the freezer, and surprisingly, many fresh items can be frozen as well. This extends the time between shopping trips. If you're following tip #10 and looking to preserve perishables for longer, freezing is an excellent option. For instance, bread freezes well, especially if you pre-slice it or pack 4-8 slices in a sandwich bag. This way, you’ll always have bread ready to go, and a quick pop in the toaster will thaw it in no time. You can also freeze milk, particularly if you have a chest freezer that lets you store them standing up. Note, however, that milk will change in texture after freezing—whole milk becomes similar to semi-skimmed, and semi-skimmed turns more like skimmed, but it extends your milk’s shelf life for months. To defrost milk, just place it in the fridge the night before you need it. What else freezes well? Many vegetables, especially those with high water content, hold up fine. Eggs? If you hard boil them, they freeze perfectly (I haven’t tested freezing raw eggs yet). Pies, pastries, cakes? No problem at all!
8. Maintain a Home Filing System
Many people are familiar with the traditional office filing system, where cardboard folders are filled with documents and labeled accordingly. Accessing files is simple—just open the drawer, find the appropriate label, and retrieve the file. Implementing a similar system at home can save you an immense amount of time, as all important documents are organized and stored in one location. Whenever a new bill arrives, simply pay it and file it in the correct folder. If you need to refer back to it later, such as for your electricity or phone company, just open the drawer and pull out the most recent bill. For bank-related issues, storing all your bank statements in a ‘bank’ folder naturally organizes them in chronological order. This makes it easy to find what you need. Whether it’s receipts, manuals, brochures, business cards, or even scraps of paper with phone numbers, they’ll all be in one place when you need them. Additionally, as part of this home filing system (which takes just a day to set up), it’s helpful to list all your important phone numbers on a single sheet of paper. If your home phone breaks, your mobile goes missing, or you lose your address book, you’ll have a backup. This also comes in handy for emergency contacts, which can be quickly accessed when needed. Ultimately, organizing your home better makes finding things much easier. In an emergency, knowing where your flashlight, fire extinguisher, wallet, and keys are can be lifesaving.
7. Bank Online
The internet has revolutionized communication in the past 15 years, and now nearly all banking tasks can be completed easily from home—eliminating the need to wait in line at a bank. Online banking enables quick money transfers, bill payments, managing transaction accounts, handling overdrafts, and even applying for services, all from the same website you might use to budget, receive bills via email, or perform other financial tasks. If you have multiple accounts with the same bank, online banking becomes especially useful. You can check your account balances in real time and instantly transfer money between accounts if one is at risk of going overdrawn.
6. Multitask
While modern computers still struggle with true multitasking, humans have been managing multiple tasks at once for millennia. If possible, organize your ‘to-do’ list (item #2) to group tasks that can be completed together. For example, you can print documents while typing, burn discs or back up data while working, or even plan while eating. Multitasking opportunities appear frequently throughout the day, and a simple way to achieve this is by having all your applications and files open on your computer at once. When priorities shift, a quick click or Alt-Tab lets you jump to the next task. It’s also helpful to keep your email open at all times, perhaps in a Firefox tab, pre-loaded and ready. Another great example of multitasking is to gather everyone you need to see at the same time. Instead of visiting each friend individually, why not invite them all to one place? The same can be done for holidays like Christmas—gather everyone in one spot instead of making multiple trips.
5. Delegate
One of the best ways to multitask is by delegating. This means arranging for someone else to complete a task for you, allowing you to focus on other things. As a result, the entire job is completed more quickly, often just as thoroughly as if you had done it yourself. A great example of delegation is involving your family in your tasks. You can ask the kids to help with household chores, have someone else pick up the kids from school, get groceries, or even grab you a coffee. Delegation is also handy for passing along messages, but be cautious—there’s a chance that the message could be misunderstood, like the game of Chinese whispers. Additionally, be careful not to delegate time-sensitive tasks that you need to ensure are completed on schedule—if they aren’t, the responsibility still falls on you.
4. Break Down Large or Challenging Tasks
The most daunting tasks of the day are often the ones that provide the greatest satisfaction. Some tasks can be divided and assigned to others, but some need to be broken down to make them seem more manageable. Self-motivation is the key to effective time management, making it easier to complete a list of smaller tasks rather than face the overwhelming nature of one large task. For example, if the task is to deliver a product from point A to point B, it’s easier to work through when broken down into steps like ‘phone calls’, ‘paperwork’, ‘mail deliveries’, ‘confirmation’, and ‘feedback’ instead of thinking, ‘This must be delivered today! No excuses!’
3. Avoid Procrastination
In simpler terms, resist the urge to delay tasks for a later time or date. One reason for this is that you may forget about them altogether! Another reason is that the most effective way to save time is to take immediate action. While this may seem like common sense, procrastination is a recurring issue for many people. Getting to work can be especially difficult if you haven’t even managed to get out of bed. Save time by not just getting up, but by getting up earlier. This allows you to avoid traffic, reduces your commute, and makes the journey less stressful, leading to a smoother start and a clearer mind.
Indeed, the most efficient way to save time is to tackle tasks early. Though this isn’t always possible or appreciated, completing tasks ahead of time offers several benefits. For one, nothing impresses others more than hearing 'Already done!' Furthermore, delaying tasks until the last minute results in wasted time and unnecessary rushing. And rushing wastes time? Absolutely, as it often leads to costly errors. If you know what needs to be done, make a list, break it down, delegate, and focus on finishing the tough tasks first. This way, you get the hardest work out of the way sooner, leaving the rest of the day to tidy up smaller tasks. Major tasks should be tackled in the morning when your energy and motivation are highest. After lunch is the least ideal time to start big projects since your body’s energy shifts toward digestion. Don’t begin major tasks after 3pm, as your body will begin to wind down. Procrastination involves more than just delaying tasks; it’s also about seeking comfort and satisfaction in your work. If needed, promise yourself a reward and get to it. Some tasks are inevitable—they must be done eventually, so why not do them sooner? As the saying goes, 'Soonest fixed is soonest mended,' and the sooner you start, the sooner you can relax with your tea.
2. Plan Ahead
Why bother with 'To Do' lists? Why spend 10 minutes each day creating lists when you could simply get to work? The reason is that the human mind isn’t flawless and sometimes forgets important tasks. A To Do list helps prioritize, organize tasks, and reminds you of small jobs you might otherwise overlook. For instance, calling ahead to make arrangements can be easily forgotten, but a To Do list will prompt you to do it before you even realize you missed it—halfway down the highway! At home, even seemingly insignificant tasks like calling a friend or taking out the trash are crucial, and forgetting them could delay everything by another day—or week. If it’s something worth remembering, write it down. Writing things down also strengthens your memory. Not only do you remember what you need to do, but the act of writing it down can reinforce your memory. Some people are so good at recalling their To Do lists that they don’t realize that writing them down is why they remember them! Keep your list simple and accessible, like on a single sheet of paper or a whiteboard, to avoid cluttering your workspace with piles of notes. Planning ahead can save time in other ways too. At the start of each month, jot down important dates like birthdays and events so you have ample time to buy gifts. For Christmas, aim to buy gifts two months in advance, so you can choose something thoughtful. Last-minute gifts often don’t reflect well on the quality of your friendship. It’s also helpful to have a calendar that displays all months at once. Diaries and weekly planners are less effective, as you may miss events until it's too late to make arrangements.
1. Get It Right First Time
One additional benefit of tackling smaller goals, beyond the psychological and stress-relieving effects, is the increased likelihood of completing tasks correctly the first time. Life often offers second chances, but each time you must go back and redo something, it’s just a waste of valuable time. Who wants that? Never compromise on quality for the sake of speed or convenience, as poor effort or shoddy workmanship will lead to weak results. Even when breaking down a long list of tasks, it’s vital to approach each step carefully, completely, and in the proper order—ideally finishing everything within the same day. If a task extends beyond a day, don’t rely on memory or motivation to carry you through; attempting to pick up where you left off the previous day can be more difficult than just ensuring everything gets done properly the first time.
