13
Timesaving Strategies
We've all wished for just a little
more time in our busy schedules -- time to spend with the kids, time to spend with our
friends and a little more time for ourselves. There's still no magic formula in
the works to give us 26 or 28 hours in a day.
1. Get Organized. It's amazing how many people spin their wheels each day looking
for lost keys, phone numbers, the red shirt or a specific pair of shoes. Spend a
weekend getting yourself organized.
2. Find Your Timewasters. Keep track for one week of all the ways you waste time. Do
you spend 10 minutes finding your keys? If so, make a key hook by your door,
and use it. Do you forget "that one item" when you go to the store?
Keep a list on your refrigerator and, each time you empty something, add it to
the list.
3. Write Things Down. Always, keep a small notepad on hand. When you think of
something you need to do, jot down a reminder. This will save you endless
minutes recalling just what you were supposed to do.
4. Get An Engagement Calendar. Get a calendar to write down all your engagements,
addresses and phone numbers. By keeping all the information in one place, you
won't have to dig for it later.
5. Keep A Notepad By Your Phone. How many times have you written a note on a loose piece of
paper, never to see it again? Record those notes on a pad of paper to keep them
from walking away.
6. Designate Days. Choose a day or night to do your grocery shopping and
errand running each week. Choose a day to clean your home. Stick to your
schedule and forget about these responsibilities the rest of the week.
7. Do Things In Bulk. When possible, buy groceries and drugstore items in bulk to
save a trip to the store. When you prepare one casserole, make one or two
extras and freeze them.
8. Teach Your Child. Teach your child how to prepare a drink mix, do laundry,
empty the dishwasher and clean his room. An extra set of hands goes a long way.
9. Finish What Your Start. When you start a project, see it through to the end.
Leaving many unfinished projects causes anxiety about finishing each, and soon
you'll be spinning your wheels.
10. Maximize Your Trips. On your way to work, are there errands you can run so you
don't have to do them at night or on the weekends?
11. Review Your Priorities. While certain joy can be found in relaxing over a television show, don't overload. If you are watching
three or four hours of television a day, that is time probably better spent
doing something else.
12. Make A File System. Buy a cardboard file box and folders. Make folders for
bills, insurance, letters, bank statements and anything else you may need at
hand.
13. Have A Reading Pile. Keep everything you want to read, including mail and
magazines, by your bed and read 10 minutes a night to unwind.
