Quick Tips for Revamping Your Routine on Busy Days

QUESTION

Hi Amanda,

My schedule is too tight these days, which makes it impossible for me to attend my yoga sessions and I lose track of breakfast. If you could give me some tips on how to handle busy days like a pro, I’d greatly appreciate it.

Love,

Jamie!

ANSWER

Hi Jamie,

Workouts are out for me today. Breakfast is not on the menu. Everybody has an excuse for being busy. There are only 24 hours in a day, and we have hundreds of emails to answer, meals to prepare, and messes to clean. To save us time, we’ve rounded up time-saving strategies from breakfast to bedtime. Make-ahead breakfasts keep you from going hungry on hectic mornings, while 10-minute workouts can be done anywhere (yes, even at the office). Check out this daily timetable for making the most of your day, from dawn to dusk:

7 AM: Prepare A Carry-Along, Pre-Made Breakfast!

Make-ahead breakfast bites will transform your mornings if you typically rush through cooking, dressing, and cleaning. Moreover, you might even find yourself waking up earlier just to prepare these recipes. For a delicious take on a sandwich, combine peanut butter granola with yogurt and fresh berries. Or bake oat muffins on Sunday for a week-long breakfast. For a quick start to your day, grab a premade protein drink.

8 AM: Get Dressed Faster by Sorting Your Closet

Even though organizing a cluttered closet takes some initial work, it will cut minutes off your get-ready routine all season long.

The best way to double your storage space is to incorporate blogger-approved tricks. Then, take your closet decluttering even further by getting rid of everything you don’t wear. Make your closet a priority now and you’ll be surprised at how much faster you can get dressed.

11 AM: Manage Your Email Inbox

With only 24 hours in a day, it’s no wonder email often feels like a time-waster. Despite its importance, we can adapt strategies to make it more efficient. Set a realistic time for checking your morning email before you get to work. Afterward, prioritize your inbox so that you don’t waste 2 hours replying to irrelevant emails.

3 PM: Fit In A Workout

If you don’t have time to work out, use this time. Rather than relying on machines or bands, you could substitute your stairs or local park for machines or bands. If you work from home, you can squeeze in a quick set between conference calls. Let your 10-minute workout double as chat time with your coworker pal.

6 PM: Prep Meals Quickly

Shorten the time it takes to get dinner on the table with these eight easy meal prep tips. Save yourself valuable workweek time by marinating your meat or chopping and freezing veggies the day before. Using a food processor can often save you from the dreaded task of chopping vegetables. You can save time by avoiding trips to the grocery store by using grocery delivery services.

8 PM: Get Your Cleaning Routine In Gear

Streamline your tidy-up routine if you find yourself spending too much time cleaning instead of watching Netflix. Select multitasking cleaning products that can be used on many surfaces to save time. You can defog mirrors and polish tiles inexpensively by using multipurpose cleaning powder. With a hands-free toilet scrubber, toilet cleaning will be a breeze. With the right tools in your cleaning kit, you can easily complete your daily cleaning checklist.

10 PM: Get To Sleep Faster

Keeping up with a fast-paced culture, we even monitor how long it takes to fall asleep. Even though you may think that forcing yourself to stay in bed will work, it can cause chronic insomnia. Stay on a schedule if you want to avoid sleepless nights. Do not go to bed when you are not tired.

Love,

Amanda!