12 Time-Saving Tips You Can Apply To Your Day

With so many distractions around us, being productive can feel like an ongoing battle. It’s all about making choices, and finding ways to do things quickly and more efficiently so that you can make the most of your time. Instead of feeling like you’re just keeping above water, being productive can help you navigate the waters clearly and calmly. 

Whether you’re looking to improve your productivity at work or in your personal life, there are some great tips that can help. Take a look at these 12 time-saving ideas and get more from your day.

 

1. Make the most of your mornings

The saying is true – the early bird really does catch the worm. A lot of positive things can come with being an early riser – including benefiting from extra hours in your day to get things done. While becoming a morning person isn’t always easy, by shifting your mindset and maintaining a solid morning routine, you’ll soon start to see the benefits.

Another upside to starting your day earlier is that there will be fewer distractions from others, allowing you to work through what you need to do before you start interacting with others.

 

2. Break your cleaning up throughout the week

Cleaning and household chores are an inevitable part of life. And while many people tend to set aside some time each week for cleaning, this can make the task feel much harder to get through. By switching your approach to cleaning throughout the week, however, you’ll be able to make much lighter work of your chores without sacrificing a huge chunk of time on a dedicated day.

A half-hour sprint taking care of some daily tasks and a longer focus on one room each day could make a big difference to your cleaning routine. 

 

3. Embrace low-maintenance grooming to save time on your getting-ready routine

Low-maintenance looks are in, for both men and women! A low-maintenance grooming routine is designed to help you look your best without having to take a lot of time each day to get ready.

A good haircut is a great place to start. You can ask your stylist for some ideas for very short hairstyles and cuts that are easy to style, or ask to be shown some fast and easy ways to style your hair. Treatments such as brow lamination and lash lifts are ideal for some low-maintenance beauty that will ensure you’re always ready to go with a fresh but styled look.

Most importantly – an effective skincare routine can make a big difference to your appearance. Investing in some products designed to support and enhance your skin type will help you maintain a glowing complexion that can make you feel more confident and raring to go.

 

4. Dedicate some time at the end of the day to planning the next one

Spending time planning out your day is a good way to organize your time and ensure you think about everything that needs to be done. Instead of doing this at the start of each day, why plan your day the evening before?

Getting ahead of your planning will mean that you can think about outstanding tasks from the day and what you can realistically achieve tomorrow. This way, you’ll be ready to get started immediately and won’t need to spend time in the morning planning out your day.

 

5. Set smaller goals and tick them off as you complete them

Having goals is important for helping to drive you – both at work and at home. However, smaller goals are important for helping you complete tasks that will help you work towards those larger goals. You can break up your goals into daily tasks that will allow you to plan out your day and ensure you’re using your time effectively.

Setting daily goals is an excellent way of helping you achieve success, and can also help to keep you motivated. There’s a thrill that can come with achievement, and ticking off those tasks as you complete them will give you a little buzz and motivation to move on to the next one. 

 

6. Work in time blocks

Time blocking is another method people use to organize their day and eventually save time. Instead of trying to multitask, using time blocks can help you set aside blocks of time throughout the day to dedicate to a task.

There are many effective ways to use time blocks, and once you get into the habit, you may find this a useful way to structure your day and ensure you only take on what you can fit into your time.

 

7. Meal prep to save time cooking (while also helping you eat healthier)

Cooking is another necessity that can be time-consuming for many. Balanced, nutritional meals are important for maintaining energy levels and staying healthy, but when you’re short on time, food can be the first thing that suffers. If you usually find yourself relying on convenience food or even skipping meals when you’re busy, meal prepping could help you out. Learning how to meal prep for the week can mean you set aside a little time to take care of yourself for the rest of the week.

This way, you’ll be able to make time for eating and enjoy your food without worrying about where you’ll find the time to cook it!

 

8. Limit your distractions – especially your phone and social media

If you find that you’re easily distracted, especially by your phone and other devices – try to set some boundaries to help keep your mind focused. Many applications now include timers to help you limit your time spent using them. You can also block out hours of the day when you cannot use specific apps on your phone. 

One simple technique for limiting distractions is to simply put your phone and devices out of sight. Put them away in a drawer when you need a period of focus, and consider putting your phone on silent, so you’re not tempted to check it for notifications, etc. 

 

9. Take breaks to refresh your focus

Breaks are important – they can help you recharge and help you shift your focus from one task to the next. According to research, the perfect task/break ratio is 52 minutes spent working on a task, followed by a 17-minute break. It’s important that you shut off during your break to give your mind and body a chance to relax, so that you can come back feeling fresh.

 

10. Learn when you’re at your most productive

Everyone’s peak productivity time is different. Some people are more productive in the morning, others might be at lunch, and some might be at night!

Take some time to work out when you’re at your most productive and keep that in mind as you’re planning your daily tasks. Save the most time-consuming tasks for your productive hours to help you get the best results.

 

11. Tackle a load of laundry each day

The term ‘laundry day’ is something that should be a thing of the past! There’s nothing worse than having to do a week or more’s worth of laundry in one day. Try to do a load each day to help you keep the levels manageable – this way you’ll always have fresh clothes, and you’ll find it’s much easier to dry them all too. 

 

12. Try using some automation tools

If you need a little extra help to save time in your day – try using automation tools. Some great apps that can make light work of some tasks, including paying bills, organizing your calendar, and much more. They can even help you run a business more smoothly. Explore the different tools that are out there to help you save time.

 

And there you have it! With some simple time-saving tips, you can claw back the hours and get more out of your day. If you wish you could have more time to relax and unwind, making some changes to your day is all it takes to make it happen.