Work and parenting responsibilities can take up a significant portion of your week. By the time you add in the suggested eight hours of sleep each night and a few hours of time to yourself, your week is pretty much full. A busy week can make it difficult to fit in time for hobbies, self-care, or connecting with friends and family. That’s why we have compiled this list of time-saving tips for the busy woman on the go.
Track and Make Better Use of Your Time
Before you can find time for yourself, you’ll need to understand how you spend your time. By taking a week or two to track how you spend your time, you can better understand any areas of improvement. For example, perhaps you’re spending too many hours each week grocery shopping when you could schedule a repeat delivery instead. Identify any time wasters or areas where you might want to spend less time.
Use a Timer for Certain Tasks
Using a timer for certain tasks, such as organizing or doing laundry, can help you stick to a schedule. Dedicate a set amount of time in minutes each day to cleaning up after the day. Set your timer, get as much done as possible within that time frame, and stop. This also helps you recognize that certain tasks will never be completed, and that’s okay.
If you’re in charge of your work schedule, you could also use this method when planning out work tasks. Use block planning to give yourself blocks of time to complete certain tasks. You’ll be more motivated and dedicated to the task at hand, knowing that you only have a certain amount of time to finish it. Also, by breaking larger tasks that you don’t enjoy as much into smaller timed increments, they become less overwhelming.
Use Sundays To Prep for the Week Ahead
Spending your Sunday prepping for the week ahead may seem overwhelming, but it can make a huge difference to the rest of your week. Spend a few hours on Sundays to plan meals and add any events to the calendar. Figure out transportation and work schedules to ensure everyone is on the same page.
Meal prepping and storing items in the freezer can also make the upcoming week easier to manage. Weekends are also one of the best times for organizing and decluttering. Starting fresh each week makes it easier for everyone to find the items they need, reducing stress for the whole household.
Schedule Extended Time for Yourself
Self-care and time to yourself are a few of the first things to go when you can’t find enough time in the day. The problem with neglecting self-care is that by not meeting your physical and psychological needs throughout the week, you’re more likely to feel overly fatigued and overwhelmed. You may also notice that stress affects you more. Taking the time to care for your needs is an important part of being available to others.
Some self-care treatments can also boost your overall happiness while saving you time during the week. A dermapeel treatment, for example, leaves you with radiant, refreshed skin. The treatment is completed in a serene, tranquil environment, which sets the tone for stress relief. When you leave, you’re left with a skin transformation that requires less care and products, saving you more time in the mornings.
Review Your Morning Routine
The things you do in the morning set the tone for the rest of the day. If you wake up late, you’re more likely to feel frazzled and overwhelmed, which will blend into the other parts of your day. Create a morning routine and then continually look for ways to improve it for efficiency. Making a ritual of your morning routine will make it easier to follow once you continue it for a few weeks.
Try to make at least one act of self-care a part of your morning routine. This might mean waking up before the rest of the family to enjoy a quiet cup of coffee. It might mean squeezing in a quick run before you shower and get ready for work. Regularly review your morning routine to evaluate whether or not it’s currently working for you and your family.
Life can get pretty hectic when juggling a career with parenting responsibilities. Save yourself time during the busy work week by meal planning and organizing the household on the weekends. Keeping up with certain skincare routines can also help relieve stress while minimizing the time it takes you to get ready throughout the busy week.
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