25 Ways to Find More Time in a Busy Life

Our lives are full and busy. We have responsibilities at work and at home. And, unless we intentionally carve out time and space, every crack of time fills up with things to do and places to be.

It can be difficult to find more time in the rhythm of our busy lives. We have to be creative and think outside the box of our normal routine.

Here are some ideas of how you can find more time in your busy life. Not every idea will work for you, but perhaps some will inspire you to find creative solutions that suit you and your family. 

COOKING

1.     Do you cook a meal every night? Cook a double batch and eat the same meal two nights in a row. Or freeze a serving to eat the following week.

2.     Plan one cook-up for the week. Cook three double-batch meals for the week ahead so all you have to do is reheat each evening.

3.     Prepare your lunches for the week in one go. Store them in single-serve containers in the fridge or freezer, ready to grab each morning. Or, even better, store them in the freezer at work.

4.     Teach each of your children how to cook their favourite meal, and roster them to cook once a week.

5.     Do you find yourself picking up takeaway because you end the day too tired to cook? Look into a meal service such as YouFoodz or Hello Fresh. Have healthy meals ready to heat and serve.

6.     Instead of spending time wandering up and down the aisles of the grocery store, do an online order to either collect or be delivered. Save a list of your family staples to include to streamline the process.

7.     Want to take it to the next level? Create a three-week meal plan and create online grocery orders for each week. At the beginning of the week, simply open your saved list and edit as needed.

CLEANING

8.     Keep your cleaning supplies close to where they are used rather than all in one place in the laundry. Keep the barbecue cleaning tools near the barbeque. Keep the bathroom cleaner in the bathroom and the glass cleaner near the mirror. Clean as you go when you get a moment rather than having to set aside blocks of cleaning time.

9.     Limit the number of toys your children have to what they can comfortably pick up and care for. Store extra toys in another space and rotate them regularly if you find that your children have more toys than they need. Create a routine to help your kids pick up their toys at the end of the day.

10.  Hire help. You can hire someone to come in and clean your windows every year or clean your bathrooms every week. Hire someone to mow your lawn or clean your pool or iron your shirts. Wherever you don’t have the capacity, find someone to help you. 

LAUNDRY

11.  Purchase easy-care clothes. Don’t own clothes that need special care or are difficult to iron.

12.  Put your clothes on hangers straight out of the washing machine and let them hang to dry, then put them straight into your wardrobe. Smooth out wrinkles as you hang so you don’t need to iron.

13.  Teach your children how to use the washing machine and dryer, and how to care for their own clothes. These are valuable life skills for them to learn, and it will be a great help to you as well.

14.  Get into a good routine of doing a small amount of laundry each week. Wash, dry and put your clothes away all on the same day. Eliminate the piles of dirty or clean laundry. 

PERSONAL CARE

15.  Simplify the process of getting dressed each morning. Curate a uniform to wear to work. Choose ten outfits you love and cycle through them.

16.  Find a hairstyle that is easy to care for.

17.  Stop colouring your hair. Embrace your natural colour.

18.  Simplify your skincare routine.

19.  Stop going shopping. I know that sounds extreme, but you probably don’t need most of what you buy. Try a three-month no-spend challenge. For three months, only purchase essential consumables (like food).

20.  When your favourite clothes wear out, order replacements online. I’ve done this with my favourite bras. When they wear out I just order a new one exactly the same and have it delivered. 

TIME

21.  Turn off the tv. Let the newest Netflix series go unwatched.

22.  Delete social media apps from your phone. Check Facebook on your computer instead. It’s much less convenient, and you are less likely to mindlessly scroll.

23.  Set up do not disturb on your phone, and don’t be afraid to use it. Allow yourself time to be fully present where you are, with the people in the room.

24.  Schedule life-giving activities in your planner. If you love reading, make an appointment with yourself to read. If you love walking, put walking time in your schedule. If you want a strong marriage, plan a date night and invest in a babysitter. Take control of your time.

25.  Value moments. Give up multitasking and savour quiet moments. It’s okay to sit quietly on the patio and sip a good cup of coffee, letting your mind wander. Don’t feel guilty for sitting still. Time spent with people you love is never wasted time.

There are my top 25 ways to create margin in a busy life. I know not all of the above will apply to your situation, but I hope they may trigger other ideas that will work for you.

If you feel stuck on a treadmill of busyness, don’t give up. Think creatively. Find out-of-the-box solutions to your frustrations. Push against the status quo and take control of your life.

I’m cheering you on!