Yes, it's that time of year when the clocks go back and we gain an extra hour. Great if you've been out on Saturday night or to enjoy a lie-in on
Sunday.
Most of us will just use that extra hour as a way to catch up on sleep. But there are lots of ways you can gain an extra hour in your day.
Did you know that most of us will waste at least an hour a day, not just on mindless, unproductive tasks but if you're easily distracted or often get interrupted throughout the day, you'll find you're wasting far more than that.
So, if you want to gain not just one hour when the clocks
go back but potentially save yourself an hour a day, here are a few tips that will save you time and reduce those distractions.
Save time at work
Save time in your work day so you
can finish sooner and get home earlier.
- Plan your day! Spend a few minutes planning and you'll save time across your whole day. Plan time for the more important tasks and be more realistic about what you can achieve.
- Reduce meeting times. We waste huge amounts of time in meetings. Set
meetings to 30, 45 or 50 minutes, not the default one hour. Have an agenda and stick to it. Start and finish on time.
- Set reminders - stop wasting time, trying to remember things or worse forgetting things. Put them in your schedule so they pop up when you need them instead of holding them in your head.
- Set time
limits - if you intend to just spend a few minutes on a task, set an alarm or timer on your phone so you don't over exceed the time and disappear down a rabbit hole, especially with email.
- Delegate - stop taking on things that aren’t your responsibility and delegate or outsource where you can.
- Commuting
time. Do something productive with your commute. Plan your day, listen to a podcast, learn something new, read a book.
Save time at home
Looking after a home and
family can take be time intensive.
- Get organised. A few simple organisational solutions can save time finding things or trying to remember where you've put them. Put things away at the end of the day or when you've finished with them to save time searching for them later.
- Plan the night before. Set out clothes,
gym kit, paperwork, laptop and chargers ready for the following day. The same for children - homework, gym kit, school bags etc.
- Create a menu plan. Plan the meals for the week. Batch cook and prepare meals in advance so you have several quick and easy meals prepared. Saves time thinking about what to cook each day when you've already planned what to eat.
- Delegate at home! You don't have to do everything. Get help (paid or otherwise) with household chores - cleaning, washing, tidying up, gardening or DIY. Even the youngest members can help out.
- Declutter. Recycle, pass on or donate clothes you no longer wear for whatever reason, especially at the change of each season. Put things
away and organise drawers and wardrobes to make it easier to find things when you need them. Follow the rule of one in, one out.
Quick ways to gain an hour
- Limit or swap screen time. While it’s a good way to switch off or catch up with friends at the end of the day, social media, TV time or streaming the latest box set is it time that could be spent doing something else.
- Exercise/Activity. Heading to the gym and back can take up a chunk of time. Swap an hour or two at the gym for shorter focused activity - a 20
minute HIIT session or a daily 10-15 minute yoga/stretch/weights routine you can do at home.
- Combine errands. Whether it's a trip to the shops, post office, recycling or to collect dry cleaning, make a list and then plan the time to do several things on the same trip to/from work or the school run.
