Next Thursday the next session my online workshop It’s About Time begins…so I’ve got time and task management on my mind right now. I thought it would be fun to do a short series of blog posts with time savings tips. But then I thought it’d be even more fun if we gave away a spot in It’s About Time. Sound fun?
Okay…here’s how it’s going to work. Everyday for the next five days, I’ll share a time saving tip blog post and invite you to share your favorite time saver in the comments. You will also be invited to share the post on Facebook and Twitter. Then, simply leave a comment for each thing you do. Every comment is one chance at a the spot in It’s About Time. Simple and fun—just how I like it! So let’s get this party started with today’s tip!
Time Saving Tip: Replace an energy depleting task with an energizing task.
Are you aware of how the tasks on your to-do list make you feel? If your to-do list is like most, some of the tasks deplete your energy, while others boost your energy—you actually feel more energized when you’re done with the task than before you started. The terrific thing about those energizing tasks is that they act like little productivity power pills—they give you more energy and enthusiasm to tackle the other items on your list.
Take Action! Identify one optional task on your to-do list that depletes your energy, and replace it with a task that boosts your energy. For example, replace a low energy T.V. show with thirty minutes of an enjoyable aerobic exercise. Then, see how much more you get done today…just by decluttering one energy draining task.
Now it’s your turn. Here’s how to enter for a chance to win a spot in It’s About Time:
1. In the comments, share a favorite time saving tip. OR…
2. For a second chance to win link to this giveaway on Facebook. OR…
3. For a third chance to win, tweet this giveaway with a link on Twitter. OR…
4. Do all three for three chances to win!
Make sure to leave a separate comment for each thing you do—posting your time saving tip, linking on Facebook or Tweeting. Thank you! I look forward to reading your tips. 🙂
Comments are now closed. Thanks for entering!
Thanks for this giveaway- I’d love to (and really need to) take this class! Since I always feel like I’m running around town, I try to always keep a list of places I need to go, i.e. the mall, Target, the pharmacy, the post office… when I see a few stops on the list that are close to each other, I make sure I run those errands together. The list takes a few minutes, but if I don’t have it I’m likely to forget a stop and have to backtrack later.
Rather than tracking down all my bills that are due (because I’m not organized and have them all in the same place), I keep the creditor and amount owed int phone listed on paydays. Then I just go there and I know which bills are due.
I really need this class. Hope I win a spot!
A favorite time saving tip that has worked well recently is to have all of our phones sycned with Google calendar and to have the 24 hour reminder set on everything we put into our calendar. We get the reminders every day on both the computer and our phones. It totally helps my crazy brain keep it all straight. We went totally paperless w/our calendar in January and we use our phones and our computer to keep track of all 4 of our schedules. Works well for us!
I get as many of my bills as possible online. I save them as a PDF and pay them online too. This means I handle each bill only once, and there’s no filing or recycling. Thanks for the chance to win a spot in your class!
Hi there Aby, thanks for all the tips and tricks, they have already helped so much. I recently have come up with a time saver that has made the world of difference for me. I have a houseful, 3 boys and a husband so making lunches everyday has been a task I dread. Just recently I have been purchasing the loaves of bread from my grocers bakery (french, cuban, etc.) At the beginning of each week I make a giant sub so to speak with half ham and half turkey. I cut it into individual sandwiches and bag it. Then everyday of the week I have ready made sandwiches for their lunchboxes. It works for me because I only have to make the sandwiches once instead of per person each day. Would love to take your class. It has been on my wishlist for a while now.
My clipboard is my time-and-mind-saver number one. I actually have two clipboards – one is my to-do-list with various things that pop into my head during the day and I add things to the list as I think of them (I love to check things off the list, that’s why I put more on it than other people probably would).
The other clipboard is my grocery-and-errand-list – the things I need to buy and the errands I have to run go on there and during the week whenever I leave the house, I check if a store/errand is on my way.
This way, I have the feeling of saving twice: time because of bundled ways out of the house and also sanity because I can free my head from the to-dos.
…just tweeted it! ;->
…and put it on facebook…
We are soon going on our annual summer holiday. To save time, I am going to take some pre-made 4×6 journal cards to fill in for each day, activity or whatever. Then when we get home, I’ll slip them in a standard album with my photos. Holiday scrapped!
I’m not a fast cleaner, so I try to combine tasks. While my kids are in the bath, I clean the toilet, sink, mirror and countertop. Or I’ll fold the load of towels (in the hallway so they don’t get wet :o).
I would love to win this class!!!
I tweeted :o)
This is a small thing, but it saves time and it saves cleaning toothpaste out of the bathroom sink – I brush my teeth in the shower!
I love to cook multiple meals on the weekend. Typically I use my crockpot to cook some meat and incorporate that into several meals for a week and also have enough to freeze for later. An example is I got some pork cooked it and used some for pulled pork sandwiches for the 4th of july weekend, some for enchaladas, some which was more in a chunck and eaten plain with sides, some for fried rice. Makes a package of $10 meat go a lot further and you are eating less meat when you plan and incorporate it into other things. This way when I get home from a long day at work I dont have to cook. Often my husband works an opposite shift from me so it is harder to cook for one and he already has a good dinner made.
I can’t watch TV without doing something else, like being on the computer 🙂 I like to fold my laundry and clean while watching favorite shows. That way I am productive and entertained at the same time 🙂
Not sure this is a time saving tip but it has been a lifesaver this summer. I’ve made a snack/toy box to keep in the car for my youngest(he’s 3.5). We’re forever on the go with camp, swim lessons, dr appts this summer. In a plastic box with a clam shell lid I’ve put in some snacks, juice boxes, a couple of books, bubbles, a few beloved but not been played with in a while toys, etc. I keep it in the trunk and when we are at an appt I bring it out and it keeps him busy and with a full tummy.
It has saved me from having to carry a ton of extra junk in my purse and it’s always ready and restocked in the car.
I need help in this department!!! But…I do know that simply “planning ahead” vs. being a last minute fire-putter-outer saves tons of time! I’d LOVE to win a class!
My smart phone is my number one time-saver. I put all sorts of lists, notes, reminders, etc. on my phone and since I always have my phone with me, I always have those lists, notes and reminders right at hand!
I have tote bags for the various “hats” I wear – Girl Scouts, Job’s Daughters, committees, projects, etc. That way I have all the information for that activity in one place and can pick it up and go with the confidence that I have everything I need.
I would love to win a spot in this class! Thanks for the opportunity! 🙂
~Barb
Bill paying tip – We have two paydays a month, so as each bill comes in I note on the envelope which paydate to pay and put it in my financial folder. On that payday, all the bills are dated and ready to pay. Makes bill paying days go easier.
Thanks Aby for a chance to win.