So, what do you do when you feel like there are too many things on your plate? I am continually plagued by this problem; just not enough hours in the day to get everything done. Typically, the best thing you can do is simplify. Get rid of the things you’re doing that aren’t bringing you joy and stick with the good stuff. In real life though, that isn’t very realistic. For myself, I do “too” much because the only way to simplify my life right now would be to get rid of the things that I enjoy- this blog, for instance.

Here are some other ideas that might help you to simplify a little bit, and start recharging, rather than running around on empty.

1. Run a diagnostic on your habits. Maybe TV brings you joy, but do you know exactly how much time you’re dedicating to it? Spend the next 7 days tallying up how much time you spend watching the tube. I bet you’ll discover a few hours in there that you might be able to let go of. Instead of getting rid of it completely, give up an hour or two… or more! Do the same thing if you’re an internet junkie.
2. Be a 40-hour a week person. I’m sure there are many out there who work more than a 40-hour week; for me it is sometimes not an option. The problem is that once you’ve done it once or twice, it can become a bad habit… especially if you’re not getting paid for those hours. For the next two weeks. Work your 40 hours and stop. All of us can find ways of being more efficient at work, I assure you. Not only will you find more time during the week, but likely the weekends will feel like vacations if you’re used to bringing work home.
3. Dial-in your chores. I am terrible about this. I will go to the grocery store three times in one week because I hate buying everything at once and I worry about fresh fruits and veggies going bad. The thing is, how much time do I waste in a week going three times instead of just once? Take the time to organize the things you do each week (grocery shopping, house cleaning, etc.) and you’ll be surprised and the amount of time you can save without cutting any corners.
4. Got kids? I’m not suggesting that you play with child labor laws or anything like that, but if you have kids, give them some responsibilities at home! It won’t hurt them, I promise. It’ll probably help them in the long run. My oldest son feeds our dog in the morning, cleans his room every Saturday and cleans the upstairs bathroom as well (he’s also pretty damn good at making lattes for me too). He gets an allowance, so everyone is happy. Ask your kids to take out the trash or to do the dishes after dinner. Even shaving off 15 minutes can make a difference.
5. What do you really have to do? Sometimes the end of my weekend comes and I realize that I spent the entire two days running around like a crazy person. Why? Did I really need to do all of those things? I’ve realized that sometimes I have to make myself stop running. I try to make Sunday my anything goes day. It’s my day to skydive, watch football, hike, or stay in bed all day if that’s what I want to do (assuming the kids are with their Dad of course). It also motivates me to get the truly important stuff done on Saturday. Sometimes the only thing keeping us busy is ourselves.

If none of these work for you, then you might be lucky enough to live where there is daylight savings… I can promise you an “extra” hour is coming your way in the near future.

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