5 Ways to Squeeze More Out of Life

Computers and smart phones were supposed to give us more time to do the things we enjoy and spend time with loved ones. I don't know about you but that doesn't seem to be the case in my life. Here are 5 ways to squeeze more out of life:

1. Set your clothes out the night before. Whether you are single and just need to get yourself ready in the morning or you have a half a dozen kids to wrangle before school and work this simple task will save you tons of stress in the morning. Consider the weather report and the day's activities when choosing outfits, shoes, and accessories.

2. Plan your meals for the week. Pick a day of the week that you sit down and look at the following week's activities and schedules. Plan your meals and make your your grocery shopping list accordingly. Whenever possible, prepare meals ahead of time. Freezer and crockpot meals are perfect for saving time during a crazy week.

3. Get chores and homework out of the way first. Some people, such as myself, grew up this way and then got out of the habit as an adult. Taking care of the kids' homework and chores before fun activities relieves a lot of stress later from procrastinating. This includes adult chores as well.

4. Set up your bill for automatic bill pay. Most banks these days have a way to schedule your set expenses such as mortgage or rent, insurance, utility bills, and credit cards to pay from your checking account automatically every month. This gives you one less thing to think about, and one less task to complete.

5. Designate a specified place for things like keys, glasses, cell phone, purse, etc. You won't have to waste time in the morning looking for these items. Putting things where they go can save hours, even days of searching over the course of your lifetime.

Bonus: Find a calendar or planner system that you like and you will use. Some people have found a simple bullet journal system to be very effective for keeping track of tasks that need to be done. Whatever system you use stick with it and use it. Put things like reminders to take the garbage out, when to change the battery in the smoke detector, when your annual physical is due, next hair and dental appointment, etc. Look at your calendar every day throughout the day look ahead so you know what's coming up.

Implementing these few changes into your life will help reduce stress and provide more time to do the things you love to do.