Sponsored By Zappos
More than anything else, time is our most important asset. That’s why it’s so important to spend the least amount as possible when it’s not necessary. It took having my first kid to realize how much time I really had, and how I was squandering so much of it on tasks that didn’t need it. Some of the steps I took were new habits I formed, and others were taking advantage of services that made life much easier.
1. Create a Running To-Do List
First, make a list of everything you need to get done. I like to start with my long term goals, then break it down into weekly or monthly tasks that I need to accomplish to make them happen. This helps to clarify what really needs to be done. The two logical ways you’re going to get more of your time back is to 1. cut out unnecessary tasks and 2. make those that need to be done, take less time. Once you find what is still necessary, create a list the day before with what needs to be accomplished the next day. This makes the time you spend working much more efficient, because there’s no ambiguity about what you need to do. You can wake up and jump right into it.
2. Eat the Same Healthy Breakfast Every Day
This may seem like an off edition to the list, but follow along. By eating the same healthy breakfast every day, you create a routine. Because you know what you’re going to be eating, you no longer need to waste time each morning looking through what options you have. Again, you wake up, and jump right into your routine. You know what you’re eating, you know what you need to do today, and the positive flow carries on throughout the day. For me this is my butter coffee and a banana and blueberry smoothie. There are 6 ingredients (yogurt, frozen blueberries, bananas, coffee, butter, and MCT oil) I know I need to keep on hand, and because I know what to expect, I never run out.
3. Set Up Subscriptions for Regular Supplies
There are many items you likely use everyday. Figure out what those are and instead of driving to the store every time you need more, set up monthly subscriptions to deliver them to you. There are some national companies, as well as those that only operate in certain cities, so I won’t list them here. Depending on what you’re ordering, I’ve found that having some of my regular supplies delivered is even cheaper than driving to the store to buy them. Even if they’re slightly more expensive, the time saved is usually worth it.
4. Buy Clothes Online
Another area that saves a lot of time is buying clothes online. One of the big problems with shopping at stores is that they often have less options than online stores. That means to start you’re likely going to be visiting multiple stores, and once you find what you like they may not have you size (I find that size large shirts always seem to be the first to sell out). After you factor in the driving time and time you spend shopping, it can add up.
That’s why I buy a lot of my clothes at Zappos. They have a huge selection and free shipping – most times even free next day shipping. That alone is a big reason I use them so much. Then you factor in how much easier it is to find what you want quickly because you can type in “green bomber jacket” or “tan leather chelsea boot,” and you can see much easier it is than visiting multiple stores trying to randomly come across something you like. For this post I was looking for the “tan leather chelsea boot” mentioned above and the search came back with 59 of them! I ended up choosing the Aziz from Steve Madden, because I’ve always liked their shoes and liked the burnished toe detail on these. As expected, they turned out to be really comfortable. If you haven’t tried out Steve Madden’s shoes yet, they’re worth checking out. This is the second pair I’ve bought this month, because they always seem to have new styles at reasonable prices.
Another tip worth mentioning when it comes to online clothes shopping, is to treat ordering like you would taking clothes to a dressing room. You don’t have to know your exact size or be absolutely sure you’re going to like something before you order it. I’ll order multiple sizes, colors, etc. and just return what I don’t like – and sometimes it’s quite a lot. Zappos has a great return policy – 365 days! – and has even been quoted as saying “our best customers have the highest returns rates” so they expect you to make returns.
If you’ve found any tips to save time that have been helpful for you, let me know in the comments below. Thanks for reading.
