Work Smarter, Not Harder
How to spend less time doing all of those small and annoying chores and more time doing the things that really matter...
Life hacks 101
1. Fewer DECISIONS
Reduce your decision fatigue! Steve Jobs was a brilliant man in many respects and we all know he had a lot of important decisions to make for Apple...I am sure you also know that he was known for his mock black turtle neck and faded and pleated blue jeans with runners. By wearing the same thing every day...he took away a small decision that he didn't have to think about so he could focus more on bigger decisions. Now, I am not saying you need to wear the same thing every day. For one, I like clothes way too much to wear the same thing...let alone a really bad choice in clothing (like Steve) but I am sure there are decisions you can take away from your daily routine...
a couple of ideas would be Breakfast: why not just eat the same thing every day so you don't have to make that decision or weeknight dinners: have the same few dishes that you can cycle through during the weekdays. If that is too boring for you, why not have a list of 10-15 recipes that you can cycle through and when you get sick of one thing, take it off the list and replace it with another dish! Want more information, Check out this article:http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/matthew-held/decision-fatigue_b_6238272.html
2. PLANNING AND PREPARATIONS
Spend a few hours once a week doing your groceries shopping/planning/and prepping for the upcoming week. Yes, this takes more time once a week - maybe 4-6 hours but it will save you loads of time and stress the rest of the week when you are pressed for time, have kids causing a raucous, and you are starving. First, make a master grocery list of things you keep on hand at all times, make a menu for the week for all meals (this is even easier if you already know on Mondays it’s salmon, Tuesdays Chicken Stir fry, etc.) After you've been to the shops spend time washing, cleaning, chopping, and prepping your veg and fruit. Organize and prep lunches for the week, make any meals you can ahead of time (even if only partially). This sets up your week on a very positive note! Here is more detail:http://lifehacker.com/5896745/plan-your-weekly-meals-stress-free
3. PREPARE THE NIGHT BEFORE
On the subject of planning, Plan your day the night before. Organize your calendar and to-do lists for the following day so that when you wake up in the morning, you already know what you're going to do...This sets you up for a more productive day from the get-go! Make sure your to-do list is limited to no more than 10 items and make sure you know which ones are urgent/must do's and which ones can wait a day or even a few...perhaps move those off the to-do list if you know your day is going to be busy. Here is more information on making To-Do lists More Effective:http://www.fastcompany.com/3026738/work-smart/5-ways-to-make-your-to-do-lists-more-effective
4. FOCUS ON ONE TASK AT A TIME
Divide your day by Subject...just like you did back in school one period of Math, then P.E., then history. Instead of being overwhelmed by all of the things you need to do - and having information overload...just focus on one thing at a time for a specific amount of time. So schedule in your workout from 8-845am, returning emails and FaceBook messages from 9-10, work on one thing at a time, and that thing only! Here is a great article explaining why multi-tasking doesn't work http://www.lifehack.org/articles/productivity/you-think-you-can-multitask-think-again.html
5. TRY SHORTER, MORE INTENSE WORKOUTS
Workout smarter....add in High-Intensity interval training a few days a week. Try 3 days a week...and on these days make your workout only 15-30 min. max. You don't have to workout longer - just smarter. Studies all have proven the effectiveness of HIIT training - its fat-blasting, metabolism-boosting and it is hard but its short, and when you are done, I promise you will feel awesome...there is nothing like that feeling you get after a good workout so focus on that feeling every time you don't want to do it....how good are you going to feel after....and you don't get that feeling unless you really push yourself and actually do the work! Read More: http://greatist.com/fitness/high-intensity-interval-training-020513
OR…just join one of my LIVE zoom HIITS or one in my virtual fitness library (this is one of my FAVORITE ways to train!)
