Thanks to Crystal Light for sponsoring this post. To learn more about how Crystal Light can flavor your day with 30 refreshing flavors, visit http://www.facebook.com/crystallight.
***
Good morning and Happy Thursday, friends!
About a month ago I signed on with Clever Girls Collective, a network of social media-savvy women that offer opportunities to blogger to share stories, ideas and offer insight on a variety of different topics. When I received an email informing me about the opportunity to blog about shortcuts I take to make my life easier, I jumped at the chance to address the topic.
As you know, I work full-time, maintain this time consuming and totally fun blog and try my hardest to live a healthy life fueled by fitness and nutritious foods. Sometimes I feel like my plate is about to overflow but, for the most part, I am not too stressed!
Even with a bunch of commitments on my plate, I think my lack of stress can be attributed to the following “shortcuts” I follow daily:
- Workout in the Morning: Getting to the gym after a crazy day at the office can seem impossible… especially when dinner has to be made and you want to spend quality time with loved ones. By waking up early to squeeze in a workout, I check something important off my to-do list at the beginning of the day which allows me to feel accomplished right off the bat. Waking up early to workout can make it feel like extra time was added to the day, and nothing ever gets in the way of an early gym session!
Time to Sweat!
Work it Out!
- Pack Lunch the Night Before: I pack my lunch for the following day while I’m making dinner. This saves me time in the morning and also saves money since I rarely go out to eat.
- Utilize a Slow Cooker: I am a huge fan of crock pot recipes. I love throwing a bunch of stuff into the slow cooker in the morning because it allows me to arrive home to an already-cooked delicious dinner after work. The crock pot does all the work for me while I’m at the office which saves me lots of time in the kitchen in the evening.
Crock Pot Salsa Chicken
- Prep Food on Sunday: Though it’s a total pain, I will often take about 30 minutes on a Sunday to chop vegetables to use in my lunches and dinners throughout the week. Since chopping vegetables is a pain in the tookus, taking care of this annoying prep step ahead of time saves me time during the workweek. Having pre-chopped veggies on hand also helps with my vegetable consumption since I’m much more likely to incorporate them into my meals if half of the prep work is already complete.
- Tackle Two Things at Once: On days when I have and extra long to-do list, I’ll set out to accomplish two tasks at once. I’ll take my dog for a run, checking her exercise off my list while simultaneously fitting in my workout. Doing the dishes while dinner is cooking rather than waiting in front of the TV is another great way to get two things done simultaneously.
Workout + Gettin' the Dog Some Exercise = 2 for 1!
Now it’s your turn to share!
What are your best time-saving tips?
***
Remember, visit http://www.facebook.com/crystallight to learn more about how Crystal Light can flavor your day with 30 refreshing flavors. I was selected and paid for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity, as I do.
![\"Quantcast\"/](\"//pixel.quantserve.com/pixel/p-1e3-7hOJ_U8Bg.gif\")
Great tips! Working out in the morning definitely is like extra time added to your day! I also try to make dinners that give me some leftovers! Cooking once and eating twice ;).
My mom used to have a slow cooker and it was an awesome time saver. Which one do you have?
we have an awesome slow cooker by hamilton beach that allows us to change the size from 2 qt. to 4 qt. to 6 qt. we love it!
I pretty much do a lot of what you posted, especially on the Sunday cookin’ and meal prep the night before for the days eats/snacks. Plus it saves TONS of money!
One other thing is kinda fun: if you need to go to the bank or the tan place or the convenience store etc, work your run into that. If i have to carry something back, depending on what, one of those little nifty over the shoulders back sacks are great! I also use my runs to scope out new restaurants and currently looking for a new place all while running!
love these tips. i currently have my crockpot going at home!
cutting your veggies on Sunday’s is such a good idea!
Definitely planning out meals in advance saves time! Also planning out your day hour by hour can help you find extra time in your day!
I’m a big fanatic of laying out my workout gear for the week after I do my laundry.
once I get home, I always just want to dump my stuff all over the floor, so just being able to grab an outfit for the next day from the top of the pile makes life a lot easier!
Fitting in a workout in between things always helps me. Today, I had a morning class, and then a break where I just fit in a run before my afternoon classes.
LOVE your tips!! I plan meals and use leftovers to save time making food the next day. I also do things like deal with my emails on the go and that sort of thing to save a bit of time 🙂
I always pack my breakfast and lunch while I am making dinner. It saves me so much time in the morning when I am getting ready for work. I am going to have to try your tip of pre-cutting veggies on Sunday. That is a great idea idea! 🙂
I NEED to start doing weekly food prep. Coming home late at night starving after class/work/yoga with nothing ready to eat is so annoying! I hate waiting for tofu to bake up! 🙁
I pretty much have the same ones as you, with the exception of the slow cooker because I don’t own one… yet! I love doing my food prep on Sundays because it makes lunch making during the week SO much faster. I also lay my workout gear out on my floor before going to bed each night so I can just roll out of bed, throw it on, and get out the door.
Great tips Julie!
I definitely use my crock pot – it’s such a time saver! I also plan out all my meals the week before, so grocery shopping doesn’t take long at all and I never have to “figure something out” for dinner – it’s all planned!
Multitask..if you know which activities you can do at the same time, do it! Like checking in with family and friends on the phone while folding laundry.
I also pick out all my outfits for the week on Sunday and iron them all. That way there is no fretting in the AM about what to wear!
Great tips! I am soooo not a morning person, I but I know EXACTLY what you mean when you say it feels like you’re adding time to your day!
I commute by bus and I spend my time reading newspapers, sending emails or catching up on blogs on my BB. Love it!
I also prep food on Sunday but I go one step further. Along with chopping veggies, I’ll cook a pot of grains, a pot of beans and usually prepare a batch of homemade dressing. I also cook large batches of soups, caseroles, marinara sauces etc and freeze them in individual portions. Not home till late? Dinner in 3 minutes from the microwave. Cheaper then frozen meals, healthier and important for me, completely vegan.
Great tips (as usual) Julie! I just bought a slow cooker, and really need to utilize it more than I have so far.
I think the thing I do that saves me the most time is knocking out 1, 2, 3 birds with one stone, which means watching tv AND folding laundry, ironing, going through mail, paying bills, etc. I wish there were more hours in the day!
I am a mess/ slow in the morning so I definitely try to do everything the night before. I pack my breakfast and lunch (while watching a show or during commercials), load up my gym bag and lay out my outfit for the next day. Before bed, I also tend to write out preliminary blog posts for the next day.
Great time-saving tips, Julie!
My timesaving tip is to only wash your hair every other day. I have very long, thick hair, and this tip saves me about 5-6 hours per week of conditioning, drying, styling, etc. I put my hair in a tight bun for my workouts, and even though I sweat A LOT, I find it’s nothing a hairdryer and dry shampoo can’t overcome. Took me years to come around, but now I can’t imagine going back to washing my hair daily!
I definitely need good tips on saving time. I try to go to the gym in the morning near my office, so I skip the rush hour commute and it takes me less time to get there, since it’s so early. Saves me time and by the time 8:00AM hits, I have already worked out, showerd and commuted to work!!
Love your tank tops!!
Great tips! When I know that Im working days in a row, I always will make my dinners (I work evenings) at the same time I am home cooking dinner. It allows me to have more time in the morning on the days I work to exercise, clean, all those wonderful things us gals have to do!
A few questions, what time do you typically get up to work out? What time do you go to work? And finally, when do you go to bed?? Hope you have a great day!
you may see my morning routine here: https://www.pbfingers.com/2010/04/30/streamlining-your-morning-routine/
Doing my hair while eating breakfast! Seriously- it works 🙂 I also go to the gym in the morning, do dishes while listening to podcasts, tapes, and cooking, and use essential oils to heal all things bothering me-saving on trips to the store/pharmacy!
Great post! I also work out in the mornings and pack my lunch the night before. I also pick out the next day’s outfit the night before. I also let my hair mostly air-dry while I write my morning post! It cuts down on time spent drying my hair and I get to knock out a blog post in the AM 🙂
One of my time savers is working with a bunch of engineer dudes who never notice what I look like, so I spend almost no time on hair/makeup/etc.
I also lay out all my clothes the night before. And pack my lunch/snacks. And cook in bulk for the week – no way can I do more than microwave leftovers when I have to coach at night.
ENGINEERS UNITE! Oh yeah, I never wear make up or do my hair unless I’m getting dressed up.
I really need to hop on the morning workout train…
I do pack my lunch the night before and LOVE the crockpot. I just need the kick in the butt to get me up in the mornings. 🙂
Great tips!
And where do you get your cute workout shorts from and what brand are they? Thanks!
they’re both nike & i got the first pair on sale at t.j.maxx and the second pair at sports authority!
Awesome thanks Julie!
Great tips!! I like prepping breakfast the night before too- which is why I’ve been getting so into cold oatmeal. And YES, the early workout is ALWAYS worth it!
Just out of curiosity, does Ryan pack his lunch too? My boyfriend never brings lunch to work unless I literally make it for him, put it in a bag and text him a reminder to bring it. I feel like men in general are less on the “meal planning” bandwagon, haha.
My boyfriend refuses to bring lunch too! I offer to make it for him so he can just pick it up and take it with him on his way out the door. I don’t get it. Buying lunch every day adds up quick!
ryan used to be this way, too! it drove me nuts. so much so that i used to pack his lunch for him every single day for about 6 months while i packed mine. now he packs his own and seems to like it! i think it helps that he brings the exact same lunch to work every day so there’s no thinking involved. it’s more like a routine to him now. i’m planning to do a post all about his eats sometime next week!
this is so funny! before, my boyfriend would eat lunch out, have some measly snack in the afternoon and come home STARVING after the gym. so i created a meal plan for him to maintain his metabolism (and shed some extra pounds). i’m on week number 2 have packing snacks and lunch for my boyfriend. it’s so funny how his full he is throughout the day, and he’s starting to help me pack his lunch. i see progress!
Love the tips! I agree that working out in the morning is awesome. Also, I totally eat more veggies when theyre prepped ahead of time!
Ahhhh Julie, most of Crystal Light’s flavors have aspartame!!!! Make sure to stay away from that stuff. Their pure fitness flavors use Stevia instead though, thankfully.
Those are great tips – I wish I had more substantial dogs to be able to combine running and exercising them. Unlike viszlas, I don’t think mini schnauzers were made for that, hahaha.
Also, I know that working out in the morning would start my days off right, but when I have to be at work by 7, I just can’t make myself get up so early! Whining, I know, but still… maybe one day.
I don’t have any tips, but I’ve followed your advice and at the beginning of the week I vowed to wake up and work out before work. I thought I would be dragging, but honestly I feel amazing! I can’t explain how nice it is to just go home after work and relax and not have to plan my day around a group fitness class that may not start until 6 pm. I hope I can stick with this.
I love the tips! I have tried and tried to convince my body to workout in the mornings, but it is totally and completely against it. I feel like I am able to have a more productive workout in the afternoon/evenings because my brain isn’t screaming at me to go back to sleep haha! Maybe someday…
Also, how did you cook the kale that yall liked so much? I bought some because it was super cheap & I’ve been wanting to try it, but I’m not really sure how to prepare it.
Working out in the morning is key. Otherwise you find excuses later not to do it. I do everything possible the night before: lay out my clothes, get the coffee and water in the coffee pot so all I have to do is turn it on, get the kids backpacks packed and lunches mostly ready.
I think I wanted to share my kale recipe when you posted about it a few days ago, but didn’t find the time. Saute an onion in some olive oil. Add the kale to wilt. Top with some feta cheese (the low fat is fine). Add some salt if your cheese wasn’t salty enough and a bit of pepper. This is great over some whole wheat pasta or served with bread. I even like it served with dippy eggs, but that is a lot of iron in one meal.
I spend 15 minutes a day tidy-ing up. That way our place never gets that bad and if we have company coming over unexpectedly, it looks good! During those 15 minutes, I also wipe down the bathroom countertops, toilet seats, door handles, etc… with a Clorox wipe. Then every other week I’ll mop and deep clean the bathrooms! I also vacuum daily. Wow, I sound totally anal! 😛
nice tips Julie!! I def need to get on the slow cooker wagon.. ive never used one before!! my time saver is WRITE THINGS DOWN AND CHEK THEM OFF
check* – i misspell a lot because i type WAY too fast~!
Most of these tips are also things I do…although I like the idea of prepping veggies on Sunday. I think I will definitely adopt that one! I am also neurotic enough to set up everything I need for breakfast the night before. I literally set out my bowl, spoon, and all my vitamins. Just a few less things to gather at 5 am…
Great tips!! I usually work out after work because my boyfriend works until 830 and I wouldn’t be hanging out with him until then anyways. Plus we stay up a little later to get time together. Buuut, I have been on the road for work and using the hotel gym in the mornings which has been SO NICE. It makes me wish I could keep it up at home!
I do all these things too, plus I return phone calls in the car on my long commute, I blog on my lunch break, I put together huge salads then half it for two different lunches, and I portion out leftovers in individual portions for lunch.
If you are cooking meat for a meal, go ahead and cook double then you save cooking time for your next week. I almost always throw double the chicken I need into the oven while cooking. (Saves energy too!)
“Week” should be “meal”. Save time for your next meal.
I have a rule: no vegetable or fruit goes into my frig until I’ve chopped it up and its put into containers. Yes, it’s a pain (I totally agree with you!), but it makes my life during the week, much easier.
When I don’t feel like chopping, I just buy pre cut veggies or fruit that you can just grab (apple, clementine, berries, etc.).
My biggest time saver is one you already mentioned. I do a Sunday prep day. Every Sunday I make steel cut oats, brown rice (in the rice cooker), hard boiled eggs, I also grill about 3 pounds of chicken for the week (for me and my husband). Those are the staples and if we want anything special for the rest of the week I will make it too.
I totally agree with the tips you shared, I do most of them except I don’t have a puppy yet.
I read somewhere that too many people simple spend time, instead of “investing” it. When you invest in time (like preparing your healthy meals ahead and getting your workout early in the day)….you produce a return that is even greater than what you put in…..you CREATE time!
I hope that makes sense. When I first read it, I had to re-read it and it clicked.
I know this has been mentioned but it’s a big one for me. I plan weekly meals and do one shopping trip, not only does it save time but having everything but money too. That way I’m not going to the store every other day for groceries.
There’s nothing like feeling accomplished and energized in the morning– i love morning workouts!
Working out in the morning is SUCH time saver!! I swear, it’s as if saving them for later sucks so much more time out of the day.
Just curious if you can share how much Crystal Light paid you to sponsor the post.
Great tips Julie! I just started reading your blog & I think it’s awesome that you can get so much accomplished in the morning. I’m trying to get the hang of working out first thing- it’s so hard to drag my butt out of bed but I always feel so good once I do!