Habits for the Morning Routine
1. Make the bed each morning – either as soon as you get out, or after you have been in the bathroom. BENEFIT: automatically makes your bedroom feel clean and tidy and gives you a sense of order.
2. Take any medication you need at the same time each day. BENEFIT: This will stop stress when you realise halfway through the day that you haven’t taken it.
3. Always have breakfast. BENEFIT: Sets you up for the day – and people say you tend to snack less on unhealthy foods if you eat at the start of the day.
4. Unload the dishwasher each morning. BENEFIT: You always start the day with all the items of your kitchen clean and ready to use.
5. Leave the house as you would like to find it when you come home – tidy and clean. BENEFIT: saving hassle in the evening and giving you a calmer welcome home!
6. Try and get up at the same time each day. BENEFIT: Lie ins at the weekend can do more harm than good, making you feel sluggish for the rest of the day. Balancing your body clock will have a huge effect on your day!
Habits for the Evening Routine
7. Wash dishes and/or set the dishwasher straight after tea. BENEFIT: You can have the dishes washed before bed time and ready in the dishwasher for the following morning and it takes less time to clean pans when they are newly dirty rather than leaving food on them to harden overnight.
8. Tidy the house each evening – 10 mins is plenty. BENEFIT: waking up to a tidy house is so much better a way to start the day and you won’t end up with loads of tidying to do at the weekend!
9. Set the table for breakfast the night before BENEFIT: to save time each morning.
10. Hang out what clothes you need the next day ready to go. BENEFIT: You don’t have to rush in the morning, or find too late that something is in the wash or needs ironing.
11. Check your diary for the next day – and ensure you have everything you need ready to go. BENEFIT: no stress in the morning!
12. Try and go to bed at the same time each night. BENEFIT: As with getting up at the same time each morning, this will help to regulate your body and help you feel much better each day.
13. Put your phone on charge every night overnight. BENEFIT: You will never run out of battery during the day.
14. Review your day last thing at night. BENEFIT: Focus your mind on where you need to work on tomorrow.
Time Management Habits
15. Keep on top of your diary – schedule in all events, TO DO’s etc… BENEFIT: This will keep you a step ahead, and help you to organise your day.
16. Book in appointments as soon as you have had your last appointment – while you are still there. BENEFIT: You save time and don’t have to add to your TO DO list. You will also be able to get an appointment time that works best for you rather than having to have whatever is left at the last minute.
17. Check all birthdays and events you need to buy presents/cards for each week – and do in one go. BENEFIT: To save time at the shops/post office – grouping errands is a great time management tool.
18. Always add contingency time, travel time and time for the actual task into your diary – not just the task itself. BENEFIT: You will then be able to see exactly how much of day will be taken up, and not overbook yourself. Its much more realistic way of doing things as a lot of people simply write in a start time and forget about all the surrounding time required.
19. Don’t leave things until the last minute – do immediately or plan in a time (that allows for contingency as well) to get it done. BENEFIT: you will feel so much less stressed.
20. Handle incoming paperwork once only – don’t leave in a pile to do later – add them into your paperwork system BENEFIT: will ensure that things get done and you don’t mislay anything. It also saves time.
21. Bin rubbish (junk mail, envelopes etc…) as soon as it comes into your home (recycle if possible). BENEFIT: Simply saves time and energy.
22. Open your post when you have time to action items (make phone calls, pay bills etc…) BENEFIT: You will be able to get things done in one go and not have to make little piles of things to do later!
Finance/Money Habits
23. Keep all receipts in your wallet/purse each day and transfer to a file each night/week. BENEFIT: Always know where everything is, great if you need for tax reasons or simply if you need to return something.
24. Always have some cash in your purse/wallet for unexpected things. BENEFIT: Never get caught out.
25. Have some spare change in your car for car parks and toll roads. BENEFIT: You don’t get caught out.
26. When shopping, always ask yourself if you need the item, and whether you can get it cheaper elsewhere. BENEFIT: This makes you question your purchases and therefore save money, and reduce clutter in your home.
Habits for life
39. Once you have read a magazine, rip out any good articles and add to a personal file for reading specific to you – then recycle the rest immediately. BENEFIT: No more piles of magazines! A bug bear in many households.
40. Follow any schedules and routines you have created – make them habits too! Morning routine // Evening routine // Paperwork System // Finances System // Household Jobs Schedule // Time Management (day, week, month, seasonal and annual plans).
41. When you come through the door always leave your bag, keys and phone in the same place each time
BENEFIT: Saves wasted time looking for them!
42. Write everything that you need to do on your TO DO list or schedule immediately in your diary AS SOON AS YOU THINK OF THEM. BENEFIT: You can forget about them until you have the time to do them.
43. Create some ME TIME in your week – whatever is important to you, and fun, do it! – even if you only get half an hour – make it count!. (starting a hobby is a great idea for this – something that’s completely for you such as baking, reading, musical instrument, etc… – or why not take a magazine to a coffee shop and have some quiet time). BENEFIT: You will be able to function better when you are doing things for you as well as others, as you will feel more fulfilled.
44. Carry a notebook around for any websites, addresses, tel numbers etc.. you get during the day and transfer them to your home file / diary etc… each evening. BENEFIT: No more little bits of paper crumpled in pockets and at the bottom of your bag – destined to be mislaid!
45. When on the phone, use the time to exercise (walk), drive (hands free of course), or any job around the house that needs doing (sorting washing etc). BENEFIT: Multi tasking here works – I don’t always advocate as its usually better to focus on one thing at a time – but easy jobs can be ticked off your TO DO list so why not!
46. Create some relaxing time each day – 5 minutes of meditation, deep breathing, stretching etc.. can be all it takes to de-stress. BENEFIT – Its important to stay sane!
47. Have a date night at least once a month with your partner. BENEFIT: Relationships are vital to your general happiness so its worth making the effort.
48. Create time for your children each day. BENEFIT: they grow up so fast, and its so vital to develop this relationship.
49. Have a one in, one out policy in your home for new purchases (works especially well with clothes and toys!). BENEFIT: you will never suffer from “Too much stuff” syndrome again!
50. Answer your phone only when you have time – if its urgent they will leave a message. BENEFIT: It won’t rule you anymore or distract you.
51. When at the shops look for possible presents that are on sale. BENEFIT: saving you money and time – add them to your present drawer and then you will always have something to give!
52. Learn to say NO. BENEFIT: this will free up so much for you including time, energy and stress – we all do things because we think we should – so learning that its OK to say no will really make a difference to how you feel every day.
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