Productivity Hacks for the 9-5 Woman
Brooke Tucker-Reid, Lifestyle Writer
It’s not uncommon for an entire week to fly by so quickly I feel like I can’t catch my breath. Does that ever happen to you? Adulting can be exhausting sometimes *sigh*. Here are a few tips and hacks to help you make the most of your work week so you can’t spend more time doing you.
Sunday (not so) Funday
Sunday Funday wouldn’t be Sunday Funday if you didn’t hit a sunny patio for brunch to enjoy a couple mimosas. Once you do, set some time aside to think about your week. Think about what you want to accomplish and which commitments you’ve made. Did you plan a dinner with friends the night before a big presentation? You may want to rethink that. Giving your week a little thought before it begins will give you peace of mind.
Plan those eats
Now that you’ve plotted out your week, determine which evenings you’ll be home to make dinner. Shopping on Sundays allows you to buy groceries for the week so you won’t have to make several trips throughout the week. It will probably save you a few dollars too. It’s all too often we come home after a long day at work with nothing in the fridge so we order deliciously awful takeout.
After you’ve finishing grocery shopping, make a couple more portions for dinner than you would typically eat. My go-to is making a huge batch of chili or tikka masala because it’s always better the next day and it freezes well too. Yummy leftovers are easy to heat up if you get home late or don’t have enough energy to cook.
Get ready before you get ready
It takes a little extra energy and organization but there are several things you can do the night before so your morning scramble isn’t so hectic. Try styling your hair the night before so you just have to touch it up in the morning. Make sure the outfit you want to wear has been dry cleaned or ironed as well. Pack your laptop and snacks before you go to bed so you don’t have to think too much in the morning (especially pre-caffeine). Now that the warm weather is here, I’m really into iced coffee (basic, I know). Preparing a batch of cold brew to keep in the fridge also saves a few minutes each morning.
Use technology to your advantage
Schedule your meetings, social commitments and everything in between in a digital calendar of some sort. I find it helpful to manage just one calendar so I put my personal engagements in my work calendar as well and mark them private. That way you don’t double book yourself. Need to leave work at 5 p.m. sharp to make a barre class? Mark yourself unavailable in your calendar so others will be deterred from booking meetings with you.
Work from home if you can
My personal fave. A ton of companies are shaking up their policies to allow employees to work from home once in a while. Take full advantage if it’s available to you. Not only can you bank the time you save from not having to commute (1.5 hours per day for me), but you can also sleep in a tad longer and perhaps squeeze in a chore or two throughout the day. I really enjoy the social elements of my job and workplace, but I find I’m so much more productive when I work from my home office.
What do you do to save time during the work week hustle?
