Phew, modern life. As our lives become more and more hectic, it can seem nearly impossible to check off everything on our to-do list, let alone find time to reconnect with ourselves or those we love, both of which have proven helpful when it comes to your happiness and health. 

Luckily each new days brings with it a fresh start, and it’s up to you to give today your best shot. 

Here are 22 simple time saving hacks that we use at Nutrient Rescue that will help you get the most out of every day. 

Wake up early at the same time every day 

Early mornings are the perfect time to sneak in a little ‘me time’ like a workout, going for a walk or even taking a little alone time to reflect on day ahead. Waking up at the same time every morning enables us to create an efficient routine. You’ll feel far more motivated throughout the day if you start out calm and on a positive note rather than rushing around. 

Plan your clothes the night before 

Ever have one of those mornings where you faff around for 20 minutes looking for a certain work shirt, only to discover it’s in the wash? Choose your outfit for the next day and lay it out ready the night before with shoes, socks and underwear all included. 

Plan to succeed 

Eliminate time wastage by spending 10 minutes each evening planning your day ahead. Block out time for certain tasks with extra timing if needed, such as going to the dentist.  

Think about the most essential item on your ‘to-do list’ and do that first, especially if you’ve been avoiding it. 

Colour block your wardrobe 

When you’re getting dressed you normally look for a certain colour to complete your look. If you organise your wardrobe by colour and style, you’ll find what you’re looking for easily and with less hassle, all helping to get you out the door quicker and in a good mood.  

Plan your meals ahead of time 

Planning your meals each week will take a little time, of course it will – but you only have to do the thinking once and you can reuse the plan again and again, and you don’t have to take extra trips to the shops to get food. It can also help you save money and eat healthier too.  

If you struggle to meal plan, then create a theme for each night – for example, Meatless Mondays or Taco Tuesdays. 

Create a cereal or coffee bar in the kitchen 

For easier mornings, put everything you need such as coffee, mugs, spoons on one tray. Keep only what’s necessary and store everything else in the cupboard as ‘backup’. You can take the same approach to cereal bars, with bowls, spoons and your favourite cereal in a clear container – just add milk! 

Set up shopping lists and auto-delivery 

If you’ve a knack for under or over-buying groceries, save some time by creating an online shopping list of items you regularly use. Online shopping saves time and also ensures you’re not impulse buying. 

Some brands have subscription programs available, so you can set up auto-delivery on items you replenish every month, whether that’s toiletries, coffee beans or yogurt etc. This way you don’t have to remember to buy every month and they’re delivered to your door. Most subscription programs give you a discount as well.  

Left overs for lunch 

Get into the habit of making an extra portion which you can take to work for lunch. Not only will it save you time in the morning, but it will give you some much needed lunch variety. 

Put things back 

Putting things back after you’ve them saves you from having to do it later, not to mention getting frustrated and wasting time searching when you can’t find something. 

Double up where you can 

If you’re planning to spend time catching up with a friend for a coffee, but you also want to get your walk in, then double up and have you friend join you for your walk, coffee in hand. Are there other ways you can double up? 

Multitask when it makes sense to 

When it’s done right, multitasking is a way of saving time. For instance you can talk to a friend while you’re putting the dishwasher on or putting a load of washing on. 

Use waiting time 

We waste so much waiting. Whether that’s at the doctors rooms, in a shop or waiting in a queue. Use the time to get other stuff done. You could go through your emails, read a magazine article or even call a friend                     

Cook in bulk 

It takes the same amount of time whether you’re cooking twice or three times the amount. If you get into the habit of bulk cooking, you can save all the prep time another night. Eat what you need and freeze the rest for another night. For example cook up a batch of mince, which you can use to make spaghetti bolognaise, chilli con carne or lasagne another night. 

Delegate 

You don't have to do everything yourself. Get your family more involved, and delegate. Whether that's grating cheese or tidying up, there are lots of ways to get your family in on the action to save you time. 

Automate 

Find ways you can automate your life. Whether that’s putting your bills on automatic payment, using a slow cooker or recording your favourite TV shows, you’ll be saving yourself a heap of time. 

Say “no” more 

We often find it easier to say ‘yes’ to help someone or not offend them. But it can be useful to say “no” a little more. It’s not selfish to protect your ‘me’ time. You only get a little of this so look after it. 

Group friends together 

We all enjoy our one-on-one time with our friends, but sometimes it makes sense to have a group catch up. You’ll see everyone at once, and you might even have more fun this way. 

Write everything down 

Use the "notes" app on your smartphone or use a traditional notepad and pen and make sure it is always next to you. Have you ever sat down and tried to remember something from earlier as the clock ticks away? Precious time wasted! 

Keep your phone out of reach 

Often we grab our phones to quickly check social media. Before you know it you’ve lost half an hour. Avoid checking it throughout the day by giving yourself certain times each day for checking. You can slowly reduce the amount of time until you’re happy with your usage. 

Skip the heat tools on your hair 

Air-drying your hair not only saves time, but it’s better for your hair. We suggest air-drying at least once a week to reduce the heat damage and save yourself time. 

Get one cleaning task done before bed 

Before you finish up for the evening, choose one cleaning task that needs to be done and complete it before you head off to bed.  A clean house leads to a clean, and restful mind and a happier deeper sleep. Added bonus - you won’t have a heap of house cleaning to do on the weekend. 

Go to bed early 

Getting into a routine of going to bed at a reasonable time makes it far easier to get up earlier in the morning. Figure out what the optimal bedtime is and make sure you’ve got your PJs on, teeth brushes, face cleaned and then lights off. Creating a bedtime routine also helps you wind down so you fall asleep easily. 

Time management can be a constant struggle, but by adopting some simple time saving hacks you can manage it. Remember, that at the end of the day life is more important than all the things you didn’t get round to doing. Sometimes it’s worth saying “to hell with it” and spending the day at the beach enjoying yourself! 

We’d love to hear if you have any time saving hacks that we could share with all our Shotsters, so please facebook message us or send us an email on info@nutrientrescue.nz