10 Ways to Get Your Life Together in Less Than 30 Minutes
While I love some PTO, it isn’t always possible to take an entire week off to catch up on life.
So this week, I’m sharing some tips you can use to get it together any time and will leave you feeling a bit more organized - and each one can take less than 30 minutes!
Clean up your digital desktop(s): Create a few folders and organize those files on your desktop. Get rid of files you won’t need or store them on Dropbox or Drive. The next time you sit down at your computer, you’ll literally have a clean slate!
Clean out your planner/handbag/briefcase/tote: Are you carrying around extra “stuff?” Probably. Clean out that bag or planner. If you’re anything like me, there are probably a few things you need to drop in the mail, a few things to put away, and a few things to throw away. You’ll be amazed at how much lighter you feel with a near-empty tote!
Empty out your fridge: I actually love cleaning the fridge and I do it every week. But I don’t think that I know anyone else who shares my weird obsession with fridge cleaning. Every week, before you put your groceries in your fridge or pantry, throw out leftovers or anything that you’re not going to eat. I know this sounds super wasteful, but actually throwing out leftovers (instead of, you know, hiding them in the back of the fridge) has helped me to cook less food for the week and strategically place healthy options right where I can see them. Plus, opening the door to a clean fridge makes me feel totally on top of things.
Put your clothes away. Getting my clothes in the laundry is no big deal. Folding is kind of a drag, but who wants wrinkly clothes during the week? Actually putting my clothes into drawers and in my closet? That part of the process always seems the easiest part to skip. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that rummaging through a pile of folded clothes on my bedroom floor is no way to start a week. And how long does it really take to put your clothes away? (Way less than thirty minutes.)
Make your bed: I encourage people to develop a morning routine that suits their needs and to be open to experimenting with different activities to see what really gets them focused and ready to start their day. But there are two things that I think everyone would benefit from -- 1) Not hitting the snooze button and 2) making your bed. I can’t get too self-righteous about this since I’ve been doing it for only a little over a year now, but it makes me feel great. I love coming home to a clean and put-together bedroom.
Examine your planner and delete any commitments that aren’t essential: Another favorite strategy of mine is saying no. You might be surprised to know that you can say no, even when you’ve already said YES. So go ahead and open up your planner and calendar app and cancel a commitment or two to create some space for self-care.
Clean up your inbox. Take note: I didn’t say “Get to Inbox Zero.” When I’m feeling behind on email, I set a timer for 25 minutes and try to respond to as much as I can. I’m also a big fan of Boomerang and using Folders to sort emails that I’ll respond to later.
Go for a walk. I’ve been going for a 20-minute walk most days during the workweek. I feel much more productive in the afternoons and my body enjoys the opportunity to breathe, relax and move a bit (sit I sit at a computer for an embarrassing amount of hours a day). I find that a lot of people tell themselves stories about not having enough time to take a lunch break or go for a walk during the day. In fact, I am sometimes that person. That’s why it’s okay with me if it doesn’t happen every day, but I am definitely more productive and happier when I do.
Dress up: Trust me, I spend my days in a lab and my evenings on the phone with clients, it is pretty easy to not pay too much attention to what you’re wearing. Maybe you have a pretty casual dress code and get what I’m saying here. When I’m feeling particularly low energy, I challenge myself to step it up a notch in the wardrobe department. Think about what might look like for you.
Set your alarm 15 minutes earlier: The idea of waking up naturally and easily, drinking hot lemon water, journaling, and doing yoga before the sun even rises certainly sounds lovely, it’s not necessary to start your day on the right foot. How would it feel to give your morning routine just a little bit more time to drink your coffee or to take your time getting ready?
