If you hope to do more and accomplish more in your day, then you need to find something that will give. In other words, you can’t keep introducing more and more activities and without finding ways to cut back on your exertion elsewhere. Otherwise, you will eventually burn out because energy is very much a finite thing.
Sometimes this might mean cancelling an evening class, or it might mean going out a little less with friends. But it doesn’t have to be that way; not if you can find smaller ways to save energy throughout the day.
Here are some great examples…
Get a Washing Machine
Washing dishes is a big waste of energy that most of us don’t have time for. Instead of slaving away over the sink, why not just get a dishwasher and do half the work? While you’re at it, get machine washable pans as well!
There are ways you can make this even easier for yourself too. For example, why not hire a chef or use a home delivery service to deliver healthy meals to your door? It might seem lazy or like a waste of money, but think about what you could be doing with that time instead. Perhaps more time to get in shape, to write the next great American novel, or to be with your family is worth it?
More Cleaning Utilities
As well as a washing machine, you can also save yourself energy doing various other things throughout the day by outsourcing and automating. For example: why not get a robotic vacuum cleaner? This will automatically clean your carpet or flooring while you relax and kick your feet up! Better yet: why not hire a cleaner?
Multitask
A lot of us will spend time and energy throughout our day travelling, washing up (despite the last points), calling friends, exercising… many of these are things that you can multitask. For example, why not catch up on correspondence while walking to the shops with a hands-free kit? Or why not answer urgent emails on the train? That way, when you get home, you can save some time and energy for other things.
Shop Online
You can save a lot of energy on shopping by shopping online. This is especially true if you set up standing orders for things like your food shopping – or even deliveries of flowers to people on birthdays, anniversaries and other special occasions!
Decision Fatigue
Decision fatigue is a real phenomenon that occurs when you waste energy making too many small decisions throughout the day. Small decisions can include things like what to wear, what to eat etc. – and this is famously why Steve Jobs wore the same outfit every day during his latter years.
You don’t need to go that far! But do think about the stressful decisions and the time-consuming decisions and see if you can cut them back by introducing simple and smart systems to take care of them for you!