I don’t know how your summer is going so far, but mine is whizzing by. In the interest of saving you time and allowing you maximum time in the sun/with your kids/with your friends… whatever… I’m just gonna give you ten fast and dirty tips that will make your day, your week—and possibly even your summer—the best it can be. (bold promise, no?)
1. Little reminders.
The next time you have to pick a password (or update an old one) choose a phrase that refers to a trait you want to develop (BeStr0ng! Lose12Lbs! Make250000!). Typing these little “reminders” will reinforce your motivation and make you smile every time you log on.
2. Take 30 minutes to edit your book collection.
I just did this last weekend. Go through ALL your books (including cookbooks and coffee table books) and set aside the ones you’ve already read and don’t plan to read again, the ones you read and didn’t like the first time, or the ones that didn’t bring you joy, the ones with reference info that’s probably outdated (travel, business, parenting books). Take the rest to your local assisted living facility or exchange them on www.paperbackswap.com.
3. Outsource.
In an April survey in Real Simple magazine, 43% of people would choose to outsource housecleaning over outsourcing laundry (17%), shopping for groceries (13%), doing yard work (10%), and paying bills (8%). Figure out the thing that makes you grumble most during the week and find someone else you can pay to do it. If your money is tight (whose isn’t?), pay someone to do it once every other week.
4. Get wacky with your label maker.
I know it sounds silly, but start labeling things around your house. For some reason, a label becomes an obligation. When I see an empty spot in the medicine cabinet with a label underneath that says “toothpaste” there’s no way I can put my perfume or razor there. Neither will your husband or kids be able to.
5. Change your vocabulary.
Rather than say, “I’ll try to take a run today,” or “I’ll read my book this evening if I have time,” change your wording to reflect action. Say, “I’m going to run 3 miles this afternoon,” and “I’m going to go to turn off the TV and read 2 chapters in my book this evening.” Don’t leave things to change. Make them happen.
6. Test your wake-up time.
Tomorrow morning write down exactly how long it takes you to do everything in the morning (shower, brush teeth, do makeup, eat breakfast, get dressed, etc.). If you’re always running late in the morning, it may simply be because you think it takes you 45 minutes to get ready, when in actuality it takes you 57 minutes. Knowing this and getting up just 12 minutes earlier every day could mean the different between a good and bad day.
7. Just admit you don’t like it.
Whatever “it” is, whoever gave “it” to you, if you don’t (and never will) like “it”—get rid of it!
8. Kick your binge shopping habit.
Regardless of the economy, many people (many of my clients!) treat anxiety with a trip to the mall. To avoid bringing more clutter into the house (and racking up your credit card bills) focus on the feelings that sent you to the store in the first place and try to find a different way to deal with them. Recognize your patterns, know your weaknesses and protect yourself. If you’re a makeup junkie (“… one more lipgloss will just make me feel better!”) and you’re heading to a mall with a Sephora, don’t take your credit card.
9. Put fun first.
Just saw this one in the June issue of Self magazine: “We tend to delay enjoyable activities because we expect free time to eventually materialize, but summer goes by quickly,” says Suzanne Shu, Ph.D., assistant professor of marketing at the UCLA Anderson School of Management. Pull out your planner now and schedule in some fun things. If it’s not on your planner, you likely won’t do it. And be sure to pepper fun into your workweek. Don’t try to save everything fun for the weekend; you’ll never have time.