5 Ways to Simplify Your Life and Gain More Free Time
As a busy mother of three, I'm constantly looking for ways to simplify my life and create some extra free time. Like Stephen Covey, I'm always trying to sort out the urgent, the important, the not urgent and the not important. Here are some things I've recently done that've helped me do that.
1. Get rid of email and/or Internet access on your cell phone
A bold move, I know. But receiving emails on your cell phone while you're out & about can cause a false sense of urgency. It drove me crazy when I'd see the red light flashing on my Blackberry--I felt compelled to check my email no matter where I was, on the road, in the middle of Whole Foods or even on the examination table at the OB-GYN. :) There was never anything that was urgent enough to require my immediate response and I began to realize that, while I teach my children to not interrupt, I allow my Blackberry emails to do just that. So, I got rid of email/Internet service, saved myself $30 per month and nixed that false sense of urgency from my life.
2. Shut off Twitter new follower notifications by email
When I first started on Twitter, I set my notification preferences to send me an email every time someone new started following me. At first, it was exciting to see who my new follower was, check out their profile & follow them. Then it started stressing me out to see those Twitter emails sitting in my inbox (or worse, flashing on my Blackberry!). So, I turned off the Twitter email notifications in the "Settings" under "Notices". Now, when I'm on Twitter, I simply view my followers, see who they are & follow them back. Ahhhh...that's how I feel when I see an uncluttered inbox. ;)
3. Set your email to receive new messages every 30-60 minutes instead of every minute
Have you ever tried to accomplish something online and been distracted by the little email icon in the righthand corner of your screen? Yup, me too. Every time I see that little envelope, I click on it to see what new messages I have in my inbox. And then I can't even remember what I was doing online to begin with. I found myself having to chant my online "to-do's" like this old Sesame Street video. To prevent myself from being distracted by new email, I set my Microsoft Outlook to receive new emails every 30 minutes instead of instantly. This gives me bigger chunks of time to get things done & I find it helps increase my productivity. To see step-by-step instructions on how to do this, click here. (If only I could "set" my 2 year old son, Brendan, to not interrupt me for 30 minute chunks of time! Hee!)
4. Use a shopping list organized by aisle
To make my weekly shopping trips more efficient & to stop back-tracking (or return trips to the store!), I created an Excel spreadsheet shopping list on my computer that's arranged by aisle. That way, I list the items I need in the appropriate aisle, starting with produce & ending with prepared foods and my trips to Whole Foods are fast & targeted. Email me at themogulmom (at) gmail (dot) com if you want a copy of my spreadsheet.
5. On Sunday, set outfits (for yourself and children) for the week ahead in a hanging sweater bag.
Tired of frantic mornings spent trying to find an outfit for yourself and your children? Then read this post to find out how to rid your life of this daily stress with a simple yet genius idea from American Girl. I hope you enjoy these 5 ways to simplify your life and gain more free time!