My biggest challenge is finding time to do things that I like – dinner out with friends, reading a good book, puttering in my garden. ?I spend lots of time doing things that need to get done – but I don’t necessarily like all those things. And I’ll bet you don’t either. ?So I’m on a mission.

You’ve heard the saying, “you have to spend money to make money?” Well, I believe you have to spend time to get some of it back. ?What do I mean by that? In order to have time to do some of the things you love, you have to be more efficient at the things you’re already doing by spending a little time learning some time-saving techniques. ?Here’s few tips I’m using that might help you too:

• Make a to-do list?every day?- at the same time and in the same place so it becomes a habit. Avoid doing things that aren’t on your list until you have your main priorities completed (Facebook, surfing the internet, checking email more than three times a day or watching a lot of TV).
• If you have a smart-phone or tablet, use organizing apps like Awesome Notes or Errands.Whenever you have something to add to your list, write it down right away rather than have scraps of paper everywhere. ?Or use an organizer like Franklin-Covey.
• Schedule in your fun time. I know that sounds like common sense, but how many people actually do it?
• Get your kids to pitch in with chores around the house. ?Make it fun. ?It helps get things done more quickly, builds character and you’ll be spending time together!
• Stop working allhours of the night. ?Take a little down time to relax and unwind. ?You’ll feel refreshed, have more energy and be more efficient the following day. ?Believe me, the work isn’t going anywhere.
• Take stock of how much television you watch. ?Is there something else you’d rather do like go for a walk, listen to a guided meditation, finish up the dishes instead of saving them for the morning, read a book to your kids?

So what’s all this got to do with wellness? ?Stress is a major contributor to poor health which can lead to long term illness. ?If you’re busy all the time, don’t have a minute to yourself and wish you could just run away from it all, you’re probably stressed out. ?Doing just one or two things a week that have meaning for you can help rebalance the scale.

Be well.