5 Ways to Get Things Done
I find myself using the same reminders as I go about my days and realized they could be helpful to you as well! I’ve gathered my most used tidbits from some of my favorite podcasts, authors, and instagram accounts, and am sharing them below. I’m sure you’ve heard of many of them before, but sometimes a reminder is all you need to start using them again. Enjoy!
“Might as well”
This is from the ladies at The Art of Decluttering (Season 3, Episode 23) podcast. These women can be a hoot to listen to and this specific “hack” really stuck. I find myself saying “I might as well pick that dang sock off the floor now because I know it will still be there later if I don’t”. Or “I might as well chop extra carrots now because I’m making soup tomorrow so it will save me time”. Or “I might as well go to bed now because I can always finish this episode tomorrow night when my eyes aren’t so heavy”. It applies in so many situations and I find I’m using it every day!
If it can be done in 5 minutes or less, do it now.
This is an oldie but goodie. There are so many super quick and easy tasks that we end up putting off because they just seem so….hard. When in reality it takes less than 5 minutes. A good example is the dishwasher. Have you ever timed yourself emptying it? I think last time I did it was under 3 minutes. Save the brain space of the task weighing on your mind and just do the dang thing. Do yourself a favor and see how long other basic household tasks take so you can can realize how much time we waste procrastinating on things that can be done and over with so quickly!
Don’t put it down, put it away.
Another classic. Put the dirty clothes in the hamper instead of on the floor next to the hamper. Put the dishes in the dishwasher instead of on the counter above it. Take the 5 extra seconds to put the shoes in the closet or on the shelf instead of leaving them on the floor of the entry. The list goes on. Most of the time, this requires maybe 2 extra steps to walk to the location where something belongs and is well worth the trouble of not having to deal with it later.
One more thing.
I just wiped down the fridge - do I have the energy for one more thing? Yes. I can wipe the inside of the microwave too. I just got groceries - can I do one more thing and top off the gas tank before I head home? While I’m leaving a bedroom with a load of clothes to go to the laundry room, I can do one more thing and bring the water bottles and dishes back to the kitchen too. You get the idea.
What can I do now that will make tomorrow easier.
My “friend” Kendra aka The Lazy Genius has several principles that I try to live by, but this is my favorite. I never regret listening to myself when I ask this question. Usually it’s setting out the items I’ll need for dinner that night or picking out clothes for the next day. Doing “one more thing” now can be extremely impactful to your next-day self. Here are some other ideas: Put laundry in the washer tonight on a delay start so in the morning you just have to throw them in the dryer, pack school lunches for tomorrow when you are making dinner tonight, put the box of donations in your car the night before so you have no excuse of the morning being too hectic to remember.
Looking back at these tips, I realize that they all have to do with time and how we interpret it. If we aren’t sure how long something will take or we feel like it will take a lot of time (and energy), it’s easier to put that task off to “another day”. The perspective of a freshly timed activity can help remove some of the friction that is holding you back. Consider writing a small list to put on the side of the fridge with the time it takes for each of the daily tasks your family has. That way your other family members can also understand that doing the thing vs. complaining about the thing takes a lot less time and energy.
Do you use any of these hacks in your day-to-day? Which is your favorite and how do you use it? Of course, send me an email or DM if you have any to share - sharing is caring!