You already know that things like mindlessly scrolling social media are huge time wasters, but what about those smaller things we all do that eat away at our productivity? Not all types of time wasters are as obvious as, say, going to the grocery store when you could order your groceries online. Here’s a look at some of those smaller ways you could be using your time inefficiently.

1. Figuring out what to cook

How many times this week have you stood in front of your kitchen cabinet or fridge blankly, trying desperately to figure out how you can throw something together without needing to go to the store? Deciding what to cook each day can be a real time-waster. The solution? Try meal planning, and you’ll have everything decided in advance so dinnertime will basically be on autopilot. Or, join The Dinner Plan, our meal planning membership when we open doors again!

2. Not having a morning routine

If you usually rush around the house each morning aimlessly trying to get everyone out the door on time, you need a morning routine. Trust me – many mums’ mornings are full of classic time wasters examples. When you do your morning activities in the same order every morning, you’ll find it much easier to get out the door on time. There will be no rushing, panicking or stress, and everything will just fall into place. It’s life-changing!

3. Checking emails repeatedly 

Yes, you’re going to get emails and many of them will be important, but all those refreshes of the mailbox on your phone or computer five times an hour can really add up throughout the day. Choose one time in the morning and one in the evening to check your mail, and that’s it. You might also consider turning off notifications every time an email comes in so you don’t get distracted.

4. Chopping food

When a recipe promises it takes 10 minutes of prep but there you are, 20 minutes later, and it’s still not in the oven, the culprit is often chopping. And while you can’t just toss whole carrots into your stew, there are a few ways you can cut down on this task. The first is using a food processor to make quick work of chopping. The second is embracing food prep. This means that if you’re chopping an onion for pasta sauce tonight and you know you’ll need another chopped onion for tomorrow night’s tacos, chop them both at once and you’ll have one less thing to do tomorrow. (I can’t help but brag – we guide you through this inside The Dinner Plan too 🙊)

5. Stovetop cooking

Standing over the stove and stirring sauces and stews can be really time-consuming, but there is a way you can get home-cooked meals without all the effort: a slow cooker. With a Crock-Pot, you just pop the ingredients inside in the morning, set the timer, and then come home to a meal that’s ready to eat!

6. Sweeping the floor

It’s amazing how many little crumbs, debris and dust collect on our floors each day. And while sweeping a smaller apartment might not be a big job in the grand scheme of things, I have to say that one of the best inventions ever is the robot vacuum. They’re super affordable these days, and some also have a mopping function, allowing you to avoid this common time waster. You just go about your other activities and your floor is magically swept for you!

7. Not being organised

If you’re constantly rummaging through your kitchen drawers when you’re cooking to find that one spatula or your mini whisk, you’re doing it wrong. Even if you usually find it within a minute or two, it can really add up over time. Organising your kitchen so the items you use most are at hand and everything else has its own dedicated space can shave a surprising amount of time off of your cooking each night.

8. Touching things twice 

This sounds odd, but bear with me. If you have ever read a text message and decided you’ll reply later or your child has brought home a permission slip from school and you figure you’ll sign it tomorrow, you’re leaving the “task loop” open and will have to touch it yet again another time. Instead, try to use the 2-minute rule: if it’s going to take 2 minutes or less to complete, go ahead and do it now to get it out of the way. 

How many of these time wasters are stealing precious minutes from your day? 

Love,

Nakita xxx