Sunday 24 June 2012

Routine

There’s a certain comfort in predictability.

Being solo makes it very easy to stick to a routine. I’m not an early morning person, so a lot of my quirky habits revolve around trying to make mornings run smoother. Most of the following tips are part of the 'best of' compendium of advice from the Chief Gorganizer. Some of the time-saving strategies that work for me right now include:

1. Using a planner
I have been using the exact same type of Moleskine planner for many years. It has the dates on one page, with lined paper facing it.By writing down the things I need to get done, I sleep better at night.
2. Packing my lunch the night before
This means that I have a healthy, balanced midday meal to enjoy the following day. When I leave this job til the morning, all too often I end up eating a Larabar (fruit and nut bar) for lunch.
The above lunch box was a recent impulse purchase at a discount store. I was hoping it would make packing a lunch a little more exciting. The reviews on Amazon are not great, so this may not have been my best decision ever. We'll see. I secretly pine for a PlanetBox lunch box, which are stainless steel bento box-type units. At $59.95 + tx + shipping and handling, it's just not in the budget. But, they are really cool.
3. Taking out my clothes the night before
Worknights, I actually lay out on my bed the complete outfit I plan to wear the next morning (then move it somewhere it won't get wrinkled while I sleep). This way, if I am out of socks or clean shirts there is still time to fix the problem.

4. Filing system
Though not a morning helper per se, since starting to use a filing system, my quality of life has improved. I really didn't realize how much time I was wasting trying to remember which safe and obvious place I was leaving important documents.
5. Putting things away
I am notorious for losing things. Now, things like my keys and wallet always get placed in a designated spot. This saves me a lot of trouble.


What aspects of your routine help you to be more time- efficient?

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