It’s so easy these days to feel like you are busy every second of every day, whether it’s work, social commitments, family, or other activities taking up your time. But how can you make sure you don’t become overstressed? Luckily, we’ve listed just a few hacks here that can make the hectic everyday run a little more smoothly.
- A versatile bag
Though this may sound silly, having a versatile bag can make a big difference especially if you are someone who goes from activity to activity without much time in between. For example, if you have to be at the gym half an hour after work finishes, you will be going straight from one place to another and need to have everything on you; and wouldn’t it be better to have a well packed, functional tennis bag on you which holds everything than a few different bags you have to keep track of? Being able to keep your things all in one place is a great way to minimise stress and create a grab-and-go morning routine.
- A functional calendar
There are seemingly millions of organisational solutions out there – from the old school filofax and week to view diaries, to more tech based solutions like google calendars, it can feel like no one should ever struggle with shceduling problems ever again. However, just because there are a million solutions doesn’t mean you’ve found the right one for you and when you do it can make the world of difference. For example, some people find having a whole year-to-view calendar on their wall makes things instantly easier to visualise and plan for, while others prefer a detailed plan of each day and are able to visualise the long term future mentally. Whatever works for you – nailing your calendar habits can make your hectic life so much easier to manage.
- Snack stashes
When you’re really busy, it can be so easy to forget little things – like eating. Somehow it can be four o’clock, and you realise nothing but coffee has passed your lips since your morning toast. If your schedule is too busy to factor in proper food breaks, it may be time to take a look at your priorities and change that – but if you can’t or don’t want to, a simple solution can be to ensure you always have snacks accessible. Perhaps you can keep some cereal or protein bars in a drawer at work, on a shelf in your home office, or even in your bag to make sure you have easy, quick access to a healthy snack whenever you get a chance (or just whenever you remember).
- A capsule wardrobe
When your lifestyle is already busy, there are many little things that can tip you over the edge from simply ‘busy’ to ‘overwrought and stressed.’ For many people, one such thing can be the stress of picking out an outfit for every day and for different events. While one way to mitigate this is the age-old advice of laying out an outfit the night before, this isn’t necessarily a catch all solution if the problem is that you simply have too many outfits to choose from. Developing a capsule wardrobe, which means maintaining a small selection of timeless, classic pieces which are easy to pair and style, can take a huge amount of stress out of making sure you look good each day.
- A recipe subscription service
If you find yourself torn between prioritising health and budgeting against a busy lifestyle, subscribing to recipe boxes may be the answer; they cut out the need to spend time shopping and searching for recipes, while still allowing you to maintain a healthy diet.
A hectic schedule doesn’t necessarily have to be a stressful one if it’s managed correctly – hopefully these five ideas will help you to enjoy your busy life without being overwhelmed.
