Yes, we are springing forward this Sunday. That means that this week is a wee bit shorter than most. But there’s no reason it has to feel like it. Here are a few ways to get that hour back:
1. Watch an hour less of TV.
Commit this week to watching only shows you love and absolutely nothing else.
2. Do one thing at a time.
When you try to check email while writing an essay, it can take 15 minutes or more to get back into the swing of things. Multi-tasking eats hours. Focus until you finish and then move on.
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3. Eat sandwiches for dinner.
Or leftovers, or a frozen pizza, or eggs, or a quick salad. The point of family dinners is to be together, not channel Julia Child.
4. Run one less errand.
You’ll survive without that extra light bulb for a few more days.
5. Lower your housekeeping standards.
The house will just get dirty again, but you’ll never get that hour back. The laundry can wait another day or two.
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6. Aim for good enough.
The vast majority of our work doesn’t have to be done to perfection, it just has to be done.
7. Give things a home.
Time spent hunting for shoes and cell phones isn’t helping anyone.
8. Realize you look great already.
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The difference between a 45-minute personal care routine and a 30-minute one is more than an hour per workweek.
If it’s possible, negotiate to work from home one day per week. Ditching the commute (and the suit) easily buys back an hour.
9. Practice saying “no.”
When you don’t volunteer for something, that doesn’t mean that thing isn’t important. Indeed, it could be so important that you know you can’t give it the attention it deserves. Suggest someone who could.
A version of this post appeared on Laura Vanderkam’s website where she writes about strategically managing time between her work and family.
