5 Tips to make your working life easier and less frazzled!

As a busy professional, there may be times when you find that you are stressed, exhausted and wondering what it’s all about. Perhaps you are struggling to balance family and career, or find time and energy to look after yourself properly. I remember a time in my life when I was juggling a career in IT, raising two young children and managing the household because my husband worked away a lot. There was one frazzled day in particular when I arrived at work, scheduled to conduct a series of interviews for posts in the department, when I looked down and realised I was wearing shoes from two different pairs! 

Here are five simple tips that can help you unfrazzle your life:

1. Think about how you are actually using your time  

A week has 168 hours, and if you take out sleeping (say an average of 49 hours) and eating (average 14)… showering… commuting… working… house/gardening… the hours are soon used up. Think about your average week and add up the hours spent on your activities. Where might you use time more wisely? For example, could you delegate more? Do you actually have to do everything on your list? 

2. Manage your wardrobe

Choose clothes that are easy to maintain and coordinate. Make time to declutter – you will save so much time later. I discovered I had 12 black jackets in my stuffed closet when I actually only wore one of them. My shoes were piled in a heap (no wonder I grabbed shoes that didn’t match).

3. Plan meals in advance

This sounds obvious, but it is amazing how many busy people don’t do it. And then they come home from work late, hungry, and end up eating whatever junk food they can find. Set aside time to plan your menu and shop for it – online shopping can be very useful if you don’t have time for the supermarket. Cook ahead and freeze meals.

4. Get a good night’s sleep  

The benefits of sleep on health, mood, and mental and physical ability are well documented. If you are not sleeping well, it can be helpful to think about your “sleep hygiene”; in other words, the physical and environmental factors needed for a good night’s sleep. Some examples of good sleep hygiene include: 

• Relaxing your mind before going to sleep using breathing and mindfulness techniques.
• Avoiding caffeine before going to bed; it is a stimulant that can stay in the system for up to four hours.  
• Creating a calm sleeping environment. Some studies say that having a TV in the room, using a laptop, tablet or smartphone before bed, or having a very light room may cause issues in getting to sleep.
• Clear your mind of your to-do list by writing it down.  

5. Get more organised

Stressful mornings can be made worse by wasting time looking for keys, panicking because you forgot to charge your phone/iPad, finding that the clothes you had planned to wear are stained with pizza.  Have a dedicated spot where you always keep keys. Do as much as you can the night before. Lay out your clothes. Make it a habit to put your devices on charge before bed. Check your diary so you know what is happening the next day. And try to leave yourself contingency by getting up 10 minutes early.