Wednesday, October 15, 2014

Tips for an Easier Work Week

I may not have kids running around but that doesn't mean surviving a hectic work week with a husband who works shift work is easy. Over the last few years I have come up with and learned a few tips that help make the days go by a little bit easier.

1) My biggest tip of all is start the work week out right. This means have all the laundry done and put away, the house cleaned, groceries bought, dishes clean and not left in the sink dirty. By doing these things your starting your week off fresh and not overwhelmed that you don't have any clothes to wear Monday morning or food in the fridge for lunches.

2) Lay out clothes the night before. This seems trivial and something you always hear about, but it really does work. By laying out your outfit and accessories the night before can save you time in the morning and endless outfit changes when nothing seems to look right. 

3) Keep everything together. If you need to remember to bring a book, a sweater, etc to work or an appointment keep it in a bag or pile by the front door. This way you aren't searching for it on your way out the door, or forget it in a rush. This also works great for sunglasses and your car keys. I find by having a bag to keep everything in I can just grab and go in the morning.

4) Pack a lunch the night before. I always try and make my lunch the night before so I'm not rushing in the morning, or if I am running late I can just grab and go. This includes throwing snacks in my lunch bag. I also try and keep some non perishable snacks and drinks in my office so if I do run late or forget my lunch I have something to fall back on. Cup of soups, instant noodles, and a couple of bucks to go buy lunch is a great back up plan. Although if you plan ahead you save money by not needing to eat lunch out because you "didn't have time" to make lunch.

5) Have easy breakfast items on hand. I ways try to have yogurt or English muffins  on hand for quick breakfasts in the morning. Instant hot cereals are great too in a bind.

6) A slow cooker is your best friend. Hubs and I got a slow cooker from my parents and it's so nice to be able to through meat and veggies into it before work and come home to a fresh hot meal after a long day at work. This is especially true with winter approaching. Another great tip is to make a little extra and you have lunches for the next couple of days.

7) Have a few treats or easy food on hand. I like to keep fresh fruit like mango, bananas and apples in the house. They make for great on the go snacks for work and home. It's also a lot cheaper to buy "specialty" items like muffins, croissants, sandwhich items at the grocery store instead of buying it at work individually. Buying precut fruit can save time too (although it can be pricier). Or just do some prep every few days so fruit and veggies are grab and go.

8) My coworker and I went halfers on a kettle at work so we can make our own tea and hot drinks. This saves us times and money since we just bring in our own tea and don't have to pay for overpriced tea at the coffee shop. It's also much cheaper to buy specialty tea at the grocery store vs by the cup at the coffee shop.

9) Tidy through the week. I try and keep on top of the laundry and cleaning throughout the week so I can enjoy my weekends. Even if it's doing laundry on a Friday night, sweeping the floor another, and washing the dishes the next. Breaking a large workload up into smaller tasks makes the work not seem so large and time consuming. 

10) I always try and keep a sweater and personal kit at work. My personal kit consists of hair ties, a couple band aids, some vitamins, lip balm, hand cream, a comb and anything else you may find useful. These little items are great as you don't need to run out and buy them if you find you need them. I.e. You straightened your hair and then it pours rain at work, a hair elastic means you can throw it up quickly and go about your day  confidently. 

11) I always keep a book or 2 on hand at work for a stress release during break time or for some light reading at lunch.

12) Keep the car full of gas and other fluids. Nothing worse then beig stuck in traffic and worrying about your car running out of gas, or running late for work and your plan to fill up the tank has to wait.

Hopefully these tips help you out and make your work week run a little bit more smoothly. Do you have any useful tips that help you get through the week?

2 comments:

  1. these are such great tips! loving the idea of having a personal kit at work! tanks for sharing!

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