We talk a lot about saving money here and I truly think it is so important. However, is saving time or money more important? Honestly, I believe that depends on you, the individual. Money is required to buy all of the necessities (and wants!) in life. Heat, food, and the clothes on your back. How can you do any of that without money? But there is the argument of “you can always make more money, but you can never make more time.”

I don’t know the answer. Time is, of course, important, but so is money. Saving money is easy because you can really create a game plan that works for just about any situation. Have credit card debt? Pay it off. Have a savings account? Invest money into it. While there are a lot of moving pieces, it is all relatively straightforward and easy to work around. Time is different. For whatever reason, it seems harder to save time because everyone is so busy nowadays. So, that’s what I want to talk about today - ways to save more time in your daily life so that you can really live your life to the fullest.

Meal prep and create a meal calendar

On the weekend, lay out your week and figure out what meals you need. Do you have meals already planned out of the house, do you have leftovers? Is there meat that needs to be cooked within the next few days? Try to think of it all and then create a meal calendar each week. Some people do this monthly, but personally, I feel like that is a pretty big undertaking, so 1 or 2 weeks at a time, is a little more manageable (but you find out what works best for you specifically). After creating your meal calendar for the week (or month), write down what you need from the store, to create your grocery list. Then, ask everyone else in the house if there is anything they need from the store. This way, hopefully, you will be able to cover everything in one trip and not have to go back to the store 2-3+ times in one week. This will save time and some money, too. After you get your grocery shopping done, prep whatever you can and make sure you organize your fridge and pantry so that you don’t have to weed through it every single time you take out a meal or a snack. All of these above tips will save you so much time and effort throughout the week - especially if you meal prep ahead of time! 

Reduce screen time

It is so easy to be sucked in by that TV show that is playing in the background, or your text messages, but screen time truly sucks away a lot of our time and doesn’t give you much back (long-term, at least). Reduce screen time, if possible. Instead of watching TV while you fold laundry, turn on an audiobook instead, or play your favorite music. This way, you are still getting some entertainment, but you aren’t distracted by a screen that will cause you to pause to watch while you are getting your list done.

Say “no” when needed

For some reason, it has become very hard to say “no” over the past few years, but I believe that it’s essential. When you have too much on your plate, when you don’t want to devote your time to something else, or when you just want to focus on your family and home, say “no” to parties and people that will take your time away from what you want to be doing, or what you need to be doing. This is an important lesson to learn!

Accept help, when it is needed

When you need help, do not be afraid to accept it. My friend, Alex, posted a questionnaire on her Instagram the other day asking moms if they had little to no help most of the time, or a lot of help, in general. Over 85% of moms voted that they had little to no help. It is really hard asking for and accepting help, but I believe that it is also essential. There are many ways that you can get help. Help can come in the form of family, paid workers, or even other businesses.

Don’t worry about what you cannot control

Easier said than done, right? But, there are ways to make sure that you don’t even have a reason to worry. For starters, if you are worried about your business or home, figure out a way to protect it. Cameras can help give peace of mind, but sometimes even then, they need a little more protection, which is why Criterion Technology offers injection molding optics. They have over 20 years of experience when it comes to protecting cameras with their protection domes, so this is a sure way to rest easy knowing that your space is protected.

At the end of the day, time is money, so when you are saving time, you’re also saving money. Hopefully, these 5 ways to save more time in your daily life will help you live life to the fullest each day.