5 time-saving tips for people who are always really busy

These days, it feels there is waaaayy more to squeeze into that same 24-hour time-slot.

And yeah, some people seem to really nail it... But what about the rest of us? Work, tasks, errands, friends, family, gym, food, chores – it all seems to pile up FAST. Welcome to modern life. However, if you’ve been feeling a little too over exerted lately, don’t panic: refresh, refocus, and get yourself back on track. Finding balance in your life is key to success both professionally and personally. 1. Early riser The world is a much calmer place at 6am – and it's a great time to just breathe and catch your thoughts. Use these early hours to plan your day, catch up on mails, exercise or simply enjoy a relaxing breakfast and some quality 'alone' time. Getting up early is key to successful living and anyone can do it. Three weeks is all it takes to kick-start a habit, so work through the groggy mornings and restless nights until you start to feel like the superhuman that you are. Goodbye, Netflix binges! 2. Don't overbook yourself In the modern world, things rarely go as planned. You need time for those unexpected moments that will surface throughout your day... so build some blank spots into your calendar. You don't have to say yes to EVERYTHING. You can't do it ALL, it's just not realistic. Realise that you can say 'no' to meeting up with friends or taking on extra work. And no, you're not boring... you just need to take care of your priorities (we all need time to reboot). Being busy can be exhausting so free yourself up to achieve better balance. 3. Meals don't have to be complicated to be healthy Saving time in the kitchen is essential and prepping meals in advance ensures you get all the vit-hits you need to power through your day. Cooking your own meals at home is the best way to win time and achieve your health goals. Here are our favourite easy-to-prep meals: Stir fry (15 mins) Always keep these four veg in your pantry: onions, garlic, carrots, and kale/spinach — you can whip up a healthy stir fry in 15 minutes, just add your favourite protein like fish, chicken, tofu, or nuts and you have a fabulous meal which took no time at all. Mushroom soup (10 mins) Boil mushrooms, onions and garlic in milk. Throw in a stock cube, bring to the boil and blend until you have a delicious creamy, home-made, healthy soup. Serve with brown bread to keep hunger at bay. Broccoli, ham and pasta salad (15 mins) Cook pasta of your choosing (around 50g for each person) as per pack instructions. When finished, drain and add in deli sliced smoky ham along with raw, finely chopped broccoli, peppers and spinach. The best part about this lightened-up pasta salad is that it's still gorgeously filling. Enjoy the leftovers for a fuss-free lunch. 4. Keep a diary Planning your schedule is essential for making the most out of your day and feeling good. Plan your day and get started on your most important tasks first thing and then tick, tick, tick as the day goes on. There’s nothing quite like the feeling of accomplishment. It's next to impossible to remember everything we have to do and if we try to, it's not really helping our memory but rather cluttering our minds and making it difficult to focus. So, write everything down and keep a planner. Not only are you balancing your time and staying on track of your schedule but you're also taking a more balanced approach which will make you feel good for the day. 5. Take advantage of your commute This goes for any spare moments you have on your hands. Use the time to catch up on mails, create your daily to-do list, or pay your bills. Stay away from social media! Factoring in your travel times is also important; this is often overlooked and you may spend more time getting to a location than you actually thought. Give yourself that extra 15 minutes so you're not stressed if there's traffic or a delay.