Tips for Making Life Easier and More Efficient While on the Go

There is something about summer that brings a sense of more activities and less time.  I'm sure it's because the weather is so nice coupled with no school.  When the nice weather rolls around, people have more get togethers, family reunions and party which adds to the busy day with little time left for anything else.  It's hard trying to juggle it all and I know when I was working full time, it was even more difficult to find time to do everything that needed to be done.  I usually tried to find short cuts to make my days and weekends smoother.  Even though I'm not working, I still need to find ways to do more with less time.  Seems to be the wave of the times doesn't it?


As part of my summer routine, I have come up with ways to become more efficient such as:

1. Choosing a one stop shop such as Walmart or Target to get my groceries, non-groceries and prescription drugs.  By having a one stop shop, I can get it all done with more ease not to mention the ability to save money for some Seattle's Best Coffee for the hubs.
2. I also find inefficiencies in meal preparation by cooking large dinners that allow for left overs on another day.  This is a great way when running short on time to just pop something in the oven or microwave to warm it up.
3. Preparing the week's meals ahead of time is another time saving strategy for the weekends IF you have the time to prepare a week's worth of food in one day.  Overall, it should give you more time during the week at least.
4. If you can't cook ahead, utilize a menu planning service that will help you determine what to eat for the week.  Sometimes the planning each night can take a long time so why bother with all the sources available.
5. If you are couponer, utilize those fast pass type cards or grocery shopping cards that can load coupon savings to places like Kroger.  Instead of sitting down and cutting coupons, you can get some good deals to load on your cards.
6. When I exercise, I also read so I'm having my "me time" while getting my health goals accomplished.  This is essential since I'm also working on my masters and having two young kids with chronic medical conditions and a non-profit to run definitely doesn't give me much time
7. Online bill pay is the easiest, cheapest and fastest way to save time.  No more filling out checks, completing envelopes and buying stamps.  Click, click, enter, click and your done!  EFFICIENT!
8. Shopping online is a fast and convenient way to shop.  Places like Amazon offer everything you need and with things like Amazon Prime, most shipping is free so you save money.  Always search for the store and a coupon to get the best deal.  I can shop for a birthday, groceries and health and beauty online in one go.
9. Having a party?  Using an online party planning website allows you to create and send e-invites while also having the ability to track RSVPs.  This is really a great way to be organized while saving time.
10. If you are part of a close family and need to make frequent phone calls to stay connected, try the social medium platforms like Facebook.  You can save time and encourage family interaction with posts and pictures.  It's really a great way to stay close to family.  Since my usage on Facebook, I've been brought closer to family members that I hadn't talked to in years.

No matter what your schedule is, being efficient is never a bad thing in my books.  I want to do it all so anywhere that I can save time to do something more fun is alright with me.  Do you have any tips to share?

About Seattle Best Coffee:

As coffee blenders and roasters since 1970, we’ve seen a lot come and go. We went from a tiny shop on the Seattle waterfront to being declared Seattle’s Best Coffee in a local competition. In 2003, we joined the Starbucks family which has allowed us to place more resources into further honing our special way of crafting delicious, impossibly smooth coffee. Every step of the process, from coffee cherry to your cup, is managed to fit our exacting standards and our premium approach to coffee. Now, we’re making it easier to find your perfect coffee with our new Level System.

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It’s low calorie: Just 130 calories per can.
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*Disclosure:  I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Seattle’s Best Coffee blogging program for a gift card worth $30. For more information on how you can participate, click here.