How Fixing Three Simple Problems Saved 145 Days of my Life Per Year

If you’re like me, you may find yourself wondering how each work week disappears like a fart in the wind and yet you’ve gotten nothing done. The excuse is almost always the same – “There isn’t enough time in the day to get everything done! “, you exclaim. Perhaps you tell yourself that you’ll write that novel or finish that paper when you find some time. Maybe you’re constantly late and it takes you forever to get out the door.

Believe it or not, “finding some time” isn’t as hard as you think. By being aware of how much time I spent doing various tasks through every day in a week, I was able to get a good picture of where I could apply some discipline. I found the biggest savings by regulating just three areas of my life.

Streamline Your Morning Routine

Most people are in their weakest and most undisciplined state in the morning. A typical morning routine can take hours. On average,

• I hit the snooze button on my alarm clock 3x every morning, for a total of 30 minutes spent resisting the need to wake up and face the day.
• I spend 10 minutes in the shower. Incidentally, the average American spends approximately 10 minutes a day in the shower. Admittedly, the shower is an easy place to just space out. If I’m in a hurry (especially when I’m late for a meeting), I’ve found that I can do a pretty good job of cleaning myself up in 30 seconds flat.
• This may sound gross to you, but before I spent 10 minutes each morning on the crapper. Let’s be honest – most of you are either drowsing on the old porcelain throne or a bit… irregular. My problem was the latter. A glass of orange flavored fiber beverage every evening – and my bowels and the 7:30am downtown commuter train have something in common. Incidentally, I’m averaging a minute flat now. .
• I spend 5 minutes per morning fumbling for clean clothes, looking for stuff that matches, and getting dressed. I timed myself and it took me approximately a minute to lay out a set of clothes in the evening when I wasn’t groggy with sleep. .
• I averaged 5 minutes per morning looking for my keys, cellphone, and wallet. I found a big decorative glass bowl and placed it on a table next to my front door. Whenever I came home, I emptied my pockets into the bowl – problem solved.

By laying out my clothes each evening and forcing myself to be brutally disciplined, I’m able to shave a significant 57 minutes per morning.