How to gain an extra hour a day.

1.) Prioritize. Not everything you have on your list actually needs doing TODAY. Some of it won't need doing at all. (Cross those off your list.)  Work out which bits of your to do list you actually NEED to do, and do those.  Then stop.

2.) Limit mindless T.V viewing. It's tempting to come home, switch on the t.v. slump into a chair with a glass of wine and not move until bedtime whether their is anything useful or interesting on or not. Get a tv listings magazine and a pen (very old fashioned but believe me it works) circle the programmes you want to watch. Set the highlighted programmes to record if you can. Then switch off the tv set and do something else instead.

3.) Only watch programmes you've recorded. Zap through the adverts and you'll save about 15 mins every hour. If you haven't got a facility to record programmes, watch them on catch up on your computer.

4.) Delegate household tasks to other family members. As soon as they're able to toddle, they're able to help with some simple chores.  Train them early. Don't feel that you have to do everything you don't (unless you live on your own. If you do live on your own, tidy up as you go along. )

5.) Plan ahead. Take a few minutes each day to plan. Think what are you having for dinner for today and tomorrow? Do you have all the ingredients you need for it? What errands do you need to run (prescriptions to pick up? Dry cleaning need collecting? Stamps need buying? Invites need an RSVP? Anyone need a birthday gift/ card? If you can make a shopping list which includes the errands you need to run, you'll save time. Also try to combine trips so that you're picking up that prescription on the way to work, or picking up the dry cleaning on the way back from the library.

6.) Get up an hour earlier (or go to bed an hour later) Use the time you'd spend sleeping to do something you want to do. Read a book, write something, do yoga, take some exercise, meditate, make a start on dinner preparation.

7.) Disconnect from the world. Unplug the phone, put your mobile on silent, log out of social media, switch email off. Put a 'Do not disturb' sign on your door. (If nothing else, it will make your neighbours wonder what you're up to!)

With the time you've saved do something you want to do. Give it just an hour a day, and by the end of the year you'll have spent the equivalent of 15 full days doing it. Imagine how much you can get done in 15 full days!