Productivity - getting the most out of your day.

Bananaleaf

"Be the best version of yourself" They say. I hate that phrase.

But I think it captures most succinctly what I'm trying to get across.

Apologies if this isn't the right place for this thread - I have been thinking for ages where it would best go. A 'Life' forum maybe :pac:

Does anyone else find trying to live a healthy, balanced life, really, really hectic?

I don't want to sound as if I'm moaning. I'm not. I'm grateful that I'm fit, healthy, alive and have a roof over my head. But I just feel like, trying to do it all, and trying to do it all RIGHT (ie: cooking all your own meals from scratch instead of from a packet because it's healthier) is just exhausting.

I have no kids. I honestly don't know where I could fit them into my life if I did.

This is my third time to write this. Each time I've deleted it because I feel like I'm moaning and I'll get told to shut up. I initially had typed up my typical day, but deleted this bit as post ended up being too long.

I got rid of my social media accounts. This helped a bit, but only a bit.

What tips or life hacks to you guys have for getting the most out of your day? Do you ever have any "me" time? (jealous) How?

I'll check back later if I have time :pac::pac::pac:

Home from work, having some me time right now before I study for a while.
I do batch cooking on a sunday night - breakfasts and lunches are done for the week, main meal is lunchtimes, cereal or something for dinner.
Gym is also me time.
It takes experimenting and shuffling around to do what works for you. New habits take time to form and if you try to go 1000% for 2 days you'll be worn out and give it all up by day 3. Try to make one small change at a time. Try to find a balance between stuff you love and you think is healthy. If you hate the gym, go running or go to a class. Find a packet sauce that isn't terrible or use a curry paste or something. Outsource it to one of those meal prep companies if time >> money.

What are you trying to achieve? What's your idea of a healthy balanced life?

scarepanda

I'm a stay at home mammy, and even we do a huge batch cook every few weeks, we get possibly 3 week's worth out of it, and throw in a freshly cooked meal once or twice a week. I love cooking, but don't always have the time/energy so that's how we manage that.

I hate excercise, couldn't stand the gym. Played a team sport once in my life (as an adult) and got a serious, requiring surgery, injury. But recently iv started swimming classes and I love it. I actually make the effort to go to the pool during the week, and make the time for myself. So i think it's all about finding something that you like, that also gives you 'me time'. For some people that's the gym, others its reading, or gardening etc.

I usually hate motivational quotes, but one I came across ages and ages ago that's stuck with me for some reason is 'be who your dog thinks you are', as a dog lover, with two furry friends in the house, when I'm feeling a bit down or fed up those few words pick me up and I get on with it. Do I always succeed? Not a chance, but at least I try.

Bananaleaf

Thanks guys.

Good question @bluewolf - what am I trying to acheive?

When I think about my days, I fit so much in. I think it's the fact that there is no time for relaxing in front of the TV unless I'm on holidays. Or even reading a magazine.

I batch cook every Sunday. I do this because I want to eat healthy, homemade food and I want to know what is going into my body. It's also a hell of a lot cheaper than buying out. I cook everything on a Sunday - dinners for the week x2, lunches for the week x2 and I box up all snacks x2 as well (for myself and OH) I prepare the porridges for each morning the night before. Between doing that, doing the shopping for that and doing some work for Monday, that's usually Sunday gone.

I have to do that though, or I just wouldn't have the time to eat well during the week.

Mon - Friday is (on average)

Get up 7:30am, leave for work 8:10, have breakfast in work and start at 9am. Work until 5pm. Home before 6pm. Time between this and leaving for gym is spent filling lunch bags for the morning, changing to workout clothes and maybe quick cup of tea. Running/gym 6:45 - 8:20pm (including travel time) 8:30 - eat dinner, breathe. 9pm - shower, 9:30 - midnight work.

The running/gym is Tues, Thurs, Friday. on Wed it's Yoga at that time and on Mondays at that same time I volunteer in the local youth club.

Saturday mornings are spent running and I usually go for a coffee and maybe breakfast with some running friends afterwards. I find I look forward to this all week. Saturday afternoon is spent with my dad and visiting my nephew and Saturday evening is spent doing a couple of hours work

I find myself so reluctant to go to bed at midnight because I feel like I haven't had a minute to just sit and relax.

I notice as I type this out that it looks balanced and healthy. And it is. But I guess I just feel that there's always something to do or somewhere to go and in what feels like the blink of an eye two or maybe three days have completely passed me by. Being 'on top of it all' can be hectic.

I can't join in in the "did you see X last night on TV?" because I never bloody have time!! It's not about fitting into conversations, it's just that I'd love to have the spare time to watch X or Y every night. But I never seem to have any time left over.

I think I need to shift focus, rather than saying to myself "I'm always so busy" try "Wow, look at how much I fit in in one day!"

I just don't know how people with families do it.

PS: The OH does all the cleaning, washing up, laundry, fire, bins so it's not a case of him not pulling his weight.

@bluewolf, the meal prep company has given my an idea - I couldn't really afford one of those, but maybe if I got my shopping delivered from Tesco that could be a timesaver?

Stheno

Bananaleaf wrote: »

Thanks guys.

Good question @bluewolf - what am I trying to acheive?

When I think about my days, I fit so much in. I think it's the fact that there is no time for relaxing in front of the TV unless I'm on holidays. Or even reading a magazine.

I batch cook every Sunday. I do this because I want to eat healthy, homemade food and I want to know what is going into my body. It's also a hell of a lot cheaper than buying out. I cook everything on a Sunday - dinners for the week x2, lunches for the week x2 and I box up all snacks x2 as well (for myself and OH) I prepare the porridges for each morning the night before. Between doing that, doing the shopping for that and doing some work for Monday, that's usually Sunday gone.

I have to do that though, or I just wouldn't have the time to eat well during the week.

Mon - Friday is (on average)

Get up 7:30am, leave for work 8:10, have breakfast in work and start at 9am. Work until 5pm. Home before 6pm. Running/gym 6:45 - 8:20pm (including travel time) 8:30 - eat dinner, breathe. 9pm - shower, 9:30 - midnight work.

The running/gym is Tues, Thurs, Friday. on Wed it's Yoga at that time and on Mondays at that same time I volunteer in the local youth club.

Saturday mornings are spent running and I usually go for a coffee and maybe breakfast with some running friends afterwards. I find I look forward to this all week. Saturday afternoon is spent with my dad and visiting my nephew and Saturday evening is spent doing a couple of hours work

I find myself so reluctant to go to bed at midnight because I feel like I haven't had a minute to just sit and relax.

I notice as I type this out that it looks balanced and healthy. And it is. But I guess I just feel that there's always something to do or somewhere to go and in what feels like the blink of an eye two or maybe three days have completely passed me by.

Be honest with me - am I moaning? I feel like I might be. I think I need to shift focus, rather than saying to myself "I'm always so busy" try "Wow, look at how much I fit in in one day!"

I just don't know how people with families do it.

PS: The OH does all the cleaning, washing up, laundry, fire, bins so it's not a case of him not pulling his weight.

@bluewolf, the meal prep company has given my an idea - I couldn't really afford one of those, but maybe if I got my shopping delivered from Tesco that could be a timesaver?

Why are you working from 930 to midnight after a full days work?

Bananaleaf

Stheno wrote: »

Why are you working from 930 to midnight after a full days work?

Correcting work and preparing classes and lessons for the next day. I'm a teacher of mainly exam classes (Leaving cert and Junior cert. I have 5 examination classes this year so a lot of correcting. It's not usually that bad, but with teacher shortages I've had to take on more exam classes) I know nobody will have an ounce of sympathy for me saying I've no time after they hear that I'm a teacher, which is why I was avoiding it to begin with.

I work until 5 because we finish at 4 and every day I have an extra class after school until 5pm. 3 of those days are extra tuition to exam classes, one is a voluntary club and the other (Friday) I just stay until 5 to organise photocopying for the Monday. **I should add that I'm not required to do any of this, and I opted to take this on myself**

I know you might say "sure you've loads of time off" and yes, I do, I know. I've two weeks off coming up and that will be great. But I would prefer a 9-5 where I could switch off after that and I often think that I would forego the holidays if I could have that.

Hoping not to sound too rude - please don't bash me for being a teacher. I get plenty of that already. I'm just asking you ladies, as a lady myself, how to balance everything that life throws at us.

Stheno

Bananaleaf wrote: »

Hoping not to sound too rude - please don't bash me for being a teacher. I get plenty of that already. I'm just asking you ladies, as a lady myself, how to balance everything that life throws at us.

Id not bash you for being a teacher. Until recently i was self employed and had to learn to work smart rather than hard

As a result ive most evenings and weekends free, get to veg out most evenings, sail as a hobby and follow a fair bit of rugby.

I leave for work at 645 and get home about 630 each evening, am on an advisory panel in my industry outside of those hours, mod on here, manage my relationship with my ohs kids, etc.

Why are you making all the meals? You sound over committed to me.

Bananaleaf

Stheno wrote: »

Id not bash you for being a teacher. Until recently i was self employed and had to learn to work smart rather than hard

As a result ive most evenings and weekends free, get to veg out most evenings, sail as a hobby and follow a fair bit of rugby.

I leave for work at 645 and get home about 630 each evening, am on an advisory panel in my industry outside of those hours, mod on here, manage my relationship with my ohs kids, etc.

Why are you making all the meals? You sound over committed to me.

If you mean why me and not the OH, he is working full time, studying part time in evenings and he does all the housework except the meals.

If you mean why I make everything and not buy out. I don't know, I guess I feel that it's healthier. And it's definitely cheaper. Like, for example, buying a melon versus buying one already chopped up for you. But, maybe I need to take some shortcuts here and there.

Thank you for your view on it. Over committed - a good point. You might be right - a bit of perspective is lacking on my part.

Also - fair play to you. You sound like you fit loads into your day and you (and anyone with kids really) make me feel selfish. I am aware that no matter how I am spending my time, it is being spent on myself after all.

Stheno

Bananaleaf wrote: »

Thank you for your view on it. Over committed - a good point. You might be right - a bit of perspective is lacking on my part.

Also - fair play to you. You sound like you fit loads into your day and you (and anyone with kids really) make me feel selfish. I am aware that no matter how I am spending my time, it is being spent on myself after all.

Now in fairness his kids are in their 20s but ive spent a pile of time the past few days trying to arrange dinner for his birthday.

By over comitted i mean that you are not actively including any downtime for you in your life, its something i had to learn to do.

For me it was work and study ( i finished a masters last year) for you it could be one night less at the gym.

That downtime makes a hell of a difference

Theres a project management methodology called scrum that says 70 percent of a persons working week is productive and to plan that way.

It might work for you

Neyite

It sounds like you fit a lot in. And you could probably schedule some relaxation activities during school holidays.

I do all my stuff on weekdays usually, that way my weekends are free. Since I had a child that's altered slightly because the cleaning etc got moved to a Saturday morning, and I've to do a weekly shop so I do that at the weekend as well (I do it child free and listen to podcasts so it's kind of my 'me' time.)

Monday evenings are my batch cooking night. One night a week I'm off duty and I go to a hobby thing. Fitness has fell by the wayside during the winter but I hope to start it up again next month.

I don't bring work home but the OH does and even then neither of us manage to sit down to relax before 10.

SusieBlue

I have the exact same concerns and don't fit in half as much as you.
I feel that I sacrifice so much time commuting and working that I justify going for meals out all the time (not so healthy) and having lie ins on the weekend.

Then Sunday evening rolls around, probably the only time of the week that I feel refreshed and not tired, but I realise what a waste it was to spend Saturday morning in bed and Saturday evening relaxing in front of the tv when I could have been out, doing so much more.
I always feel like my weekends are wasted but by the time they come round all I want to do is sleep and chill out.

Something always has to give and unfortunately for me its sleep, I don't get enough of it during the week (about 4/4.5 hours a night) and then I spend all weekend catching up. Its a vicious circle trying to get some balance.

baby and crumble

There's a question I heard from apodcast once and it was "does this bring you joy?" I try to live by that, plus I have learned to give myself some slack. I'm working, studying for a PhD, supporting a few sick fmaily members... So it adds up. I'd love to have the time and motivation to go to the gym 3 nights a week and volunteer, but I can't. So I've told myself I'll do that once I finish my PhD.

Myself and my OH just made the decision to get a cleaner, and honestly it's the best thing we ever did. They come in for 1.5hrs a fortnight and do all that crap houework I hate, like washing floors and dusting and cleaning the bathrooms. We keep the place tidy all the time but I realised I was spending crazy amounts of time doing all the washing, all the cleaning, all the cooking as well as everything else... the €75 every 2 weeks we spend on the cleaner means I can actually work without guilt in the evenings.

I do want to get to do some physical activity during the week, so hoping to start back to the gym once or twice a week, if I can. I need to build it in to a routine or i have no hope. But trying to go hell for leather and go for 3 PT sessions each week like I used to is a nonsensical idea, so I figure going once a week at the start is better than nothing now.

Does that make sense? Just go easy on yourself, otherwise you'll break. What things can you do to make your life easier?

scarepanda

It sounds like your caught up in the rat race and don't know which way is up!

From reading your daily schedule, without sacrificing anything as such, could you go to the gym one morning instead of the evening? And that evening dedicate that time to yourself? Don't clock watch, get your OH to do that for you and let you know when it's dinner time? Could he look after dinner that evening even if it's just microwaving something?

DaeryssaOne

It's admirable how much you are fitting in OP but I would agree with the previous post regarding the gym. If it's taking up 2.5 hours of your evening can you move it to a workout in the morning before work instead?
Alternatively can you go to the gym on the way home from work - it's the only way I actually go to the gym as I know if I go home first I'm tempted to not go back out again. At least then when you get home you're home for the night so can take more time to eat, shower and relax hopefully.

Being so active is great but there needs to be a balance in these things too - having time to relax and unwind is pretty much as important or you'll just end up in a heap. Even if you changed one evening to a 30-40 minute run close to where you live so there's no commuting etc. you might find you have a minute to yourself.

Meditation might be a good thing to look at introducing, I downloaded the headspace app and the sessions are only 10 minutes long but you do feel more 'centred' and calm after them.

Bananaleaf

Thanks for all the replies.

Getting up in the mornings for a run is a very interesting one. I feel this could work for me if I was able to shuffle things around a bit. For example, currently I'm wrecked in the mornings and I'm finding it really hard to get up, but that's because I'm going to bed at 1am or later.

I think if I could get to bed earlier I could then get up earlier, but then I wonder if the hours I'm gaining in the morning are just being lost in the evening that way.

It's interesting reading about how others manage everything too. Meditation is something I think I need to start doing.

The 'does it give me joy?' question is a good one. When I sit down and think about everything that I'm doing, most of it I'm doing because I want to. Which is probably why I am still doing it. So, even though I'm flat out busy all the time, I do enjoy it.

It's also a very obvious suggestion to say 'take a night off' but not something I would have even considered an option. But of course it's an option. In fact, I took this evening off yoga and I'm going to do it at home instead. So that's a start I suppose!

The quickest thing I'd say at a glance is, is there any way of reducing cooking and shopping time on Sunday. Mine takes maybe an hour or two. 20 mins shop. I usually have a shopping list.

Hani Kosti

Hey OP, reading your story is like looking into mirror before I had my little girl.
I used to meal prep like a mad person every Sunday and being the perfect woman. Went from polished household to we have a child, find a place to sit.
However cooking and staying active is still my thing.
Couple good tips already mentioned here.
Gym before work or immediately after work will save you incredible amount of time which you can spend with OH or simply relax at home. Even if you do a 30-40min run before work once a week it will make a huge difference.
Here more than anywhere else is quality over quantity.
Food, there are so many healthy options, like pasta sauce with no added salt or sugar, Strong Roots does amazing foods (fairly affordable), majority of butchers have lovely burgers etc.
Be kind to yourself and remember that putting your feet up is equally important as working out and eating healthy. All about balance

Bananaleaf

Hani Kosti wrote: »

Hey OP, reading your story is like looking into mirror before I had my little girl.
I used to meal prep like a mad person every Sunday and being the perfect woman. Went from polished household to we have a child, find a place to sit.
However cooking and staying active is still my thing.
Couple good tips already mentioned here.
Gym before work or immediately after work will save you incredible amount of time which you can spend with OH or simply relax at home. Even if you do a 30-40min run before work once a week it will make a huge difference.
Here more than anywhere else is quality over quantity.
Food, there are so many healthy options, like pasta sauce with no added salt or sugar, Strong Roots does amazing foods (fairly affordable), majority of butchers have lovely burgers etc.
Be kind to yourself and remember that putting your feet up is equally important as working out and eating healthy. All about balance

bluewolf wrote: »

The quickest thing I'd say at a glance is, is there any way of reducing cooking and shopping time on Sunday. Mine takes maybe an hour or two. 20 mins shop. I usually have a shopping list.

This is also a really good point. The food thing does need to reduce. This will mean spending more, but I get where you're both coming from - it comes down to whether I value my time or my money more. Definitely my time. It would have been bred into us that spending more on, say, carrot batons rather than buying the carrots, peeling, chopping etc was a waste, but in all fairness, my parents had a totally different setup to me.

A bit of a mindset change and yeah, I'm going to try cutting down on the food prep time. @bluewolf - 2hrs is impressive!

I can thank my slow cooker for that one, plus I'm happy eating the same stuff all week. Then i look up and try a different recipe for the next week. Breakfast quiche in the oven at the same time the rice is cooking and the veg is frying while the chicken is sitting in the slow cooker overnight. Went off to do something else, rice veg and quiche done, sorted. Doubt it was 2h even more like 1

Neyite

Slow cookers are great. There's nothing nicer than coming into the house and dinner waiting for you.

Or you could prep two dinners at the one time. The night before last, I cooked the whole bag of new potatoes rather than just the dinner portion. Tuesday night we had bacon, cabbage and new potatoes.

Last night all I had to do was peel the carrots because we were having baked fish straight from freezer to oven, carrots and quartered some leftover potatoes and fried them.

That freed me up to to tonight's dinner of chicken and Chorizo rice bake. I'm doing something tonight and have only 40 mins to grab my dinner and this can be reheated by the portion.

I've seen dump bags for slow cooker meals where people prepare a months worth of dinners in bags they just empty into the SC but I'm unconvinced that they would be all that tasty?

Curries can be quick and easy. Thai red curry I make the paste in bulk and freeze it in portions so that takes up much less space, then it's just a matter of adding chicken, veg and a tin of coconut milk and dinner's ready.

Permabear

This post has been deleted.

pwurple

What is the story with your commute? Not entirely clear there, but it looks like you have approx 2 hours per day in transport? Is that right?

Can you move where you live or shift to a different gym to give some time back?

We did that, moved to a smaller house nearer work/amenities and it made a massive difference.

As for downtime, I am painfully aware I have too much on at the moment as well. However, doesn’t yoga and gym count as downtime? I can’t get them in at the moment, not even a 30 minute walk (boy am I feeling that, fitness is gone to ****e)

Also, if you guys are both working full time, maybe stretch to getting a cleaner.. we paid 25 euro for someone to come clean the house and do the ironing. Creating employment and freeing up our time. Win win.

Bananaleaf

Bananaleaf wrote: »

Get up 7:30am, leave for work 8:10, have breakfast in work and start at 9am. Work until 5pm. Home before 6pm.

pwurple wrote: »

What is the story with your commute? Not entirely clear there, but it looks like you have approx 2 hours per day in transport? Is that right?

Hi there

No - I have a 40min MAX commute. Usually 30 mins. I leave for work around 8:10 and that gets me to work for 8:40. I actually begin work at 8:55.

I leave again at 5pm and it usually takes the full 40mins to get home at that time.

Your point about the gym and yoga being 'downtime' kind of hits the nail on what the crux of the problem is. Since writing this thread I've been having a long hard think about my days, how I schedule my time and what I really HAVE to do and what could be cut out. I've also made a note of what things I do for me.

It has made me realise that I need to see all that exercise time as 'me' time, rather than viewing it as 'another thing on the list that needs to be done'

With regard to the school prep - yes it can be done during the holidays and some of it will be - I intend to spend most of next week prepping as much as I can for the weeks ahead. There will always be the 3 hours of corrections in the evenings though, but that's fine, I'm not complaining about that. It's what the job is and obviously the holidays make up for that time and then some.

The getting up earlier in the morning could be the making of me - I am going to give this one a try.