Simple Ways to Enjoy More Time & Energy

From early mornings to late nights, traffic jams tondeadlines, there are seemingly endless ways to be robbed ofnour precious time and energy. The good news is that therenare simple things that you can apply right now to your lifenthat are guaranteed to give these things back to you. n nHere are just some of those ideas that have been proven tonmake your life simpler while freeing up your time and energynto enjoy the things that are really important to you. nnPrioritize Your Life. nnDecide which parts of your life are really important andnwhich nparts don't need as much attention. Then plan your daynaccordingly. nIf by then end of the day you've at least spent your timendoing nwhat matters most you will feel good about yourself.nnSimplify Your Meals. nnCooking dinner every night may be stressful after workingnall nday. Try ways to make this less stressful, such as using a ncrock-pot, preparing in advance or finding someone in your nneighborhood that delivers pre-cooked meals on a weeklynbasis. nnAsk For Help. nnThere's no need for you to do all the work around thenhouse. nAsk your partner or family to help you out especially ifnyou're ntired or unmotivated. Most of all know that it is okay tonask for help. nnBe Active. nnRegular exercise is essential for your physical andnemotional nwell-being. It helps to get rid of toxins from your bodynand nincreases your oxygen intake - a winning habit that'llnmassively nboost your energy levels.nnCommunicate Your Needs and Expectations. nnSo much time and energy can be wasted on poorncommunication. nBe prepared to talk to friends or family about ways tonmake life nless stressful. Together you can pinpoint what causesnstress andncome up with ways to reduce or even eliminate this stress. nnTake Time-Out. nnSometimes it's all too easy to get caught up in the hustle nand bustle of a hectic and busy lifestyle. Take at least 20 nminutes time-out for just for you every day to relax andnunwind. nWhether you go for a stroll along the beach, play withnyour pet,nor read a good book,it doesn't matter as long as you takena breather.nnManage Your Mood Swings. nnThis is a great way to keep your energy high and stressnlevels down. nYou may have to read a few books or attend a workshop orntwo before nyou master this skill but the payoff will be enormous.nImagine a life nwhere you are in complete control of your emotions. Nownthere's anthought!nnEat Sensibly. nnA balanced diet provides all the necessary energy needednduring the nday. Overeating, starving yourself or any kind ofnaddictive behavior ncauses your body to have to work harder just to maintainngood health. nBe kind to your body, after all it's the only one you'vengot!nnGet Up 15 Minutes earlier. nnThere's nothing worse in the morning than getting out ofnbed late nand then madly rushing to get to work on time. Try settingn2 or n3 alarms that get you up 15 minutes earlier so that youncan ease ninto the day and arrive at your first destination calm andnrelaxed.nnGet a Good Night's Sleep. nnMany people don't get enough sleep. Inadequate sleep cannbe a major ntime and energy pirate. Some of the remedies fornsleepless nights ninclude:nn"Keep a regular sleep-wake cycle. Try to go to bed andnwake up at the same time every day. n"Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine in the four to sixnhours before bedtime. n"Don't exercise within two hours of bedtime. Exercisingnfive or six hours before bedtime may help you sleep morensoundly. n"Eat lightly within two hours of bedtime. n"Don't nap later than 3 p.m. n"Sleep in a dark, quiet room with a comfortablentemperature. n"If you can't fall asleep within 20 minutes, do a quietnactivity somewhere else and return to bed when you'rensleepy. n"Wind down in the 30 minutes before bedtime with a relaxingnpre-sleep ritual such as a warm bath, soft music, or readingnnReduce Your Commitments and Responsibilities. nnStress arises from an overbooked schedule or a greaternnumber nof responsibilities than one person can reasonably handle.nFinding things to eliminate (and to decline, in the future)nin a too-busy schedule provides you with more time fornyourself and more energy to deal with your remainingncommitments.nnLearn to Say NO to Others'Requests. nnIt is the most difficult, time-management task. Although it nseems like a simple step, a large number of people admitnthat nthey often agree to requests because they have difficultynrefusingnthem. nnPractice the following responses if you need help sayingn"no": nn"I'm not taking on any more work right now."n"Sorry, I'm unable to fit that in right now."n"I've got so much on that I'm unable to help."n"Right now doesn't suit me, but I am available next Monday."n"I really don't feel that I'm the right person for thatnproject"nnAs with all changes and improvements, learning to freenyourself from those things that don't serve your happinessnand joy is a skill you can improve with time. Just bynapplying any 1 of these strategies and applying them to yourncircumstances right now you will already move a step closerntowards living a happier, healthier and more productivenlife.