8 time-saving tips to get more out of your workday

Looking to claw back some time when you’re at home? Here’s how to reduce effort spent on chores and get more time back to do what you love most.

Similar to using the Pomodoro technique for activity sprints in the office, introduce power hours (or half hours) at home to tackle admin and other unpleasant tasks. If you find yourself constantly putting off doing your laundry, paying your bills or even replying to messages from distant family members, group all of these tasks into one dedicated timeslot. Switch off your devices, write a list of all those little jobs you’ve been putting off and promise yourself a reward once you’ve ticked them all off.

Whether you’re a technophobe or a technophile, automation can be one of the most effective time saving hacks at home. Start with your administrative tasks: set up direct debits for your regular bills and create labels and filters to sort your emails (and even automatically respond).

Other automation time saving-hacks include using a slow cooker to batch-cook meals while you’re away, and even using a Roomba to take care of the vacuuming without you lifting a finger. If that sounds too futuristic, you might be surprised: household robots will become commonplace by 2030, according to the Life More Automated report, so it’s time to get used to more automation in the household.

Decision fatigue is what happens when you’ve been faced with many choices to make over a short period of time, resulting in a deteriorating or complete inability to make further decisions. Research shows that decision fatigue can cost organisations money and lead to people making bad choices - but it can be addressed. 

Regular breaks can refresh you and allow you to return to your decision-making regime, or you can look to eliminate the need to make some decisions. Save yourself time and mental energy by having faithful stand-bys for days when you can’t face another decision. This could be establishing a capsule wardrobe, laying out outfits the night before bed, having a regular weekly order of groceries, or memorising easy dinner recipes you can fall back on.

Make your commute work harder by adding in some exercise or errands while you’re getting from A to B.

While the act of exercising while you’re commuting might not necessarily save you time in the moment, it can give you hours back each week by eliminating the need to do separate exercise sessions. The UK National Health Service recommends adults do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity each week, and brisk walking falls under this definition.

Start chipping away at that figure by swapping some of your car, bus, train or tube travel for a quick walk instead. This might involve simply getting off a stop or two earlier (did you know many central London tube journeys are actually quicker to walk?) or updating your route to take in a longer stroll on either end of your commute.

Ever got halfway into work before realising you forgot to take the bins out? Or post an important letter? Keep on top of all those little tasks by giving yourself visual reminders when you’re heading out. Place a box by your front door to fill with things that need to be taken out of the house and actioned. This could be recycling, mail, dry cleaning, library books and much more. Soon, you’ll be doing errands while you’re out and about without even thinking about it!

Whether it’s improving productivity at work, maximising your commute time or clawing back hours around the house, there are plenty of tips, tools and technologies you can use every day. If you use Trello to help organise your tasks, read our blog to discover the latest insider secrets.