As busy veterinary professionals we are frequently multi-tasking and take great pride in how efficient we can be during work hours. For many of us however, the efficiency and momentum to get jobs done seems to disappear the moment we leave the practice; often to the detriment of our own wellbeing and personal free time. By automating some of the more mundane “life” tasks, we can claim back some of that precious time, and use it to do some of the things that bring us joy.
1. Meal Planning
This is something that is talked about all the time these days, but for good reason! Regardless of whether you have to cook for a large family or you are simply preparing a meal for one, planning your meals in advance can do wonders for your efficiency; not to mention your physical health, your mental health (hello decision-fatigue) and your financial health. Grab your planner and take 15 minutes on a Friday evening (on the couch, potentially accompanied by a glass of wine) and plan all of your meals for the upcoming week. Alternatively, if meal planning isn’t for you, why not check out some of your local meal kit delivery services.
2. Online Grocery Shopping
With the meteoric rise in smart phone capabilities, it has never been easier to have groceries and daily essentials delivered to our door - so why not take advantage of these services? Doing your food shopping online, be it via the large supermarket chains or the more boutique fresh fruit and veg companies, can save you bucketloads of time; not to mention the hassle of trying to find a carpark and remembering your reusable shopping bags! Also, you can save your shopping lists according to your meal plans, making the whole process even more streamlined. Not keen on paying for delivery? Why not utilise the “click and collect” services offered by most supermarkets.
3. Invest in a “Housework Hero”
As our working schedules become more and more hectic, it makes sense to outsource as many household chores as possible. Unless you are one of those people who finds cleaning therapeutic, why not invest in a professional to make your home clean and sparkling on a weekly basis. Yes, this is an additional financial outlay that may not be for everyone, but the time saved as a result of this investment is truly priceless. If paying someone to clean your home doesn’t fit with your current situation, why not divide your house into 6 sections - and give yourself 15-20 minutes per day (for 6 days of the week) to thoroughly clean one of those sections.
4. Annual scheduling of your appointments
For those of us that are planners, this is an easy strategy to employ; but may seem somewhat crazy for those who prefer to be a bit more spontaneous. Scheduling important appointments such as 6-monthly dental checks, annual health checks, skin checks, optometrist assessments etc. for the same time every year, means we are prioritising our personal health - just as we expect our clients to do for their pets. Same goes for our car services, wheel alignments and pets vaccinations (to name just a few). Take one day (I usually like to do this in early January) and book every essential appointment for that year; not forgetting to add it to your calendar! If you’re like me, you can even take things one step further and book all of your hair and beautician appointments, 12 months in advance!
5. Budgeting to set and forget
Budgets. You either love them or you hate them. But having a budget can be a great time saver, particularly when it comes to bill paying. Arranging for a proportion of your salary to be diverted into a “Life Expenses” account on pay day and having direct debits for all of your bills linked to that account, means you never have to worry about paying a bill again - or worry about late or missed payments. You literally can just set and forget (but definitely check in every now).
6. Start your day early
Agreed, starting your day does not really save you time - but it does create more time. More time to do the things that fill your cup. Work out, enjoy a walk with a friend (two- or four-legged), ride your horse, meditate, have some quality breakfast time with the family. However you choose to spend this precious extra hour you have given yourself, make sure it brings you joy and sets you up for the day ahead.
Of course we don’t want everything in our life to be regimented and scheduled. However by implementing some simple strategies to help automate the more mundane daily tasks, we just might be able to claim back some time in our ongoing quest for that elusive phenomenon known as work-life balance.
