How does she do it? – Time optimization tips for busy career women

Ok,  ladies let’s get one thing straight –  who ever said that juggling a busy career, family, spouse, social commitments and pets was easy is not telling the truth or at least bending it big time…As we reach a certain age things just get insanely busy as we try to accommodate careers, hobbies,  families and friends into our tight schedules while treasure hunting for an empty slot slot for a date night with our hubby. For most of us the madness begins on Monday morning and ends Sunday night.  Nothing novel here; books have been written about it, films center around this dilemma most women face as they hit their thirties. Nevertheless, there are a few superwomen out there who manage to gracefully juggle work, family and social commitments  while looking fabulously stylish, in shape and yes, even well rested and can converse about the latest fashion trends just as easily as last week’s headlines in the Economist. So how do they do it? The answer is time optimization!

Here are a few tricks I have tried and which worked for me

1. Make use of your commuting time  This means looking at your daily routine and asking yourself how you can optimize your time best. Whether it might be financial modeling, reading the Economist or learning a language, commutes are a great way of optimizing your time by doing something useful. If you are travelling by public transportation or car, get used to taking your book or audiobook with you and acquire the routine of working through at least one chapter in the morning or evening. There are tons of audiobooks, books and CDs available  I recently brushed up my Italian by making use of my car commute. The additional benefit is that you won’t get stressed out by train delays or traffic; these things simply give you more time to pursue your studies.
2. Get up early  Yes its painful and those who are not a morning person (myself included) will struggle with this one however it is a given fact that successful people rise early. Its pretty straightforward – the earlier you get up the more time you have on your hands.. All the successful women I know are early risers, either by nature or because they have trained themselves to get up early.
3. Optimize idle time  Think about all the time you spend at airports, hairdressers, pedicures…added up these can make up for double digit hours accumulated over the course of a month. What if you were using this time doing something that you can actually benefit from. I always take my laptop with me when I go to the hairdresser and while this might be a bit funny at the beginning people get used to it. Ok, I might not be their chattiest customer and I propbably miss out on the latest Hollywood gossip but I can live it that. Instead I get to do my emails or read an interesting article while getting beautified.
4. Exercise Find a gym or running route near your office and establish a work out routine.I go to the gym at lunch time as my gym is 5 minutes walking distance from my office. If you prefer the evenings for your work out that is also good but do make sure that your gym is conveniently located.
5. Establish routines Having proper routines will make your everyday schedules run smoother as you get used to a certain pattern. Try to incorporate routines in the mornings and evenings and whenever possible
6. Prioritize  Let’s be realistic. Nobody can do it all. In some occasions you will have to focus on what is truly important. Check your calendar and cross out things which aren’t that important
7. Me time Make time for you. Re-energizing yourself is important. Whether it is a massage, dinner with your friend or a date night with your partner – do make time as these are important to refuel your batteris