I’ll preface this by saying some of these may be strange, and you don’t have to use any you don’t want to. They’re just things I’ve tried for myself that work :)

1. Go to sleep in your gym clothes if you have a morning gym session planned the next day. It makes it easier by taking away a major task. If you don’t want to sleep in them (which I understand) then still lay them out ready.

2. If you switch between bags, have a pouch of the main items that can change between them easily. Inside, you can put: wallet, keys, hand sanitiser, tissues, a pen, etc. It makes packing a bag less stressful if you know you have the basics.

3. When making a timetable, add an extra hour or two to your day/week to complete work that took longer than expected. This stops you stressing about it running over into other projects.

4. Use little minutes for boring chores so they’re less overwhelming. For example, if you’re waiting for the microwave, wash a dish. If you’re waiting on a bus, go through the emails like you’ve been putting off for ages.

5. Set two reminders on your phone. One 10 mins before a task, and one when it’s time to start. I find that it helps me to mentally prepare myself if I have ten mins to think it through beforehand, instead of it eating into my time.

6. Go for a walk before doing any work. Oxygen is good for helping reduce brain fog, and your mind will feel clearer. It’s a good idea for when you need a break as well.

7. A dedicated day of the week for each chore. For example, on Monday hoover, Tuesday wash the bedding/sheets, Wednesday do the dusting etc. It makes it more bearable (in my experience) to have a routine, and it’s also harder to forget.

8. Simultaneous engineering opportunities (if we use the business term). Find tasks you can do at the same time. For me, this is usually picking out an outfit while brushing my teeth, visualising my day to motivate myself while in the shower, or enjoying a TV show while doing repetitive tasks like replying to messages. This is also a good way to incorporate fun into your routine, as well as making you feel more productive with less effort.

9. A habit tracker chart. I can’t explain why it motivates me, but it does. It also lets me visualize how much work I’ve put into something which I think people often forget about doing. You can make your own at home with a piece of paper for free!!

I hope this helps :)