Tip #2 is my favorite, but my version goes like this:

Set the TIME on your bedroom clock 15 minutes later than it actually is. 

It is much easier to get up at 6:00 am than it is to hear that darned beeping at 5:45 am. There is nothing better than hopping out of the shower to realize it is still only 6:00 am! No rushing and no excuses not to load the dishwasher!

3. Cook for more than one meal whenever possible... this gets you some fast and easy meals stashed in the freezer so you don't have to cook every night. One thing I do quite frequently is to fry up a pound or more of ground beef. After straining and rinsing away the excess fat, I package it into freezer bags in meal sized portions. This saves 10 – 15 minutes on meals requiring ground beef!

4. When doing household chores, let your answering machine take your calls. Even with best intentions, a 5 minute chat could turn into an hour long conversation. Return calls when chores are completed.

5. Keep a notebook and write down all the tasks you need to do. If you write it down as soon as you remember, your mind won’t be cluttered with “don’t forget this” and “don’t forget that”. For some reason, I seem to remember tasks as I’m trying to fall asleep. I keep a notebook by my bed. That way, I don’t have to toss and turn for hours trying to assure myself I won’t forget this task!

6. Grocery shopping? I can zip through the store in record time by organizing my shopping list in the same order as the store isles. Most stores will even provide an isle map if you ask for one. This saves a lot of time and eliminates backtracking for forgotten items.

7. Now this one is for those who need some EXTRA motivation: Set a timer. Allow yourself only 15 minutes to complete a task, such as cleaning the kitchen. When the timer goes off, stop. Move on to another task and set the timer again. You’ll be surprised at how much you can accomplish in 15 minutes and may even work faster knowing that you’re racing against the clock. Do this, and you WILL find yourself with extra free time.

8. I’ve conducted many job interviews and one of the most common pats-on-the-back that people like to give themselves is that they are great multi-taskers. But are we at home? We should be! Multi-task. Pay the bills, file, and fold laundry while watching TV. You won’t miss your favorite show AND you’ll get a task accomplished at the same time!

9. Just say no! Believe it or not, learning to say NO is a great time saver. If your To Do list is already overwhelming, then adding more to it is going to be counterproductive.

10. Relax. Take a few minutes to relax. It will reenergize you so you can get the most out of your day.

11. Delegate! Yes, you are woman and I hear you roar, but you don’t have to do everything yourself! When you make your “to-do” list, review it a 2nd time to see which tasks could be delegated. Whether you enlist a family member, barter or hire someone else to complete some of your chores, delegation is THE #1 TIME SAVER!