How to find 6 hours a week – for YOU

What’s YOUR passion? What makes you smile and feel good? How can you carve out 6 hours of that, just for you? You never GET time, you have to TAKE time to the things you love.

Eat more carrots. Do more exercise. Here is my advice to you: stop reading gossip and women’s magazines. Just trust your own instincts and common sense. Da-daaaa – I just gave you back 1 hr a week.

Stop ironing. I’m not kidding. Just stop. Buy clothes that don’t need it. Dry your washing on hangers – and then straight into the cupboard. If you or your husband need business shirts for work – pay to get it done. Or make a plan to change jobs (or the dress code at work, it may take a bit, but trust me, it’s possible. And you all feel better and more yourself afterwards anyway). How many hours did you get into your “hours for just ME” bank? Honestly. OK, 2 hours.

Make the kids make their own lunch boxes. OK skip if you have toddlers. But for the rest of you, ask your kids to be part of the tribe – show them you NEED them to keep the “family farm” running. No “stars” or pocket money, they just need to do stuff. That’s 2 hours at least. See the first week as investment from your side to advise. But kids are clever, and actually end up liking being useful.

Shopping. For hours. Including chatting up the whole neighbourhood and ending up in three more shops than planned. Be focused, head to the planned shop, buy what you have on the shopping list (YES, only those things), head straight home, get the family to unpack. 3 hours saved.

Don’t watch TV. NO TV. You may seem boring at work, when you can’t talk about the latest Masterchef or Dancing with the stars. But did any of these programs ever make you feel really happy and super energised to get up and do things yourself? 5 hours right there for YOU.

Ups, we already have 13 hrs – and haven’t even started running out of ideas! Have fun continuing the list yourself! I’m off to put on some funky music and have a little, crazy dance around the living room. See you!