A slower and more sustainable life
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It may sound easy but we all know staying organized can be hard at times. I want to share my 10 top tips on how to stay organized at home so you find time in your day to actually do the things you want to do – like starting a side hustle.
I’ve been in full-time employment my whole life but always managed to have a side hustle or two at the same time. Many people asked me how I managed to do that and it is easy I try to stay as organized as I poassibly can. I will not always succeed and that is ok. Nobody is 100% perfect but by planning ahead I can stay in better control and achieve more things.
No matter how you call it – being organized or time management – it takes some time and practice. Don’t expect your life to change overnight but incorporate some of the following tips into your normal life and you will see changes soon. In the end, we all just have 24 hours in the day and good time management just means being more organized and finding out where you “waste” time.
Now I am not a big fan of the term “wasting time” as these downtimes are really important so we don’t get to stressed. My personal goal is also to slow down in life and actually purposefully “waste more time” on more mindful activities. But to do that I first need to find out where I maybe spend too much time on activities that neither fill me with happiness nor move me forward. Sometimes time management may also mean outsourcing tasks if you can afford it.
These are my top tips on how to stay organized:
This may seem like a simple tip but is actually a really effective way to learn how to stay organized. If you already know what you need to get down at what time it makes it easier to follow through with it. Also, if you place your items, like house keys, mobile phone etc always in the same spot it is easier to find them again. I use a shallow bowl for this purpose and since then have not misplaced my keys anymore
Think about your current routine and how much time you spend on each task. Are there any that are redundant or you can speed up? Are there any tasks you dread but that could be made easier? Maybe get some help from your partner or family. Tasks shared with others will seem less like a burden and you spend more time with your loved ones.
I really believe in to-do lists to help you stay organized. Personally, I love a good old-fashioned list that I write out a the beginning of the day or the night before. It can also be helpful to make a weekly or monthly to-do list. Whatever works best for you. You can use paper and pen like I do or use an app on your phone.
The best thing this when you get to check an item on your to-do list. At the end of the day you will know exactely where your time went and what you achieved. I feel so much more productive since I started having a regular to-do list and it keeps my on track. I can also see when I have to many items for one day and start moving them around to another time or day to ensure I don’t plan too many things for the same day. That just would leave me be stressed and I want to avoid that.
This can be achieved by either involving family members or actually outsourcing certain tasks. For example if you spend a lot of time cleaning the house or maintaining the garden but you don’t actually enjoy the tasks why not get your partner or kids involved?
If that is not an option to find out what it would cost you if you would hire someone to take over the tasks that take up your time. This is a good idea in particular if you are keen to start a side hustle. If your side hustle will bring in more money than the task you are outsourcing then it is a win-win. Not only can you spend your time on something you enjoy but also you can employ someone who then can support their family.
This tip goes hand in hand with the last tip and will help you stay organized. You need to find out which tasks in your life take the most time and which don’t either make you happy or move forward. Sometimes you may be able to outsource these tasks and sometimes not.
If you cannot outsource a certain task maybe you can deprioritize it in your everyday life. Maybe there is someting you want and need to do yourself but it can be done less often. Think what that could be in your life.
Life can get hectic but usually we make our life busier than it needs to be. By being late to appointments you will feel stressed and not in control. Try and avoid it where you can. Leave a bit earlier than you have to in case you get delayed. Take something with you to keep yourself busy. Maybe write out your to-do list for the week.
Personally I even arrive a little bit earlier when I can and take a book with me. These are the perfect moments to spend on some mindful activities like a walk in the neighbourhood or reading a good book.
These are my top tips to learn how to stay organized in everyday life. It can be challenging at first but if you follow these tips you will see that you have more time in your day then you think.
Hopefully you will be able to use the time to either live a slower and more mindful life or follow your passion and turn your dreams into a reality.
If you have other tips on how to stay organized please share them in the comments. I’m always keen to learn how to improve my life and learn from others!
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Have you been to Spain before and fallen for the Mediterranean lifestyle and food? I sure have and I always wanted to try some more Spanish-inspired dishes. One of our regular meals is empanadas but we also wanted to try paella. And it is so easy to make! This vegan paella recipe is now one of our go-to recipes for weekend meals. The recipe makes four servings so great for a family or it makes two meals for two adults.
I love adding whichever veg we just have in the fridge to this dish. My favourites are definitely mushrooms and peppers though. Sometimes we make it with frozen veg and sometimes with fresh. Depending on what we have. The paella always turns out great.
It is best made with regular basmati rice but we also made it with brown rice before if you want to choose a slightly healthier option. Just make sure you cook the rice a bit longer but if you are looking for a more nutritious option you should pick brown rice.
The colour of the rice comes from the turmeric. Not only is it adding colour to the dish but it also has anti-inflammatory properties. It has a slightly peppery taste and you may have come across turmeric in curry powder.
You may have seen some recipes that use saffron which has been used in the past to give the rice its colour. However, nowadays tumeric is used as it gives it a similar colour and a lovely taste and is much more affordable. So for my recipe I will stick to the tumeric as I am trying to avoid expensive ingredients where I can and keep my dishes affordable and easy. But by all means if you prefer saffron feel free to use it.
A typical dish in Spain and the vegan version is absolutely delicious. No special equipment is needed. You can add any veg you like to this dish.
Nutrition information isn’t always accurate.
On my trip to Spain, I noticed that paella is traditionally made in very lage pans. However, don’t worry you can absolutely make vegan paella in a regular pan. Just look for the largest pan you have so you can make a good amount of the dish. You will also need a cover of some sort as you need to cover the pan for a short while.
If you end up making paella a lot or want the real feel of Spain in your house when making paella consider getting a paella pan. These are available in different sizes.
Check out these paella pans:
Pan for 4 servings
Pan for 8 servings
Pan for 14 servings
We are using a lid of one of our biggest pots and that has been working really well. When you include this step you make sure that the rice caramelizes a bit which I am being told by my Spanish friends is important for good Spanish paella. It definitely adds a special something to your dish and my mouth is watering just writing this.
Have you tried this vegan paella recipe? Leave a comment below and share what you loved about it!
Looking for other delicious recipes? Try this leek and potato soup!
If you enjoyed the recipe and want to find more head over to my recipe section and join my Facebook Group which focuses on homemade vegan recipes that are affordable and healthy.