Living in the city is fast paced, changes happen putting you behind schedule. Luckily we have put together five easy time saving hacks…
There are negatives and positives to living in a big city: while everything is open later and more conveniently accessible, you’re much more likely to get stuck in a queue for coffee or delayed when the bus is stuck in traffic. This means that you can be nicely ahead of schedule one moment, then running late the next — it really can be unpredictable.
Thankfully, there are quite a few easy things you can do to save time in the city, allowing you to stay on schedule no matter what urban life throws at you. We’ve put together a short list of our favourite time saving hacks that will help you earn some time back.
Skip the washing and the ironing
Did you know that the average British adult spends around 10 hours doing household chores, including washing and ironing clothes. One way to cut this time right down is to skip having to do your laundry altogether by outsourcing it to one of the many companies that offer a collection and drop-off service. Laundrapp, a brand who operate in most major UK cities, has even created a nifty app that makes booking their wash and fold service as easy as ordering an Uber.
Use tech to navigate public transport
Gone are the days when you had no way of knowing whether your bus or train was going to be late. Thanks to the wonders of technology, most urban transport operators now offer real-time updates through social media or a dedicated app. By keeping on top of this information before you leave the house, you’ll be able to spot any delays and plan a new route accordingly.
If you regularly have to plan new routes across the city, it’s worth downloading Citymapper, an app that uses all available information to plan the most time-efficient way of getting from A to B. This way, you can be sure that you will never miss an important transport connection again making this a great time saving option.
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Refill your car at your convenience
Having to make a detour to refill your petrol tank is a chore that can add quite a few minutes to your day, especially if the traffic is busy. However, there are now quite a few companies popping up who offer a fuel delivery service, where you can get your tank filled up at a time that is convenient to you.
Zebra Fuel are one of these services, and they’ve distilled their operation down to an easy-to-use app that covers much of London. If you don’t live in the area, they’ve got plans to expand their operation, so it’s worth keeping an eye on their app to see if your city is next.
Get fit with your friends
If you regularly go to the gym, you’ll know that getting there and back again can add quite a bit of time to your weekly schedule. So, why not look for ways to fit your workouts around your other day-to day activities to save those essential minutes?
A great way to do this is to combine your fitness regime with your social life and organise some exercise for you and your friends. Instead of meeting up for a pint or some lunch, you could go for a walk or a run to see some of the city sights. This way, you won’t have to go to the gym as much, and you’ll get the extra support you need to keep going by having your friends exercise with you.
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Pre-order your favourite food and drinks
Do you often find yourself looking at your watch while you wait in line at your favourite sandwich or coffee shop? If so, then you need to get into the habit of pre-ordering and pre-paying so that you can simply walk in and pick up your food or drink.
Businesses are making it easier for their customers to skip the queues, and for those in the know this can be a valuable time-hack. For example, the Starbucks app lets you order your coffee or tea of choice ahead of time, and you can use food ordering service Just Eat to ensure your meal is ready at a time convenient to you. Take a look at your favourite restaurant’s website to see if they offer this service — you might be surprised!
Use these five top time saving tips to cut wasted time out of your daily routine and you’ll be left with more time to do the things you really enjoy.
