Set Yourself Up For Success

2014.06.16
Behind the blogLifestyle Tips

I’ve come to realize that no two people’s lives are the same.

Now, this may have been obvious to you, but for me, this was a very freeing realization. The more time I spend on social media, the more I come to question my own lifestyle. I so desperately want to pin those delicious looking recipes that I see littering my home feed on Pinterest, but then I realize that trying to make the perfect looking meal doesn’t fit in with my simple budget.

I need to find things that will work with my life the way it is now. I can’t start doing all of the things that I see other people doing if it’s not relevant to my lifestyle.

I recently starting working full-time as a teacher and doing Communications for a non-profit on the side, which means my time is limited. I need to make sure things are in place so life can keep rolling and I can be successful in my job(s).

So, here are some things that I have learned that I want to share with you so you can set yourself up, whatever your life may look like, for success:

1. Get comfy in the kitchen.

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My homemade hot pockets

This may seem like a sexist thing to put out there, but I do believe that to come out ahead in your budget and always have something to eat, you’re going to need to make a few things in your own kitchen. This may look different for everyone.

For me, I always bring my lunch to school, so I keep things in the freezer for those days when there are no leftovers in the fridge. I like making my own hot pockets (click for amazing recipe from A Beautiful Ruckus – one of my favourite blogs to read!) and burritos for lunches, and muffins for rushed breakfast.

I also keep granola and yogurt on hand for breakfast on the go. Check out my granola recipe here.

Having these things stocked up means that I am not tempted to eat lunch or breakfast out. It means there will always be food for me, no matter what happens.

My homemade granola

My homemade granola

2. Don’t neglect the little pockets of free time.

For me, this means that I try to avoid sitting around wasting time (I’m still working on this – I do love to sit down and watch a good Full House episode and just relax). It might mean that I’m doing the dishes in the 10 minutes that it takes my husband to get the coffee ready and pick out his outfit for the next day, or using the time when I’m watching a TV show or movie to crochet a gift for someone, catch up on emails, or write a blog.

Using these little free moments means that I don’t feel behind in my home even though I work 5 days a week. If I stay on top of things, I know that I will feel less overwhelmed.

3. Be prepared (financially). 

This simply means that you’re ready for when “life” happens. For us, we have a little emergency fund in the bank (baby step #1 of Dave’s plan – told you I might mention him from time to time!) and having medical insurance in place. This ensures that if something happens, it’s more of an inconvenience and a waste of time rather than a waste of money. (Click here for a personal story about how having money in the bank saved us from a crisis!)

4. Keep your house tidy.

I really believe that having a tidy house will change the way you live. If you come home to a clean house, I think that this will allow you to relax more easily, and you’ll take better care of the things that you own – this keeps you content on those days when you wish you had the newest piece of furniture or kitchen tool. It also helps to be able to find things in your closet in the morning when you need to grab an outfit. It saves time when you’re getting ready to go out of the house if you know where things are. 

These 4 things have kept me grounded as I’ve started working more and had less time around the house.

5. BONUS TIP! 

When you’re not in a busy season, it’s great to plan for the times that you’re busier.

This might mean…

  • Baking/cooking things and stocking up your freezer for those times when you have less time in the kitchen
  • Planning ahead for birthday/wedding gifts and cards
  • Shopping for a professional wardrobe before you start a job, so that once you start you’ll have clothes on hand
  • For me, it means writing blogs ahead of time and then posting them when I have less time to work on them (like this one – I started writing it back in March and was glad I had it in the vault)

What tips do you have to set yourself up for success? Leave me some ideas below!

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