Many people have created, through design or by just letting things evolve a pretty stressful daily life. Many of the daily stress factors are small but cumulatively they are quite heavy. Let me name just a couple of examples. One would be trying to accomplish an impossible number of things in a given day. Another is not factoring in the "chaos factor" in planning out each day. One more example would be being disorganized. Imagine the added stress of trying to find something you need as you rush out the door. So lets discuss how we can take control of our daily lives to dramatically reduce stress in our every day activities.

Planning and prioritizing your daily activities can not only reduce stress in your life, it can 1) Allow you to get more done in less time when necessary, 2) Insure that the most important (and potentially most stress reducing) tasks get done, 3) Give you a feeling of being in control of your life and probably the most important 4) Give you more quality time with loved ones or simply relaxing. Here are some do and don't examples of planning your days:

1. Allow sufficient time for tasks, e.g. If your commute to work takes on average 25 minutes to get to work don't leave exactly 25 minutes prior to when you need to be there. You are starting every workday with the potential for significant stress.

2. Don't waste your time listening to idiot disc jockeys trying to be funny with an occasional song thrown in. Listen to some educational or inspirational or relaxation tapes while you are trapped in the car. You'd be amazed at not only what you'll learn but how much calmer you will be both when you get to work and when you arrive home.

3. Consolidating trips to the store, etc. will not only save you time but also save you money. That way you don't have to run back to the store for something you forgot or buy something you didn't need. Then there's the savings in gasoline, an ever-increasing cost nowadays. The key here is to always keep a list of your needs. Oh, and for grocery lists, set them up in sections just like your favorite store(s). It's a great time saver.

4. Evaluate things going on in your life (and your kid's lives if you have any) so you are doing the things that give you the most benefit including pleasure, free time, etc. Sometimes it's best to say no to people trying to take some of your time away.

5. Don't set up certain unpleasant or daunting tasks so they become stress monsters. For example, if you spend Saturday mornings doing the housework, break this event into numerous small increments. That way you won't dread (and put off creating stress) the event. Weave these small tasks into your daily schedule. Also, if you spend up front time organizing things your daily to do's will take much less time which gets me to my last de-stress item.

6. Organize, organize, and organize. Have lists for everything, from groceries to what you need to get done tomorrow. Organize everything you can such as 1) Laundry - whites in one bin, darks in another, 2) Bills by due date with a filing system for paid bills and other important documents 3) Incoming mail by bills, trash (immediately), read ASAP, leisure reading, etc. Lastly, involve the whole family so they understand your systems. They can also help setting up your system.


Remember, a few hours spent organizing and planning will save you hundreds, maybe thousands of hours - time you could use to change your life or simply enjoy it more.

Ron Pauls and his wife Georgette are lifestyle specialists. You can find many more of their insights and advice at Life Blog