Your time is valuable and it can be really aggravating when someone wastes it. Sometimes you could even be the one wasting your own time. The hours in a day are numbered and I have found a few tips and tricks to make the most out of my day by utilizing my down time and working... even when I'm not.

1. Download and audio book app on your phone.

This is my number one tip for a reason. I used to be such a huge reader, I loved reading, when I listed my hobbies out that was always number one. Now I don't think I could tell you the last book I read that wasn't for school or Sunday School class. That sucks. So I downloaded audible on my phone and now I listen to my books on "tape" in my car on the way to work, school, or any errands really. I also pop my headphones in while I'm on the treadmill or walking in my neighborhood. Now I get to "Read" while I'm doing mundane tasks. This really utilizes that down time and makes me feel like I got a lot more done in a day.

2. Do your laundry on the go!

Before you go to bed, put your clothes in the wash. Then when you get up, switch them to the dryer before you go to work or school. Now you aren't going to be waiting on them, and if you get in the routine of doing this ever couple of days then you will never stress about laundry again. Your clothes wash while you sleep and dry while you are out and about. Ready to fold and put away when you walk in the door. Also saves you from having to rewash clothes that sat in the washer too long.

3. For girls -- cut your makeup time in half.

If you love makeup as much as I do then you probably have a ton of it. So in the morning you might find yourself scrambling through all of your makeup bags and bins trying to decide what war paint to wear that day. So one morning do your makeup how you normally would for an everyday makeup look. Now, as you use each product, place it into an empty makeup bag. that bag, when you have completed your face for the day, is now your everyday makeup bag. You know you can complete a full face from it, everything is there. So now only have that bag on your counter in the morning time. If you are pressed for time you wont have to stress looking for things and it's easy to pick up on the run.

4. Meal Prep

This can be an intimidating term. I am not talking about the time consuming prep work of planning out and preparing every single meal in little to go containers for an entire week. What I do is prep a couple proteins, grilled chicken, shrimp, etc. and some veggies, and fruits. In a couple containers and then throughout the week when I have that "oh crap I don't have time to eat or money to go out" moments I can open the fridge and wop out a chicken breast and a container of broccoli and shove it in the microwave. Or if you need a snack and don't want to turn to potato chips you can have a little container of fruit or carrots to munch on. A little bit of prep work can go a long way in saving yourself from eating crap and spending money.

5. Study or watch TV while you workout!

This one is something I do all the time, when I hit the gym I bring notes with me to study while I am walking on the treadmill or using the bike/elliptical. Or if I am watching TV at home then I grab my little 2-pound or 5-pound dumbbells and do some curls or other arm workouts while I sit on my couch! So easy to combine and I usually end up working out even longer when I study or watch TV!