Oh drown me in tofu soup, it’s that time again.
No more holiday and no more easy traffic. It’s Special K time, the yearly promise to gym and the sad good-bye to the dewy goblet of Savvy blanc at lunch. Horrors.
I am new years resolutioned up to the max and it all feels rather daunting. It was easy to rattle them all off whilst sitting on the beach watching the sprog frolic in the sand, but now I am back in the day to day frazzle and it’s all feeling a bit big.
Get organised, get fit, be healthy, don’t drink too much, budget more, write more, read more, cook more, see everyone more… ohhh I can feel myself going bionic as we speak.
And how am I to do all these grossly over excitable things? Sleep less? Forget it.
It’s all about making more time to do the things you really want to do and squashing all the boring stuff into a teeny little catalogued box.
I have done a little research into the whole organization thing and I’ve found some superb time cutters.
1. Online shopping – Pick n Pay and Woolies do it. I did it a few times last year and it is SO EASY. Pick n Pay charge R60 delivery and Woolies R40 or R50 dependent on the delivery time. Home delivered goodies by the food fairies. The all time biggest time-saver.
2. Lunchboxes – Make extra at night for the kiddies the next day. All you have to do is pop in some fruit and you don’t start your day feeling electrified.
3. Dinner in the week – Get friends over for an easy pasta. Don’t invite them all, do some one-on-one’s. You get to see your mates for some quality time and go to bed at a regular hour.
4. Plant and cook your own – You won’t believe how easy it is, and it’s so rewarding. You feel all earthy and clever when the tomatoes go red and then pick and eat them right there in the garden. Tomato heaven. Check out the progress in my garden.
5. Cook and freeze – I know this sounds awfully Betty Crocker but make some massive pots of things like lip-smacking bolognaise sauce and you’re set for the days you don’t feel like cooking.
Take it out in the morning and you could make spag bol, cottage pie, mince and macaroni or baked potatoes in a flash and not have to stress.
Also try this chicken and olive casserole or yummy paprika pork casserole. Just pop on some rice or a ‘tatoe, some peas and you’re there.
6. Double up – if you just can’t channel Betty or Nigella, just make double and freeze that, it’s quick and you’ve got something for next week.
So give it a try, the upside is that you‘ll have more time for yourself to do the things that you want to do. The downside is, well, just more grey hair.
What are your time-savers? Let us know and you could score a Kalahari voucher.