A Life Admin Day is a day when you take time out from work to get all the things done in your life that you don’t usually have time for. They’re usually essential but not important. More personal than work related.

This could also include getting those things off the list that have been lurking around for a while or taking the opportunity to have a clearout.

It’s important to recognise that sometimes you do just need to take time out to do these things. While many of these tasks may seem boring or mundane, a good reason we ignore them, getting them done can give you:

• greater clarity
• free up physical and mental space
• reduces overwhelm
• stop lurking tasks coming up to bite.

But you’re already busy and can’t afford to take a whole day off, how do you manage to keep on top of things?

Get organised

Here are a few ways you can find time so you can stop things building up and becoming overwhelming. Try to avoid only dealing with them when they become urgent.

Start by making a list of all the ‘life admin’ tasks you need to get done. You can keep adding to it as you go and as you remember them.

• Sorting post and email
• Check your bank and credit card statements.
• Paying invoices and sorting bills.
• Booking self-care appointments – GP, dentist, optician.
• Meal planning
• shopping
• Housework
• Laundry
• Decluttering
• Clearing hotspots
• Returning calls and messages

Prioritise them – which ones are more important i.e. paying a bill that is overdue or about to be?

Divide them into regular tasks – monthly utility bills, credit card payments … and less, regular or one-off tasks – annual insurance, car service, MOT, annual check-ups.

Set aside time each week to get things done and keep on top of the life admin. You might only need a few minutes each day, half an hour once a week or an hour a month.

• on the way to/from work
• In your lunch break
• With your morning coffee, tea 
• On your daily commute
• While watching TV

Set reminders in your diary or scheduler for annual or monthly admin tasks 

• car service, MOT, insurance, 
• Household insurance
• Medical appointments and check-ups, dentist, hygienist, eye tests etc.
• Paying bills

It makes it easier to budget when you know what’s coming up.

Get automated 

Reduce the amount of admin you have to do by automating and simplifying as much as possible. Apps and Digital technology make this easier to do once you’ve got them set up.

• Shopping online saves time and money. Plan your meals in advance. Order most of what you need online and then shop for essentials or a few missing items when you need to. You’ll also save time, knowing what you have planned for meal times.
• Pay bills automatically monthly or annually. As long as you keep track of what’s coming in and out you don’t have to worry about having to manually pay a bill or forgetting. Set up your standard utility bills on direct debit.
• Go paperless. reduce the amount of paperwork you receive and have to deal with. You’ll still need to check online statements regularly and file them away digitally. Organise your files and folders

Have a Life admin clearout

Once a year plan a life admin clearout. This is something I do at the end of the year or a couple of times over the course of the year. Particularly between Christmas and New Year, or during the holidays. Things tend to be quieter and you have a few days off from work. Take a break from socialising, partying or holidaying and get organised for the next few months.

Again, you don’t have to do this all in one go. Tackle one area at a time over a few days for an hour or two at the most.

• Sort through files and paperwork (digital and physical), old books, magazines.
• Clothes at seasonal changeover, what haven’t you worn since last time
• Clean out cupboards and wardrobes
• Get rid of/recycle/donate things you don’t need/use

Moving forward

Build ‘little and often’ life admin time into your daily routine.

• Use your lunch break for a few life admin tasks – paying bills, going to the post office, shopping
• Housework at the beginning and end of the day,
• Clear and tidy up as you go.
• A 15 minute blitz of hot-spots.

Create routines to make them easier

• plan meals/shopping at the beginning of the week/at the weekend.
• If you work from home, put a wash on when you start work, take it out when you have a lunch break …

I run Focus Days also known as Get It Done, Accountability days, once a month as part of the Practical Productivity Membership. These are a great way to get on top of life admin as well as blast through your to-do list and being super productive.

Find out more here …

Read More:

The Importance of Taking a Life Admin Day off (Metro UK)

Focus Days