This week's workout challenge

.Hope you had a great weekend!

I usually kick-off the week with a new Stellibell workout challenge. I find trying new workouts a great motivator, and it's great way to start of the week. Depending on your fitness goal, fitness level and time availability, our workout challenges might be enough exercise for the week (I usually do the challenges three times a week). If you, like me, need to add some exercise to your routine, then looking for an exercise app might be a good idea.

Right now I'm using the app "Couch to 5k". The reason while I like to use an app is because it saves me time (no trip to the gym) and it helps me track my progress. I've never been a big runner, and this app has really helped me get going.

Here are some other good options:

Hot5 A great app which contains pages and pages of 5-minute video workouts that are super easy to follow. Everything from core to yoga. For us who need a quick workout, this app is great.

Kettlebell Training: The Basics RKC Certified Kettlebell Instructor Robert Budd safely walks you through the basic kettlebell exercises. With over 20 exercises and 12 complete workouts to follow, you won't get bored next time you work out.

GymPact If you are looking for serious motivation, this is your app. Make a commitment to work out a certain number of times a week. Choose the amount of money you are willing to risk if you don't reach your goal. If you don't achieve your goal? Your credit card gets charged. Achieve your goal? You get paid! The days of being paid to work out have finally come!

Which one is your favorite app?

Time saving tips #5 - live in the moment

.This morning when I looked at the list of things that needs to be done this week, I couldn't help to feel a little bit overwhelmed. Lots of projects at work, tons of kids activities to keep track of etc etc. So what would be more perfect than living by my own words and reminding myself of how to stay sane:

• Live in the moment – don’t stress about tomorrow. Focus on what needs to be done today and tackle one task after another. • Let it go – I can’t go to my daughter’s Girl Scout tea party on Friday because of work. But you know what? She will go with her friends and have fun without me. I’ve taken her the last 3 years, so I don’t need to feel guilty. I’m letting it go. • Focus - stop checking texts when your friends are right in front of you. Stop watching TV while you eat. Don’t surf the web while you’re on the phone. Multitasking doesn’t always say you time.

These steps will not only save you time and make you more efficient in finishing tasks, studies also shows that these steps will significantly decreases depression and increase happiness!

I feel better already! :)

Time saving tips #4 – routines

Here is the next post in our time-savings tips series. We can save a lot of time by creating routines at home:• Put out your clothes for work the night before. Iron them if needed. • Pack your lunch for work the night before. Or the kid’s lunch for school the night before. This way it’s also easier to plan healthier meals, since you won’t throw something together quickly when you are too tired to think about lunch. • Go through the snail mail right away when you get it from the mailbox. File bills in a special location and put junk in the recycling bin right away. This also means you will have a clean kitchen counter ongoing. • Invest in a coffee maker with a timer and prep it before you go to bed. • Spend 10-15 minutes straitening up the house before you go to bed. Maintaining the house saves you from big cleaning sessions.

Let's save some time for fun stuff! Let's live!

Time-saving tip #3 – Workouts

Here is the next post in our time-savings tips series, this one is about working out. With some planning you will make sure you don’t miss a workout, but also make your sessions more efficient. • Use the HIT – High Intensity Training - method. I don’t believe in spending hours in the gym. I believe in intense short workout sessions. Not only will they save you time but you will see great results. More info about HIT workouts.

• Be prepared for the days when you can’t get to a gym. Not going to the gym doesn’t mean you can’t workout. The Stellibell workout challenges only take 15 minutes and easy do to at home. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Park further away from the store, work etc.

• If you are planning on going to the gym in the morning, pack your gym bag the night before and put out your workout clothes so that they are ready for you. It’s difficult to skip the workout if you went through all the prep work and see the clothes when you wake up

• Schedule your workouts ahead of time and mark them in your calendar. This creates more accountability and helps you to plan around your workout, instead of making your workout a lesser priority.

• Schedule your workouts around peak hours when other gym goers are also trying to fit in their workouts. That way, you don’t have to wait for the machine and weights.

Time-saving tip #2 – cleaning

Who doesn't want to save time and cut down on time spent on cleaning? I have to admit I’m a clean freak, but I don’t clean for hours every week. Here are some things that help me keep the house clean ongoing and help save me time: - I clean out the fridge (throw out old food and wipe it down) before I put in new groceries (when the Stellibell Menu and Delivery Service arrives on Sundays) - I’ve created a cleaning schedule for main tasks, so that they fit in to our overall schedule with kids activities etc - Vacuuming on Saturdays (dusting before vacuuming) – tops 30 mins. Put on your workout clothes and vacuum as fast as you can. It’s a workout! - Laundry on Sundays. Start early in the morning so you have it done early and can relax in the afternoon. - Bathrooms – I take 2 mins to wipe it down every night, and I scrub the shower while I take a shower. This way I don’t have to set aside 30 minutes a week to clean the bathroom.

- Kitchen – we all help out with dishes and to clean up after dinner so that the kitchen is clean ongoing. - Our house is a two-story house so we place everything that has to go upstairs on the stairs, and no one goes upstairs without grabbing what is on the stairs.

As you can see I maintain the house with 15 minutes cleaning here and there, and by doing so, I never spend 2 hours straight cleaning every weekend. These routines are not only a great way to save time but they also a great for our health to keep the house clean ongoing.

What are your time-saving tips for cleaning? Please share with me at molander@stellibell.com

Be Swedish

In Sweden (and in my house) we all remove our shoes before entering the house. In the quest of creating a natural and healthy home this is an important step. By removing your shoes you are preventing outdoors contaminants such as pesticides from coming indoors, not to mention saving you time from constantly cleaning. Don’t be afraid to ask your visitors to remove their shoes. They will appreciate you shared a new customs that they can start using as well. Creative ideas for shoes storage from Pinterest:

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