It’s the New Year, and all of us are thinking about how we want to do more in the New Year. The problem is that there are only so many hours in the day, and sleep is something we do enjoy when we can get it. How can we do our jobs well, and take care of our families, and ourselves all within a 24-hour period?

Are you stressed out just thinking about it? It all comes down to setting priorities. We have to set priorities first, and then lay out our day from there. Here are some strategies our team has learned:

1. Set a target bedtime.

Sleep can help us lose weight, have a better attitude and feel more rested (surprise!).

2. Find a time that you are the most energized to work out, and stick to that schedule.

If that’s morning, good for you! If it’s lunchtime, put it on your calendar at work to block off that time. If it’s after work or in the evening, plan out dinner and family stuff to make time for it.

3. Multi-task

We wouldn’t suggest doing this all the time, but find ways to do more than one thing at once. Love your weekly TV show? Schedule your workout time for that slot and watch your show from the treadmill.

4. Meal prep

If you plan out your meals ahead of time, you aren’t stopping at the store on your way home when you are starving or running out to get the kids a fast food meal. Set a time over the weekend to make a list of the meals for the week, and plan out a time to cook some of them ahead of time. Some people will make their meats all on Sunday, and then put the meat in different recipes throughout the week to save cook time and prep time.

5. Give yourself some grace.

You aren’t going to stick to the plan perfectly, and that’s OK. Set a goal for meal prepping 3 days a week to start with, or working out twice a week and build up. If you have one of those weeks, don’t give up; start fresh next week.

We wish you the best as you get started with all your resolutions!