A friend of mine gave me this advice about cooking. “If you can lean, you can clean”. When you are cooking in the kitchen, don’t rest on your laurels when you could be cleaning a pan, putting stuff away or setting the table. It’s all about making the next move easy. By the end of the meal prep you have a clean kitchen and are ready to eat. The next time you watch a cooking show check out how clean those professional kitchens are. Everything is spick and span.

Apply the same principles to other activities in life. If you are wandering through the garden then prune the flowers for a bit. If you are waiting in line somewhere then practice your deep breathing. Instead of checking twitter after dinner, prep the kitchen for breakfast tomorrow. Make the next move easy.

Avoid the seduction of mindlessness and instead check something off your list. A small note pad with a current to do list will help.

If you can lean, you can clean. Finish the day with clean schedule and sleep soundly.