Stop Wasting Time

bad time savers

Provided by Prevention

...and healthier ones to try instead

Sunscreen Only Once a Day
On beach days, you slather on the highest-number-SPF sunscreen in the morning to avoid having to reapply messy lotions throughout the day.

Even if you coat your entire body with the recommended amount of sunscreen (a full ounce, or a jiggerful, if you're going to be in a swimsuit), you'll want to reapply at least every 2 1/2 hours--studies show that you're five times more likely to burn if you don't.

Besides causing wrinkles, brown spots and coarse skin, overexposure to the sun is responsible for the development of potentially deadly skin cancers, which, according to the American Cancer Society, are the most common of all cancers.

However, "If you're involved in any type of activity that might cause sunscreen to be washed, wiped, or sweated off, you'll need to reapply more often--and that's true even if you're using a long-lasting waterproof sunscreen," says Andrew Kaufman, MD, a dermatologic surgeon in Thousand Oaks, CA, who specializes in skin cancer.

Next Time
Choose a broad-spectrum sunscreen that contains zinc oxide and/or avobenzone (aka Parsol 1789), which are the most protective ingredients, and one you won't mind applying several times a day. Because studies show that most people apply only enough sunscreen to get half the SPF listed on the bottle, Kaufman recommends opting for a sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher, at least during the months of April through September.

Some light, nongreasy options with high SPFs include Neutrogena UltraSheer Dry-Touch Sunblock and Coppertone Endless Summer Ultrasheer Sunscreen.

Bite Off a Broken Nail
Your nail splits, but you don't have clippers or an emery board on hand, so you chew off the ragged edge.

This is a bad idea for several reasons, the least of which is that your nails will look lousy. "When you bite your nails you risk transferring infectious organisms between your mouth and your fingers," says Emmanuel Robert Loucas, MD, a dermatologist in New York City. "This could result in a bacterial or yeast infection of the nail bed."

Next Time
Stash nail clippers and emery boards in places where you spend a lot of time-at your desk, in the car, in your purse, in a kitchen drawer. Neither item is expensive, so it's easy to keep multiple sets around.

Wear Old Sneakers
It's been 2 years since you replaced your exercise shoes.

The first thing that goes with old (but comfy) shoes is shock absorption, which helps protect your feet and joints as you exercise, says Pribut, chairman of the AAPSM's shoe evaluation committee. This can put extra pressure on bones, leading to soreness and possibly a stress fracture.

To prevent injury, stick to this shoe-replacement schedule: Buy new running shoes every 350 to 500 miles (don't forget to add the mileage you put on shoes if you wear them to do things such as walking the dog); purchase new walking shoes every 6 to 9 months if you walk up to 4 miles a day; replace aerobic shoes every 6 to 9 months if you do 3 hours of aerobics each week.

Next Time
Long before the old ones have more holes and a stronger odor than Swiss cheese (and about as much shock absorption), it's time to spring for a new pair. When you find a shoe you love, buy two or more pairs.

Eat Fast Food
You're starving. You turn into the fast-food joint just ahead, even though you know there's a deli about 10 minutes away.

Have you ever noticed how soon you feel hungry again after eating a typical fast-food meal? That's because there's so little fiber in it to keep you satisfied. Of the salt, sugar, and saturated and trans fats that fast food is loaded with, Somer says, "You're basically putting greasy sawdust in your gas tank."

And don't get us started on the calories in most drive-thru meals: A Burger King double hamburger packs 440 calories, while six McDonald's Chicken McNuggets weigh in at 250 calories--but that's for a little more than 3 ounces, which isn't likely to fill you up for long. Meals like these put you on a fast track to being overweight, and all the health problems that tag along with it.

Next Time
Anticipate--and avoid--these "must eat now" situations. "We're so busy that if we wait to listen to our bodies, it's often too late," says Cindy Moore, RD, director of nutrition therapy at the Cleveland Clinic and a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association.

"Thinking about lunch even a half hour earlier would allow you to make sounder, less emotional choices." To tide you over between meals, keep healthy snacks such as fruit and nuts in your purse, desk, and glove compartment. When fast-food fare is your only option, order a grilled chicken sandwich, no mayo.

Don't Keep in Touch with Pals
You've gotten too busy to stay in regular touch with even your close friends.

"When someone is stressed-out, one of the first things to go is socializing," says Patricia A. Fennell, the CEO of Albany Health Management Associates in Albany, NY, and author of The Chronic Illness Workbook. But research shows that having close, supportive relationships has a tremendously positive impact on your health.

A large study at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute found that women who were at high risk significantly reduced their odds of developing heart disease if they had a strong support network in place. There was a significant link to a history of heart disease for those who ranked high on hostility and low on social support, even when other unhealthy behaviors were taken into account. An ongoing Harvard study showed much the same thing in men who don't have good relationships.

Next Time
Start daily "check-ins" with the people you're closest to, suggests Fennell, who encourages clients to try a simple technique she uses herself. "I'll call my best friend and leave her a quick message--'I love you, I'm thinking about you'--and she does the same for me," says Fennell. "Check-ins hardly take any time, but they leave you feeling grounded and connected."

Don't Warm up or Cool Down
You only have a half-hour for a workout, so you skip your warm-up and cool-down.

Drop the warm-up if you must, but don't deep-six the cool-down. It not only prevents the dizziness that can result when blood pools in the large muscles of the legs after vigorous activity is suddenly stopped, but it also helps remove the lactic acid that can build up in muscles, says Wayne Westcott, PhD, a Prevention advisor and the fitness research director for the South Shore YMCA in Quincy, MA. "Recirculating the lactic acid and pooled blood will leave you feeling less fatigued after your workout," he says.

Next Time
To warm up, perform whichever exercise you were planning to do for your workout at a slower pace for about 3 minutes. For the cool-down, gradually slow the intensity of your chosen exercise over several minutes. Follow that with 2 minutes of stretching. "The best time to stretch is when muscles are still warm," says Westcott. "It's relaxing and it gets the blood flowing back to the heart."

No Seat Belt During Short Trips
As you head out for a quick trip to the supermarket, you think, I'll just be a few minutes; I don't need my seat belt.

"Wearing a safety belt is the single most important thing you can do to protect yourself in the event of an accident," says Russ Rader, spokesperson for the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) in Arlington, VA. During the summer months, there's more reason to buckle up: An IIHS report found that more people are killed in car accidents on July 3 and 4 than on any other days of the year (July 2 ranked ninth on the list), and more road-related deaths occur in summer and fall.

Next Time
You know this one: Just do it. Buckling up takes only a few seconds, after all, and it prevents you from being tossed around inside the car or thrown from it if you're in a crash. If you're counting on air bags to save you, don't. By themselves, air bags reduce your odds of dying in a crash by just 12%. "Air bags are designed to work with safety belts, not by themselves," says Rader.

Eat Energy Bars
A big project means lunch is cut short for a few weeks. You rely on energy bars and protein shakes to get you through.

"You'll get more calories than you need, but not nearly enough of the fiber that will help sustain you for the long haul," says Moore. High-carb bars and shakes can also cause blood sugar to spike and then drop after an hour or two, leaving you feeling hungry, jittery, and irritable. "That's often when people start looking for chips or other fatty, salty, or sugary snacks," adds Somer.

Next Time
Plan ahead: Round up delivery menus from all the restaurants and delis that serve healthy food; then circle your faves so you're ready to order come lunchtime. To save money and time, stock up on healthy foods on the weekends. "Pack some fruit and yogurt or fat-free milk, and a whole grain bagel or crackers with peanut butter," suggests Moore, who notes that a combination of protein, carbohydrates, and fat will keep you going longer. When the convenience of an energy bar is too tempting to pass up, choose one with 8 to 10 g of protein.

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