Being a working parent means multitasking, squeezing every minute from a day, pleading with our bodies to fall asleep fast so we can wake up early and find that extra hour. But hold on there, warns Samantha Ettus, mom of two, author and TV correspondent. It isn’t about working harder, it’s about working smarter. The trick is to decrease time spent on what’s mandatory and increase time spent on what’s enjoyable. “Seizing more from life isn’t just about saving time,” she writes, “it’s about using it to our advantage.” The tricks and tips adapted from her latest book, The Experts’ Guide to Doing Things Faster, will help you glide through life’s to-do list, so you can get on with, well, life.

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How to…Make Amends

Holding on to guilt or grudges is unhealthy, not to mention exhausting. Find freedom by recognizing real guilt and then letting it go. First, decide whether or not you’ve done anything wrong. Did you actually steal something from someone, whether property, time, an idea or trust? That’s real guilt. If, however, the way you live your life offends someone, like your controlling mother, that’s referred guilt. It’s coming from somewhere else. If you’ve done something that leaves you with real guilt, apologize immediately: “I planned to call you when you were sick, but I didn’t. I was distracted by work, but you mean so much more to me. I’m sorry.” If you are the victim of referred guilt, explain but don’t justify: “I understand that you want me to call you every day, but some days my schedule is too full.” Then move on. You’ve done what you could.

Keith Ablow, psychiatrist and founder of Living the Truth, a self-help network

How to…Choose an outfit

Strike a balance. If it’s bright or bold on top, anchor it with a solid neutral. If it’s voluminous on top, wear a narrow bottom.

Stacy London, cohost of TLC’s What Not to Wear

How to…Zap a Zit

Picking or squeezing doesn’t do it! Apply ice to lessen the inflammation and a drop of Visine to “get the red out.” Then cover the pimple with benzoyl peroxide to shrink it. Mask with concealer and set with loose, oil-free powder. Katie Rodan, MD, dermatologist and cocreator of Proactiv Solution, a popular acne treatment. 

How to…Cook a meal

1: Choose a tried-and-true recipe. If it’s speed you’re after, selecting a dish you’ve prepared before is the way to go—the Truffle-Roasted Peruvian Squab with Hand-Peeled Wild Inoki Mushrooms is not.

2: Use fewer ingredients. Ten ingredients normally take longer to cook than five. Save the long recipes for when you’re trying to impress the in-laws, not for when you’re feeding a pack of hungry people.

3: Have all your ingredients ready. Get the onions diced and the herbs cut and out on the counter.

4: Think ahead. While you’re on step one, think about step three. Don’t wait for the eggs to be done before you get the hash browns on the griddle. Cooking efficiently is like a symphony, with you playing all the instruments.

5: Stock up. Keep the following on hand and you’ll be in good shape: frozen shrimp (submerge them in cool water and they’re ready to go in 15 minutes); veggies (when sautéed in a sandwich with melted cheese or stirred into an omelet or pasta, they make a meal); pasta and pasta sauce (genius for last-minute cooking when a few fresh ingredients, like garlic and olive oil, are added); pizza crust (cheese, sauce and diced leftovers and you’ve got dinner).

Sam Zien, host of Discovery Health’s Just Cook This and author of Sam the Cooking Guy: Just a Bunch of Recipes

How to…Get Over a Fight with a Spouse

In most arguments, two people are talking and no one is listening. This can lead to fights that go on forever. For a faster resolution, try this: Reflect back on what the other person is saying, excluding your own thoughts and feelings. It’s called mirroring. “So you’re angry that I’m late and didn’t call. Is there more?” Listen and reflect back again. “That made you feel disrespected.” Wait for the other person to agree or disagree with your summary. Then switch. “You had a horrendous day. You feel frustrated that I’m not more understanding of the pressure you’re under.” This isn’t easy when you’re angry, but with practice it becomes very effective.

Harville Hendrix, PhD, marital therapist and author of Getting the Love You Want

How to…Find a Lost Child in a Crowd

It’s difficult for a young child to see the face of every adult towering over him in a crowd. Always stash a brightly colored scarf in your purse. Tell your child that should you get separated, you will tie it just under your knee. This will give your child a visual point of reference that he can readily see from his own vantage point. If you don’t have the scarf, stand on a bench to elevate yourself above the crowd. Immediately notify local security—most malls and amusement parks have emergency procedures.

Clint Van Zandt, chief hostage negotiator for the FBI for 25 years (widely credited with leading the team that captured the Unabomber)

How to…Understand Wine

HERE’S WHAT TO DO:

Drink as many different wines as you can. Selecting a wine should be a 30-second process. Pick something you’ve never had before. Skip the Chardonnay and go for the red from Portugal. Expand your boundaries—don’t always go for the California wine and dismiss the one from Virginia. Oh, and don’t listen to those who profess to know more than you, a.k.a., wine bullies. Trust your own palate. Whites go with fish and reds go with meat—this is the most obnoxious rule in the wine industry and a complete fabrication. Nobody can tell me that Greco di Tufo isn’t perfect with pizza, because it is for me.

HERE’S WHAT NOT TO DO:

Don’t fall for the label. The beauty of the label has nothing to do with the quality of the wine. Don’t blindly follow reviews. Just because it won awards doesn’t mean you’ll like it. Don’t assume price equals quality. Cars and handbags, yes. Wine, not so much.

Gary Vaynerchuk, director of operations at the Wine Library and author of 101 Wines, 2008: Wines Guaranteed to Inspire, Delight and Bring Thunder to Our World

How to…Make Yourself Memorable

Smile. But make sure it’s genuine. Fake smiles are off-putting. Here’s a trick: Practice saying the word “great” over and over in the mirror using crazy voices until you feel like an idiot or crack up. Then say it under your breath to yourself as you approach people. I guarantee you’ll be smiling for real. Nicholas Boothman, author of How to Make People Like You in 90 Seconds or Less

Reprinted from The Experts’ Guide to Doing Things Faster: 100 Ways to Make Life More Efficient, by Samantha Ettus. Copyright © 2008 by Experts Media LLC. Published by Clarkson Potter/Publishers, a division of Random House Inc.