There are 168 hours in a week. We spend too many of them doing routine things like shopping for groceries, washing hair, and picking out clothes. Here's how to get your time back. Cut down on cooking and shopping for groceries. If you live in New York or a similarly ridiculous city, heading to the grocery store takes forever as the checkout line slithers around Trader Joe's like a never-ending retail snake, which takes at least an hour total.