Charlotte Perry of Auckland company Charlie's Angels.
Time is a precious commodity in the hustle of modern life. These days, a 50 hour-plus working week isn't unheard of for a third of New Zealanders, so the well-heeled but time-poor are increasingly using outsourcing services to cleave back those precious lost hours.
Contracting out services is not new - lifestyle management services have been available in the US for the past 15 years and the trend to outsource in Australasia has grown significantly in the past five years.
And it's a booming industry. As many as 300 personal concierge services are available here and across the Tasman.
Educating people that it's okay to ask for help is one of the biggest challenges those in the lifestyle management industry face, according to Kay Marco, co-founder of the Australasian Institute of Concierge and Lifestyle Managers.
"There was a time when no one wanted to admit they couldn't juggle work, family and a social life but that's not the case now."
Lifestyle managers can help with day-to-day tasks, such as taking caring of your personal errands, arranging cleaners, gardeners, nannies or tradespeople, researching product-price comparisons or providing administrative services.
They also cater to unusual requests, too. Charlotte Perry of Charlie's Angels, an Auckland lifestyle management company, has sourced fresh flies to feed a client's frog and screened prospective online dating hopefuls.
Most recently, she installed a garden in West Auckland with the brief that it be "based on Monet's garden, crossed with an Asian Prince going through a mid-life/identity crisis".
But even this request wasn't that far out of the box, says Perry. "Nothing seems unusual these days. I feel we have done it all."
Taking personal concierge services to the next level is New Zealand company A Touch of Spice. The company arranges luxury experiences where money is no barrier. Founder Jacqui Spice says no request is too unusual or too extravagant. "We're in the business of making people happy," she says.
Although it's claimed happiness doesn't come at a price, Spice's average client can spend anywhere from $5000 to $100,000 on an experience that may include a luxury lodge stay, helicopter rides, a guide to catch fresh crays and a chef on hand to cater to every gastronomic whim.
With a client base that boasts CEOs, rock stars taking a break from touring and visiting dignitaries, A Touch of Spice definitely turns up the heat when it comes to the high-rolling lifestyle.
Jacqui Spice of concierge service, A Touch of Spice. Photo / Babiche Martens
Help! I've left my regrowth too long and my hairdresser says there's nothing available for days, weeks even months. Gah!
Never fear, technology can come to the rescue if you've been smart and downloaded the free mobile app Flossie Concierge.
It allows you to put out the call for the service you want, from cuts, colours and waxes to nails, brows, and massages.
You state your location, the time you are available and your price range and you are matched with salons with appointment times corresponding to your request.
Flossie developer Jenene Crossan says the Flossie brand has about 175 salons. Every place is tested twice before coming on board and the wide choice means more options.
"Anything that can make my or other women's lives easier is going to succeed," says Crossan.
"We're time poor, looking for ways in which we can maximise our time. We don't book six weeks in advance any more, we leave it to the last minute."
The app has been around for less than six months and has around 4000 users. It is
only available to Aucklanders at present but Crossan plans to expand it to the rest of the country this year.
Jenene Crossan launched Flossie.com. Photo / Ted Baghurst
According to experts, eliminating "micro-decisions" is a sure-fire way to free up mind-space, if not time. Barack Obama, a successful subscriber to the philosophy, is famed the world over for his wardrobe of matching identical suits. So, too, Facebook founder, Mark Zuckerberg, who is often snapped wearing the same grey T-shirt and black hoodie and claims his time is better spend serving the community than worrying about what to wear each day.
Grooming and fashion stylist Luke Bettesworth is New Zealand's answer to Gok Wan, the English fashion guru. Bettesworth gets people back on track, sartorially.
Under his watch, unruly closets are given a "wardrobe workout", detailed shopping dates are planned and your perfect look is tailored to match your lifestyle.
The process starts with a 30-minute consultation. "It's a chat about what they want and how they best want to use their time." From there, a plan is created which usually involves two to three hours' shopping. Bettesworth says his job is to make sure his "ladies", - 90 per cent of his client base is female - get maximum value for their time.
"It's amazing what you can achieve," he says of time spent in the field. "Two or three hours is plenty."
A personal stylist doesn't come cheap - $75 for the consultation and $150 an hour after that - but the value lies in having an up-to-date look that has been managed well.
Bettesworth is part of a team of stylists who hit the Westfield malls twice a year as part of the Westfield Style Lounge, an event which gives shoppers 15 minutes' free time. He says if you want to take part and get the best value, come armed with what you want to know.
Luke Bettesworth gets people back on track. Photo / Michael Craig
If the idea of coming home from work and cooking a meal from scratch sends you into a tailspin, healthy and affordable dinner options are at hand. Hungry Aucklanders who don't want the hassle of heading to the shops can now order freshly made home-cooked meals with as much effort as it takes to click a button. Online boutique ventures such as Jess' Underground Kitchen have taken off in the social media stratosphere. Jess Daniells, the former-copywriter-turned-chef, began just over a year ago by making a few home-cooked meals for friends. She now cooks for hundreds each week.
The trick is in keeping prices relatively low. Servings cost around $12 to $14 and vegetarians and those on a paleo diet are catered for as well. Pick-ups are free or delivery is available for a small fee.
The hell that comes with the "home-cooked dinner party" need no longer come with the hassle of doing it yourself. Outsourcing your event to a personal chef means hours spent slaving over a hot stove can be better spent - hair, makeup, canapes on the deck - and the cost per head is comparable to most mid-range restaurants, depending on the number of courses, says chef Jono Beattie of Texture Catering.
Creating the perfect dinner party is a breeze when someone else is doing it, he says. The benefits mean you can relax in your own home and drink your own wine, which hasn't been hugely marked up and at the end of the night no one kicks you out because it's time to go home. And you can go to bed knowing the cleaning up has already been done. "There's nothing in the morning to worry about," Beattie says.
Jess Daniell of Jess's Underground Kitchen. Photo / Getty
With the pressure of a hectic working week, there's not much time to make sure furry family members get all the care, love and attention they need. To ease that guilty conscience, doggy daycare centres have become the destination for pet owners who want to make sure their "baby" is in good hands.
Catering to a mainly inner-city clientele, a daily drop-off service is the bread and butter of this type of business. And while daycare centres look after your pet during the working week, boarding in style is also an option. "Hotel-style retreats", such as Auckland's Pets in the City in Mt Wellington, accommodate furry family members whose owners want to make sure they have the best of everything.
Overnight feline guests have their own rooms or there's the option of an adjoining suite for those who like to holiday with a friend. Canine visitors can choose from three different rooming options. All come with LCD TVs tuned to the Animal Channel or Nickelodeon, king-size beds (doggy beds, not human), curtains and framed pictures on the walls.
Special requests are also part of the service: bedtime stories can be read or Facebook photos shown. As well, a day-spa service features the full pampering treatment: a bath, a blow-dry and a massage.
Owners Rob and Carole Ellis have worked with dogs for more than 40 years. The idea for their business came from visiting similar "pet hotels" dotted around the US. Their clients come from all walks of life and all have one thing in common: "They all love their pets and want the best for them".
Pets in the City's Rob and Carole Ellis, with Royal, one of their charges. Photo / Richard Robinson
A live cook-off featured ox heart, wapiti, wild boar and plenty of edible wildlife.