Do you struggle with time management? Are there not enough hours in the day to get everything done? If you want to maximize your time, here are 7 tips to help you get started:
1. Assess your time
Look closely at how you spend your time. Study your calendar and to do list, see how much time you are spending on events that are not important to your everyday life. Saying NO is not a bad thing. Try it sometime. Set aside a few minutes each morning to plan out your day.
2. Prioritize your to do list.
Did I say “to do” lists are a great tool for your time management? The key to organization and time management is knowing what a priority is and what can wait. Divide your to-do list into three sections: take care of immediately, take care anytime during the week, and those that are long-term or ongoing projects. Highlighters are a great tool when making your to do list or calendar. A color for each category.
3. Think ahead.
Can you do things the night before to help make your morning chaos not so chaotic? Have back packs and homework ready, lay out clothes, set your coffee timer ready to brew, plan dinners for the week and make extras to freeze for a night off. Pack a small bag with all “go to” things like snacks, wipes, paper, pens etc. and leave it in the car. Replace items regularly.
4. Organize.
Make a “home” for all of your things, especially the things you use most often and put them back in their “home” when you are done with them. Always put like with like. Don’t have several locations for your stuff. Examples are mail, purse, keys, checkbook, coats, boots, keys, homework etc. There is so much time wasted looking for lost or misplaced items.
5. Ask for help.
You don’t have to be Supermom and do everything yourself. Consider teaming up with another mom. She can run some errands for you one day and you can watch her son for two hours another day.
6. Delegate, delegate, delegate.
Whether it’s sorting laundry, washing dishes, or picking things up, there are chores that even the littlest of helpers can do to ease your load. It will also help your child in the future.
7. Make it visible.
Hang a wall calendar or dry erase board to keep track of everything from meetings, play dates to doctor visits. If that is not for you, get a notebook with calendar or binder for appointments, to do lists and projects, and keep it handy at all times.