Time Management Tips
How often do you sit down to work only to realize you forgot to get the meat out of the freezer for dinner? You then run upstairs and find trash all over the floor that the dog chewed up. You start cleaning it when the doorbell rings. The postman has a package to deliver. You start to open the package when the phone rings. You decide to multitask and take the clothes out of the dryer to fold them while you finish the phone call. Then you look at the clock and realize you only have 15 minutes before you have to pick the kids up from school. So you quickly hang up and run to get your keys. Then you get in the car to pick up the kids and take them to after school activities. Sounds familiar? This is the downside of running your business from home: You’re always running in a whirlwind of unproductive activity. At the end of the day, you’re exhausted and frustrated, but there’s nothing to show for it! You are unhappy and so is your family. It’s time to get organized and manage your time better! Here are some places to start:
Determine how much and when you want to work:
If you want to work in your business a few hours a week, create a plan for when you will be able to work in the business. If you just plan to sneak in a little time here and there every time you have a few minutes, it won’t work! Every time you sit down to work, your children will want your attention, you will get distracted and in the end you will achieve nothing. So if you have 3 mornings a week where all the kids have school, set aside a few hours on two of those days as WORK TIME. For example, every Tuesday and Thursday from 10:00 to 1:00 is work time. JUST work and do not allow yourself to be distracted during that time.
Schedule (but don’t overdo) your time:
Keep a calendar in the kitchen and always put everything on it! All of your kids’ school activities and projects should go right on the calendar so no one ends up forgetting show and tell or an important field trip. Next, create a weekly schedule of activities that you always need to complete each week, and plan a time that you will do them each week. This includes activities such as meal planning, grocery shopping, children’s activities, laundry, cleaning, etc. Be sure to include your planned work time in the schedule. Hang a copy of this next to the monthly calendar. This helps tremendously as you won’t feel like you have to try to do everything at once and end up being overwhelmed. Be careful not to fall into the overscheduling trap! Your children can do ballet, gymnastics and soccer BUT NOT ALL AT THE SAME TIME! Sign up for one now and the other next season. Learn how to say no to some extracurricular events and volunteer requests. You are not a superwoman and it is not in the best interest of you or your family to try to do everything! Remember that children want unscheduled free time, not a flurry of organized activity.
Communicate your schedule to your family:
Make sure your family always knows about the plans. Include them in the planning process to get their support. (You’ll be surprised when they start volunteering to take over some of the weekly chores!) Tell them that on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10:00 to 1:00 you will work at your business. Make sure they know that if they help you maintain this time each week, you’ll have more uninterrupted time for them later, since you’ll be done with your work and can focus on your needs.
Meet the schedule:
Now make sure you stick to your schedule. Don’t try to sneak into work during family time. Give your kids plenty of uninterrupted one-on-one time. Your family will notice the difference and find that you are happier and more available for their needs now that you have those few hours of free time each week to attend to your business. Now they will respect your work time and help you keep it, knowing that in the end it means more focus time for them. Once you have better time management, you will get much more done! I think you will agree that a more efficient life is a happy life!
