...a God to serve...a family to love... a work to do...

Help With Time Management

One of the things I remember from grade school way back in the day was my report card which said, “Uses Time Wisely”.

I always got a NO.

Once I became a college student I learned pretty doggone quickly how to use my time wisely, because after all, I was paying for that time now. I took what I learned over into my home when I married and had children. It was hard. It was a whole new world of learning how to organize and use my time wisely when I wasn’t supervised all day and when I had children.

As moms and wives we really do have to learn to use our time wisely, otherwise we’re going to be feeling like we’re drowning in obligations, chores, work and even fun times.

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The best way to make sure you do that is to keep a Planner. I simply buy one that has lots of writing space and a big monthly calendar. I used to use a spiral notebook, it works great. Just as long as you have something to write down what you need to accomplish and maybe some notes to spur your memory about what should be done and when, you’re good to go. You can put together a great Planner and its FREE, over at Donnayoung.org.  She has all kinds of forms, calendars and more that you can print out and use as your planner.

 

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The Essentials Of Time Management

Add these things to your planner to help you use your time more wisely………..

Prayer and Bible Reading – How many times have we all agreed that we need to be reading our Bibles, we need to be praying, we need to be involved in some kind of study or devotional but…. we just don’t do it. Schedule your time with God first thing every morning. Before you get out of bed is good! Even after you get up, let it be one of the first things you do. Schedule it so that you will see it on your list of things to do every morning. Do I really need to tell you how much better your day will be if you do?

Menu Planning – When you plan your weekly menus, you save money, time and effort. Go ahead and plan every Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner meal then shop to that menu. You can write down all your menu plans and have them right there at your fingertips when its time to cook. That link I gave will help you learn how to plan weekly menus.

Cleaning – This blog is devoted to helping women get a handle on their homekeeping so there are all kinds of posts about how to clean each room in your house, how to make index card systems to help you keep your home clean and more. Then there is a good post about keeping the house clean once you get it in order and one about getting control of the laundry.

The Ins and Outs of An Ordinary Day – You can plan a Basic Household Schedule and it will help you get things done that often slip your mind or that you find difficult to work into the day. You don’t live or die by the Schedule, you make it work for you. If you can’t get something done, that’s OK, but you get to choose what gets done and what doesn’t.  Its your schedule.

School and Homeschool Activities – These kinds of activities can run away from you if you don’t keep an eye on them. Schedule library trips, field trips, tests and what you must cover in your curriculum weekly.

Intimacy With Your Spouse – Obviously you don’t want to plan all the spontaneity out of life and its not the kind of thing you would want to write in your planner, but take it from someone who has been married for 33 years, sometimes if you don’t plan it, it don’t happen. ‘Nuf said.

Personal Grooming and Fitness – Whatever you need to do to feel healthy, you should do. Like walking or running or exercising. And I know its hard, especially for mommies of little ones, to schedule a shower, but you can plan for one each day even if its not at the same time each day. I used to get my shower and wash my hair first thing in the morning when my children were all home and in home-school. Then I changed that to having a shower in the evening. What ever works!

I know its hard to clean a house, clean yourself, make food, run errands and do what needs to be done when you have a little one or two or more. I’ve been there and done it.  What I am saying is that you don’t have to languish in mess and disorder; you really can pull it together if you work at it.

 

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Do One Thing At A Time And Be Fully Present In That Thing.

This flies all over the current Multi-Tasking Mania that most women live in. I can multi-task as well as the next gal but I have learned that if I want to do my best I have to focus on what I am doing.

So now how do I manage to do my best and NOT multi-task if I have eleven billion things to do before dinner time?

The thing is, if you really do have that many things to do before dinner, you may need to simplify and get rid of some things from your load.  Maybe you should reassess what you’re doing. Stop and take stock of what you’re doing because mommy, you’re probably doing too much. And chances are, you’re not doing your best at any of it. Even good things can become bad things if you’re doing them for the wrong reason or out of season.

Why do something simply because you can? Why do anything and not do your best? I’m not talking perfectionism here, I’m talking Colossians 3:23 here:  And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men. 

Its pretty clear that if I am doing a work for God I should be doing my best. And if I am to do everything as unto the Lord, then I should be using my time wisely, focusing on my task, doing my best.

You can’t do everything but the things you do can be done well.

So yes, I am suggesting that you let some things go.

And do your best at everything you do, not ‘be’ the best, just do your best.

And be completely present in each moment.

And use a Planner to help you get all your wonderful, messy, happy, tough work done each day. You can do it!

2 Comments

  1. Sylvia

    You’re welcome!

  2. Sylvia

    You’re welcome, Linda!