Before having Rissy, I had all the time in the world to do whatever I needed to do in life. Once I completed grad school, I felt like I had more time then I knew what to do with!! I was able to watch all my shows, read, chill, etc. But when Rissy came… I felt like I was just barely keeping up! Life changed in so many ways… and one of the major ways was in the amount of time I had to keep up with the basics of life. I realized quickly that I had to put some things in place to help myself get back on track and feel like I wasn’t just keeping up… but enjoying life too. Sometimes I wish I would’ve used the time I did have before Rissy more wisely, but you can’t change the past. But what I can do is focus on how to manage my time better for now and the future. Here are 8 ways I’ve learned how to manage my time better:
-
Invest in a great planner. I love planners!! I have had ones that range from calendars on my phone to actual paper ones. I recently purchased a planner called the “Living Well Planner” It was created by Ruth Soukup who is an amazing author and blogger. This planner helps you make yearly, monthly, weekly and daily goals. I have been using the planner for the past few weeks and I have seen an increase in my productivity. I’m still learning how to use it effectively, but I am definitely seeing an improvement in how I manage my time. This has served as a great guide to help me stay on top of my goals and all that I need to do to keep house and home running smoothly. If you’re interested in this planner you can check out her blog here: http://www.
livingwellspendingless.com/
-
Create ‘to do’ lists. I love making to do lists so I can check things off!! To do lists help to keep me focused on the task at hand. I also like to make what’s called a “to done” list… This helps me reflect and look back at what I have completed and helps encourage me for the tasks that are ahead. It’s important to celebrate your accomplishments and this is a great small way to do that!
-
Plan, plan, plan. I know it’s impossible to plan for everything, but the things you can plan for… you should. Before baby, there was a time where Henry and I could just get up and go somewhere. We didn’t have to pack a diaper bag, worry about finding a sitter, etc. And while I love that this is my new normal… I definitely have learned the importance of planning. I plan as much as I can… I do a weekly plan and decide which errands I will be running and when. After work I try to use that time between work and having to pick up Rissy from daycare to get specific things done. When I plan ahead for the week, it helps me to be more productive and actually get things done rather than just think about doing them.
-
Delegate, divide and conquer. I have a confession to make…. This one is really hard for me to do. I like to have things done a certain way and sometimes I feel like it’s just easier for me to do them myself rather than to ask someone else to do them. That way I know they’ll be done right! It’s horrible but I’m just being honest here. I’ve had to learn to let go and allow Henry to do more. He’s always fussing at me about this. He wants to help more and I need to let him. I need to let go of my need to “control” those things and let him help out as well. This is very important because it def helps to take the load off of you and allows the other person to feel like they are helping and contributing in some way. I have another confession to make…. So I left him some specific things to do today while he’s home, and laundry was one of them. In the back of my mind I’m hoping and praying that he doesn’t put something in the dryer and shrink it!!! (Sorry baby!!!) But I know that those are just things and that the fact that I have a hubby who is willing to help with those things is what’s important.
-
Do it now. This is one that I used to struggle with. I used to think to myself, “oh I can do that later” and later would come and the thing would still not be done. After a while things pile up and get overwhelming and then I don’t even know where to start. So I’ve been making it a habit to do something right when I notice that it needs to be done. This was a hard habit to start at first.. But now I’m getting much better at doing this.
-
Set up reasonable goals. This one is really important. When I first got my new planner I had all these amazing goals that I was going to complete in one week… Well the week came and went and I didn’t even get to half of them! I realized that I needed to scale back a little and rethink the goals that I was setting for myself. I realized that it’s okay to get things done in small steps. That way I don’t feel overwhelmed and I can make sure each step is done right. Now that I’ve learned how to pace myself, I feel much more productive and less stressed about what I didn’t get done.
-
Come up with a plan to meet them. One of the things that I’ve learned to do is to plan how I will meet my goals. The pre-planning really helps and pays off in the long run. The Living Well Planner has a great system that allows you to plan for yearly, monthly, weekly and daily goals. It also has sections where you can plan out specific projects related to your goals. It’s amazing!! And no, I’m not getting paid to advertise this planner… It really is THAT GOOD!!!
-
Make time for others. I know you might be wondering how this fits in, I’ll tell you how. Relationships are one of the most important investments you will ever make in life. It’s important to make time for others because in the long run, you are investing in relationships that build you up and you never know what the Lord will do with that friendship. You can spend all your time being busy, but if you don’t invest in friendships, who will you have to celebrate with when you’ve accomplished your goals. Or who will be there to keep you encouraged when you need it? Who will hold you accountable?
So dear friends… What are some ways that you manage your time better? Have any other ideas that I missed?? Please share!! I would love to hear your thoughts…
Gr8fully Yours,
Good tips! Time management is still a weakness for me!
Thank you so much! 🙂 It wasn’t until after I had Arissa that I realized I needed some serious time management tools! This is an area that I’m still working on.
OOOOOHHHHH Mine!! I have not mastered any of this time management business… Still at the place I was few years ago… A lot has to do with I don’t feel like it right now and I have to rush at the last minute. Unless it is something that really excites me and I am on it day and night til it actually come to pass… And I have fewer of those lately…Thanks for reminding me with your great tips!! Take care Melissa!!!
No problem! 🙂 I used to wait until the last minute to get things done too, but when Rissy came, I realized that I can’t do that anymore. There are important things that I have to do in regards to her (and other things) that I can’t put off until tomorrow. I had to learn quickly and on my toes. I’m still learning but am definitely better at time management now than before. Thank you so much for stopping by and for the comment!
I need some help in this area! Thanks for the tips. I’m gonna check out the planner you suggested. Thanks for covering this topic!
Awesome! I really love it and have noticed that using it has really helped me get more things done and stay productive rather than just being busy and not really getting anything done. This is an area that I’m still working on… thank you so much for stopping by and for the comment! 🙂