It seemed at times as if I spent my entire working life rushing from one place to another, from one project to another, from one meeting to another, and from one deadline to another. Then because I was always a working mother I would rush home just to rush from one household task to another as well as chauffeuring the children from one place to another. Of course, all of this was even before we knew technology would create multi-tasking which has only made people more frantic and less in control of their time.
At some point I finally came to my senses and realized that not only was I stressing myself out on a daily basis, but I was really not accomplishing as much as I thought. I realized that I was letting too many others control my time because I just refused to say, "No." When you come to the conclusion that you want to live your life at a sane pace most of the time, you will be able to do it with a few key steps.
1) Use a daily planner and list everything you are to do on any given day including both business and personal tasks. When the day is getting too full, start scheduling for the next available day, and learn to say"No" when there just is not enough time on any given day to do what is being asked of you.
2) Do not schedule every minute of every day. Leave some open periods of time for the unexpected things which invariably occur. If you find nothing crops up then use those open periods to work ahead on projects or deadlines.
3) Allow enough time to get to where you need to be and at the time you need to be there based on distance, time of day, and mode of transportation.
4) When scheduling appointments ask others how much of your time they will need. Ask yourself how much of their time you will need, and then keep the appointments on schedule.
5) Break down all projects into manageable tasks so the work can be spread out over days and schedule the tasks in your planner.
6) If you are conducting the meeting be sure you have a time frame and an agenda and stick to them. Do not allow attendees or yourself to go off on tangents. Respect other people's time as well as your own.
7) Set realistic deadlines for yourself. If others are setting deadlines for you, be realistic about what it will take for you to meet their deadline.
8) Stop trying to do 3, 4, 5 or 6 things at a time. Focusing on one thing at a time will ensure completion of more things with higher quality workmanship.
9) In addition to getting even the youngest family member to help with household tasks, limit the number of extra-curricular activities in which each child is allowed to participate and make sure the days/times do not conflict.
10) Schedule time for yourself in the planner...........for taking a walk, going to the gym, getting a haircut, spending time with children or friends, taking a hot bath, or reading a book. If you don't schedule it you most likely will not have time for it.
There will, of course, be days when even the best-laid plans will get off course. That will happen less often than you think if you remember today's message:
Take your time!
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| Schedule your time. |
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| TAKE YOUR TIME! |
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| SOMETIMES JUST SAY, "NO." |
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