* Warning* This material could get racy!! No seriously this blog is about our race against time to get everything done and the unrealistic time restraints we give ourselves to do so. The song may sing ‘R E S P E C T – find out what it means to me’ but what we’re really singing is “T I M E – how did you get away from me?”
The Answer: Time Management.
Here are some simple tips help improve time management skills and reduce stress along the way.
- Get Organized – don’t let clutter get in the way of your day-to-day. The weight of items gathering can slow you down. Make it a priority to slowly organize each area of your home. Baby step your way through it. Instead of taking out the trash or vacuuming one day take that time to clean out the junk drawer or go through the shoes in the front hall closet. If you feel overwhelmed call a friend or look to a Professional Organizer to get you on the right foot.
- The To Do list – I know it should really be called the “never-ending” list! Keep a master list not several little lists scattered about the home this way you know everything you would like to get done and you don’t have to run around the house trying to locate a list to scratch something off it. Keep lists detailed oriented. Items such as ‘planning a baby shower’ require a lot of steps. Itemizing those steps not only helps you feel accomplished at the end of the day but it also helps when organizing the plans of any event. Prioritize the items on your list. You can do this by numbering them or recording the important ones at the top of the sheet. Lastly, re-evaluate your list from day-to-day. If something didn’t get done don’t beat yourself up about it – that is why we need to prioritize our lists – some items can carry over from day-to-day.
- Calendar – Keep a master calendar with you that includes all personal appointments as well as any work related appointments. This keeps us from scrambling to schedule things that may come up or prevent a conflict in appointments. There is nothing worse than being asked to attend a school trip and you have to wait until you get to work to make sure you don’t already something scheduled. Imagine the feeling to be able quickly look at your calendar and know you can be there. It helps us from putting others off and then it becomes one more thing we have to remember to do.
- Planning – If you have something you need to get done then plan for it. Don’t let it be that nagging item on the back of your brain or that one item that constantly carries over on your to do list. If you need to clean out the garage then pick a day and time. Be specific and realistic about what you want to get done with the time you have given yourself and then put it in your calendar.
- Time Suckers – We all have things in our lives that side bar us or prevent us from using our time wisely. There are things we can’t control but if Aunt May calls and wants to gossip for half an hour about the neighbour down the hall at the wrong time of the day there is nothing wrong with asking her if you can call her back later. The same goes for long-winded emails sent to your work address. Thank the sender for thinking of you but ask them to redirect any emails unrelated to work to another email. That way you can enjoy them when you have the time. Take inventory of the things in your life that eat up your time and energy that are not warranted and find ways to minimize or avoid them. If you do in the end you will have time to speak with Aunt May or get to those unread emails that may bring a laugh or enlighten you. We all need our down time…afteral that is the goal.
It is nice to be regimented but there is a line between being a “go-getter” and a “workaholic”. We need to find a balance that works for each of us. The most important thing to remember is to take some time to smell the roses. Time Management is also about finding time for ourselves to enjoy life. If that means scheduling a date night or family fun night then so be it.
Remember if there are area’s of your life you need help with there are people out there who can assist you. I am a Home Management Specialist who specializes in residential home organizing. I can set up systems in your home that will help keep you organized. I can walk you through the whole process from de-cluttering to re-organizing the space so it becomes functional again. I look at things such as basements, kitchens, bedrooms – kids rooms, garages, bathrooms and more.
I hope you enjoyed this blog. I will be writing again with more organizing tips to live by. If you have any questions or suggestions please let me know.
Laurie Coish www.innovativesolutions4u.ca / 647-231-9711
Organized Spaces 