10 Time Management Tips for Working Parents
Time management tips are always useful, especially when you are a busy parent juggling work, kids, and home life. Read on to find out how to bring more balance to your busy life.
Time Management Tips
Determine Your Time Wasters
It’s important to determine time wasters in your schedule. You can fill those time slots with tasks. To be clear, rest time isn’t a time waster but the quality of your rest matters. An hour on social media won’t put you in the mood to take action when the time comes. While identifying your time wasters, you should also find better ways to rest.
Write It Down
You don’t want to experience the mental fatigue that comes with keeping all your tasks in your head. Tasks that are written down are more likely to get done anyway, so get your planner out and write stuff down. If you think you’ll neglect checking your planner, set some reminders on your phone, especially for the more important tasks. This keeps you focused on what’s in front of you. While you record your daily tasks, break them down into smaller steps. By doing so, you create an actionable plan which drives momentum.
Find Your Time Slot
Finding your time slot is a necessary step toward improving your time management skills. It’s about recognizing what time of day you're most likely to get work done. This will often depend on your kids' ages and schedules. To determine your time window, record your daily activities, including downtime, and then note how long each activity takes. You should then determine if you can delegate or shorten the length of time you take on a task.
Create a Flexible Schedule
Surprise is a key element of parenthood. The best-laid plans can be dashed away in minutes when you have kids, so be flexible. Create a schedule that can change if your priorities change. If you have younger ones, a great way to create flexibility in your schedule is to tailor it to your energy levels. When you have enough energy, do the more pressing, difficult tasks. Come up with a list of demanding tasks that can be executed when you get an energy peak. When you’re low on energy, do less demanding activities, such as sending emails or starting laundry.
Delegate and Outsource Tasks
Get your kids involved with the household tasks that often suck up most of your time. Allot tasks based on your family's schedules. Let them help you do the dishes or the laundry or the vacuuming. This is a small change that will have major benefits for you in the long run. For more challenging household tasks, outsource that help to a professional company.
For delegation, write down all the tasks that others can do for you. Make a note of deadlines if there are any. Then determine who in your family or network can help you with those tasks.
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Start the Night Before
Maximize your nights to create easier mornings for yourself. Packing the kid’s bags, preparing breakfast, and writing your to-do list the night before can all relieve the stress of the morning rush. If you need advice on how to make a morning routine, check out this article.
10 Steps to a productive morning routine for working moms (callemmy.com)
Use a Family Calendar
Don’t force yourself to remember your family members' schedules. Limit the headache with a family calendar. You want to keep those important dates in one calendar that’s visible to everyone, so get a dry-erase board or a calendar and stick it on the side of the fridge. Also, be sure to put the calendar in a location where people can easily update their schedules.
Follow the Two-minute Rule
Many lists that discuss time management tips will include the two-minute rule. If anything can be done in two minutes, do it immediately. Obviously, most of your tasks will take longer than two minutes to complete. It boils down to doing the easiest tasks on your list first, the tasks with the least steps. It's up to you to determine what the easiest task is on your schedule. Why should we start with this type of task first? Well, when we complete the task, it is that which we are wired to love. This releases dopamine and boosts confidence, which motivates us to act more.
Organize Your Space for Success
One of the best time management tips is to organize your environment. This isn't only about removing distractions from your workspace; it also involves ensuring you have whatever you need in a given space to take action. If you want to exercise more, have your gym bag ready in a corner of your bedroom. If you want to write your to-do list the night before, place a pen and notepad on your bed before heading out to work.
Do Weekly Reviews
Set aside 10 minutes on the weekend to review your schedule. Ask the family about any changes or activities coming up the following week as well. This limits confusion and stress.
Conclusion
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