|
|
When you are an at home parent, it is all to easy to let time get away from you. There’s housework to be done, children to raise and maybe even a work at home job or home business to deal with. Despite the myth of the stay at home mom sitting on the sofa eating bonbons and watching soap operas, it is very easy to find yourself running out of time to get everything done every day.
The first thing you need to do to manage your time is to set some reasonable goals. You are more likely to waste time if you don’t have a particular goal in mind. It is a very good idea to have your goals in a written form, whether you prefer to use a calendar, day planner or your computer. Having your goals written down gives you something to refer to when you can’t decide what you should do next, as well as an easy way to see what you have achieved.
Many people do best managing their time if they have a schedule written down, however this is not for everyone. It doesn’t have to be a very strict schedule, and you don’t need to account for your time in small increments. A written schedule, however, can help you to remember that your child has a play date at 10, but you need to get to the grocery store first.
Another tactic is to leave notes for yourself where you know you will find and read them. Depending on your current routine, a note on the television, computer, refrigerator or bathroom mirror may help you to remember the things you need to get done.
Taking notes is another good tactic. Have a notepad ready when you are making plans. One area where it is easy to lose control of your time is when you’re making plans with someone else but forget what other things you may have going on. Taking notes won’t always prevent scheduling conflicts, but they can help you spot them sooner.
The basics of time management are pretty easy to understand; the hard part is implementing them. You have to experiment and find out what tactics work best for you. A time management system that doesn’t work with your style will take more time out of your day and add to your stress. If your first attempt at managing your time better doesn’t work, don’t give up. Keep trying and you will find your solution.
What’s the Big Picture?
Are you paying attention to the big picture when deciding how to manage your time? It can really help if you remember both your long term and short term goals.
Time Management for Stay at Home Parents
Staying at home isn't as easy as some would have you believe. Here are some tips to cope.
Don’t Let Time Management Stress You Out
You try to manage your time so that you have less stress, but what if the tactics you're using are making you feel more stressed?
Add to Your Social Bookmarks: 
Del.icio.us 
Digg 
Furl 
Reddit 
Simpy 
Spurl 
Y! MyWeb - Netscape
Site Map - Press Room - Disclaimer - Disclosure
Copyright © 2003-2008 Stephanie Foster unless otherwise indicated