Time management

Time Management Tips And Tricks

Properly allocating your time is never an easy task, especially if you’ve never been the type to make the most of your time. However, there are a lot of ways in order for you to start up and slowly integrate your whole system into practicing effective Time management methods.

Here are a few tips in order for you to successfully initiate your time management skills.

Keys To Successful Time Management

Before you can use some time management strategies in your schedule, there are a few key principles you have to understand first.

You need to be aware of your goals. Having proper awareness of what your goals are will assist you in properly prioritizing your activities for the day. It also helps you to get motivated and avoid distractions in between work.

You also need to develop a flexible schedule for yourself. It must be flexible enough to make sure that if you need to fill in other things aside from your usual schedule, you can still take care of them when you need to.

Tips To Successfully Utilize Your Time

Here are a few tips to successfully utilize your time

1. Examine your old habits and look for ways to change them. – When you learn that your habits are not conducive to proper time management, then it’s about time that you start changing them. Bad habits are usually hard to change but when you’re able to overcome it, the results are rewarding.

2. Put up reminders at home and office about your goals. – Usually when you’re trying to pursue long-term goals, you slowly lose focus on them. Putting reminders everywhere would help you get reoriented with your goals motivating you to strictly follow your schedule.

3. Maintain a list of specific things to be done each day and set a top priority on that list. – Maintaining a list of things to be done everyday is a great way to start on successfully allocating your time properly. A checklist would help you to remember all the things that you need to do for the day and compel you to finish them at the end of the day.

Furthermore making a checklist would definitely help you to become a more responsible person. It is more than just a reminder, but is critical in how you follow that list to see if it effective for you.

4. Concentrate on one thing at a time. – Some people try to do all things at the same time. This happens because people need to do a lot of things but they do not have the luxury of time. Proper time management allows you to concentrate on one task at a time. When you feel that this task is more urgent than the other, then you must first focus on that task before moving on to the next most important task.

When you concentrate only on one task, the time needed to finish the job will significantly lessen giving you more spare time.

5. Enjoy what you are doing – When you enjoy what you are doing, it creates less stress. When you are not stressed, you are more likely to accomplish your tasks within a shorter time frame. Consequently, you will be able to do more in your typical working hours.

6. Continually look at ways of freeing up your time – It is important to try to free your schedule up. Looking for ways to free up your schedule improves the time spent on finishing up your activities. Remember that if you save a few minutes from each activity, and then you sum them all up, you’d realize that you have saved a lot of time.

Time management

Time Management for Parents

For new parents, they face a common dilemma of making that much needed transition. If you do have work, you also need to juggle that along with your priorities in the family. You can probably easily manage the time at the office but the real challenge lies in organizing your household such as sending or picking the kids up at school, preparing dinner, or cleaning up the house. If not managed well, these tasks can prove stressful.

When you have kids for the first time, it is only natural to suffer from jitters especially with a new setup. However, the solution to this is simple. You just have to cope with your situation since it is only through experience that you’d be able to find a better approach to family life. But here are proven and trusted solutions that any parent might find useful.

Setting Priorities

Learning how to properly set priorities is among the most important skill that every parent, whether new or not, must practice especially for the working ones. The key here is to recognize the difference in schedule as compared to when you were on your own now that you have your kids as your main obligation. Then, you can make the appropriate changes.

You must be able to determine which is your top priority: is it your kids or your work? You have to remember that your decisions have trade-offs, therefore you would have to identify which of them has the least trade-off.

An additional tip that you can employ, you can also try setting up a “to-do” list for your set of activities within a day. That way, you can easily update what priorities you need to focus one.

Delegating other Duties

When it comes to work at home, it is usually the wives’ responsibility to handle them. However, wives must not carry the sole burden of looking after the entire house. Instead, you can delegate other duties to your husband so you can have equal share of the workload at home.

If your husband is not acquainted with domestic chores, this is the best time to get him started. You can divide the chores at home such as washing the dishes, doing the laundry, or cleaning up the house. If not, then you can have him take care of the kids while you finish up on some chores. More than being able to accomplish the chores faster, it forms a bond and creates a healthier working relationship between both of you as parents.

If your kids are old enough, you can even ask them to help you out with the tasks at home. You can start with training them to fix their beds or clean up their rooms, as well as putting their dirty clothes into the laundry basket. Aside from the help they can provide you in maintaining your home, it also teaches them how to be responsible.

Planning out in Advance what you have to do

For mothers, it is best to plan ahead what you have set out to do for the following day. Among these things is creating a menu ahead of time. Therefore, when it is time to prepare lunch or dinner for the family, you already have an idea what to cook for them.

By creating a weekly menu, you increase your efficiency. After all, who has the time and energy to spend wondering about what to cook for dinner after an exhausting day at the office?

Delegate Proper Time for Shopping

When it comes to going out with your family, you need to also plan ahead your itinerary. This will help you prepare the things you will bring with you ahead and figure out if you have missed anything. Enough preparation will ensure that you will have all the things you need for this day off with the family.

As for shopping, there are a few simple tips that any mother would find useful. Shopping at the grocery usually takes a lot of time. Hence, you need to produce a list of the essential items you need to pick up. Not only will this help make shopping faster, but will also make sure that you do not forget anything. Or else you would eat up more time since you have to return to get the items you’ve missed.

For parents, time management usually entails mere common sense. And when you have properly set your priorities, you are good to go.

Time management

Personal Time Management Software

In a fast paced world, learning how to budget your time poses major advantages. Several tools like diaries, planners, and to-do lists, have been innovated to help assist in better time management efforts. While these traditional tools are still widely used, the technological advancements of our time has allowed for a more efficient way to deal with this.

Most of us today have access to the computer and the internet. And if these are used properly, they can be effective personal time manager. You can get several softwares in the market that you can use.

The following are just a few of the Personal Time Management Softwares that you can use:

Daily Planner Software

Daily Planners are usually bulky and hence can provide quite a discomfort on your part if you had to bring it with you at all times. Today, PDAs or Personal Digital Assistants help you arrange your schedules since it is equipped with a Management Software.

Most computers and PDAs nowadays are equipped with management softwares. And with the recent breakthrough in technology, it has also been made available in cell phones.

The software’s task is simple. It is the same as the traditional analog planner, although with additional amenities. It automatically sorts your appointments according to date, alphabetical or numerical order. For better organizational procedure, you can even provide color coding techniques to distinguish one project from another.

Its calendar system is more complicated. You will be able to configure your management software to start a countdown timer of events or a count-up timer as well. You can post these tools on your desktop for easy reference.

Aside from its basic organizer and calendar system feature, you can also create your to-do list on your desktop. Simply input them with the software and it will automatically appear on your desktop.

Free Time Management Softwares

Despite the convenience that a digital time management tool can provide, there is also a downside to this. Most time management softwares can become really expensive. So, if you are looking to save money then you might just stick with the traditional analog.

Don’t despair just yet because the Internet provides the best alternative for you. There are several free time management softwares online.

If you are subscribed to a free e-mail service from either Google or Yahoo, you can take advantage of their increasing competition. Hence, they usually update or introduce new services to their subscribers. These services include online organizers, word readers, and spread sheet makers.

Gmail’s online Time Management boasts a lot of features. Aside from the usual Calendar organizer that most e-mail has, it also has a document writer, reader and photo organizer. These features are already indispensable at this moment because even if you are not on your own computer you can already create and modify different documents, perfect for all types of people.

Google’s Gmail is earning more popularity by introducing these kinds of services. Aside from the fact that it’s free, the accessibility of creating your own organizer is of great convenience to everyone.

Meanwhile, Gmail also has an online time management software that includes several features. On top of the calendar organizer, there is also a document writer, reader, and photo organizer.

Those are just a few things that these Time Management Softwares can offer. As technology continue to offer innovative softwares that respond to the needs of people, you can expect to use effective tools for better time management.

Time management

How Can Women Become Work At Home Moms In Direct Sales?

I quite often read ads that are very misleading. They say something like, “spend more time with your children when you join me.”

In business, money is made when a product or service is sold. In direct sales, money is made either through personal sales or through team sales.

To create sales, customers must be found. To find customers, a marketing system needs to be in place.

Can you run a direct sales business if you’re a mom? You bet you can. I’d like to offer some suggestions on how you can make being a mom and being a business owner work:

1. Create business hours and stick to them. Your family needs to know when you are available for them. Create a realistic schedule, allowing time each day for your new business and time each day for your family. Remember, this is a business; it can’t be run in only 30 minutes per day.

2. Create a weekly schedule that takes into account carpools, bedtime and household tasks. Be very clear what time you have that you can devote to your new business. When my kids were young, I did laundry only once per week. I did all of it, but only once per week. Time management is crucial if you want to run a business and be a mom.

3. When you shop for a sponsor, look for someone who understands being a mom. Men can be great mentors but they are not moms. If you sign on with a man, make sure that somewhere in his group is a woman who understands being a mom.

4. Have a talk with your spouse. While spousal support is not mandatory, it’s quite nice to have the support. A supportive spouse will help you work out a schedule that allows you to find time each and every day to build your new business. A supportive spouse will offer to cook meals or do take out a few nights a week so you can use that time to work. A supportive spouse will help bathe the kids and put them to bed, again allowing you that extra time to work. Let your spouse know exactly what your plan is, what your goals are and how he can help.

Women can and do build wonderful direct sales businesses. By following the above ideas, you’ll find the time you need to make a business a reality.

Audrey Okaneko has been in direct sales since 1983. She can be reached at audreyoka@cox.net or you can Become a Tupperware Consultant

Time management

Mommy Burnout – 6 Ways To Lose It

Feeling burnout as a Mom is very common. It does not mean that you are failing as a Mother. It’s mostly due to the isolation that a lot of Moms face in our culture, as well as the overscheduling and overwork that a lot of us deal with.

Here are 6 things you can do to prevent burnout and treat it if it comes up.

Find your tribe

Find a support group of like minded Moms. There are neighbors, people you worship with, family, Moms at storytime, the park, or anywhere else Moms hang out. It’s extremely important for Moms to have a social network. Talk about your feelings with someone who won’t judge you, and return the favor. Spend time with good friends, and don’t forget to nurture your relationship with your spouse.

Set boundaries

Setting good boundaries isn’t just about limits with your kids. Boundaries are something that protect you from being overburdened with other people’s responsibilities. Learn to say no to things that don’t honor your values, and don’t overextend yourself.

Lose the guilt

Don’t feel like you’re a bad Mom because you feel burnout from time to time. In fact, you are probably a very conscientious Mom who is neglecting her own needs! Be as forgiving and empathic with yourself as you are with your kids, and remember, when you take care of your own needs, you’re in better shape to care for your family. It’s kind of like when the flight attendant tells you to put on your own oxygen mask first in case of emergency!

Take care of your body

Eating poorly leads to fatigue and stress. Nurture your body with healthy foods and avoid excessive caffeine and sugar, which only deplete you.

Exercise is also very important because it helps you deal with stress and floods your body with endorphins, the “feel good hormones”. Don’t make excuses! Get moving for 20 minutes a day. It doesn’t have to be expensive or complicated. Walking is one of the best exercises you can do.

Exercise is also good for the kids because it helps them discharge excess energy that they may have from being inside too much.

Spending some time every day in the sun is also a good idea. Sunlight improves mood and helps you sleep better.

Take a break

Nurture yourself every single day in small ways. Take a hot bath by yourself. Go outside for a few minutes and breathe deeply. Say your prayers, journal, pursue a hobby that you love. Even if all you can do are 5 minute increments, take the time!

Focus on what’s truly important

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, remind yourself that the most important things on your to do list are your children, not the dishes or the dusty blinds. Put everything aside for 15 minutes and just play with your kids. Have fun, laugh together, spend time in nature together, and enjoy life.
The rest can wait. Kids have a way of growing up despite us. And keep hugging those babies!

Carrie Lauth and Jen Houck want to help other Moms avoid burnout and have more fun every day with their kids. To get your free report, go to MommyBurnout.com

Article Source: http://greatarticlesformoms.com