MANAGING YOUR TIME
Time management is literally defined as, “the ability to use one's time effectively or productively.” Does that describe you? Or are you the person out of time, out of energy and out of your mind by the end of the day? If so, keep reading! I have laid out the most basic and easy way to get all your errands done, leaving you feeling energized with a sense of accomplishment at the end of each day.
On top of not getting work, home, and family things done, how about that extra time to go to the gym? If you’re thinking “ That’s absurd to think I have enough time to be healthy, fit and active”, I’m telling you, it's possible and its necessary to live a long, healthy life! In fact, you will find that if you begin a workout regimen and stick with it, you will actually get more things on that “list” of yours done. Here’s how to manage your time effectively, keep all your hair, and get your fit bod all in one blog…..
Step one: Throw away the sticky note lists
If you’re a list person, chances are, you probably have 4-8 sticky notes scattered all over your desk. The problem with that, is that you write them down without scheduling time to actually get them done. All of a sudden, you are drowning in sticky notes and no way to get them all done. If this is you at the end of the work day, you probably go home feeling defeated, like you spend eight hours of your day doing absolutely nothing. This feeling then comes home with you, where you have another list of home or kid things to do, but the day has already beat you, so you continue this cycle of making lists without checking anything off. This is MADDENING. My point here, is get rid of the lists and start getting things done by actually scheduling time to check items off that damn list.
Step two: Make realistic, attainable goals
If your Monday is jammed packed with meeting after meeting with no end in sight, why on earth would you plan to go to the grocery store, take the dog to the vet, do the laundry, clean the house, get the bills done, etc, etc, etc. You already know Monday is going to suck, so give yourself a break. Come home and relax, plan for Tuesday to get some of those things done. If it's not an emergency, it can wait.
Step three: The family schedule
This is my most important step in time management. Get your family on board and stop over committing yourselves.
If you have an Iphone, share your “home” calendar with your spouse and kids.
How to make an iCloud calendar public on your iPhone or iPad
Launch the Calendar app on your iPhone or iPad.
Tap on the Calendars button on the bottom navigation.
Tap on the Info button to the right of the calendar that you'd like to make public.
Scroll down and turn On the option for Public Calendar.
Tap on Share Link... to share the calendar with others.
Once you do this, you can schedule events such as birthday parties, soccer games, school plays, etc. They show up in your shared calendar, once you start doing this your spouse can see what is going on, from there you can plan your weeks accordingly without over committing or double booking. This has been life changing for my family, so start doing this ASAP!
The family schedule is just the beginning of managing your time effectively. Once you figure this out, you can then start using your phone calendar to schedule your “sticky note” items with an actual day and time. The trick here is to allot enough time to get whatever it is done. For example: if you have to go to the vet on Tuesday at 2pm, but you also have to meet with your accountant that day, don’t schedule your second meeting at 2:30pm, you know that the vet will take longer than 30 minutes, not to mention the drive time to get from the vet to your accountants office.
Notice in my example schedules below that I have planned my workouts, also notice the different colors of events ( Green events= clients, Blue events= errands, Red events= shared calendar). Your schedule may look different than mine but the concept is the same, after all, we all have the same amount of hours in the day.
Step FOUR: Trim the fat
Make tasks more efficient by asking for help. If you have a spouse ask them to pitch in, this can only work if you make it a priority to make a monthly, weekly and daily schedule.
Make a grocery list every week and plan your meals based on your family schedule. If you get overwhelmed going to the store sign up for grocery delivery, another option is to sign up for a weekly meal program. My favorite meal programs are: Feed My Fit, Hello Dinner, Dinner Thyme, and Sunbasket, or my newest favorite, MealLime, this app is free and amazing, it’s a one stop shop for new delicious recipe with a built in grocery list. Below I have created a simple grocery list that I might use for myself. Having a grocery list saves money and time.
Sign up for carpool rides for the kids to get to and from school or practices.
Leave work at work. Easy to say, not so easy to do. This one is important for your mental health and your family will appreciate the extra time they get with you at home.
Turn off digital devices or make time limits for yourself and your kids. The fastest way to be unproductive is to be glued to the TV for five hours.
If you’re tired of never having enough time for YOU, adopt these tips and make them a way of life.
Stop writing down lists with no idea of when you will get them done.
Make realistic goals and stick to it. If things change last minute go with the flow and prioritize your list of things to do.
Get the whole family involved, use a shared calendar and stop over committing.
Trim the fat! Ask for help or hire help to make life a little bit easier for you and your family. Hire a house cleaner if cleaning the house is one of those tasks that seems to slip through the cracks.
Create YOU time! You are only as good to your co workers and family if you are fit, healthy and full of energy. Make time for the gym, yoga or meditation, anything that will refill your mind, body and soul. Its time to be the best YOU, that you can be.
At the end of the day every person on this earth has the same amount of time in the day, the only difference is how you use that time. Now go be productive, fit, healthy and happy!
Written by: Courtney Coleman