Scheduling your 24 hours
High levels of discussion seem to come from the posts about Time Management, so I'm guessing this is a struggle for most people - and especially women, as we seem to balance many roles and wear many hats in any given day - and lets be real here - balancing it all can be more difficult the more things we are involved in and with. Example: If you have children, work, stay at home with the kids, go to school yourself etc.
Lets address a few things - keeping in mind - Im learning with you and am thankful for a few tips I have learned and incorporated over the years on how to better manage the 24 hours in a day.
The way I see it - if we all stick together and share tips that have worked, maybe we can figure out how to better manage time together, especially in this world of continual evolving things that try to steal our time.
So what DO you do in your 24 hours?
Anyone can apply this information - but keep in mind, I was a woman balancing a career (2 actually) and also being a parent simultaneously. So Moms listen up - you need to hear this - there can be balance in your life - it may not always be balanced, but it can be something you aim at and hit more often than not.
Figure in all the basics that you do in a day like sleeping, eating, work, family time, church, exercise, kids activities etc. Don't be bashful about putting some ME time in there - you deserve it and need it.
Basic Math - add up all the things you listed above, and the realistic time necessary to complete each task. Shocker - MOST people still have 2-5 free hours in a day that must be guarded or it will easily be gobbled up by something meaningless or wasteful like social media surfing or TV watching or heck - fill in your own blank because you know exactly what it will get filled in with.
We have to learn to say YES to the best YES for us - not everything and everyone gets a yes. This doesn't make you a bad person - a bad Mom or employee or anything of the such.
It's no wonder we feel overwhelmed - learn to say NO or YES, and learn to control your schedule, for your own sanity if nothing more.
All those things that you "want" to do - would "like" to do or are "going" to do - this is your shot. Today is the day you learn to schedule your time wisely.
Block out time on your schedule and grab those hours before anyone else can. Let that time be intentional.
What will you fill those hours with? Focusing on a new opportunity? Meditation or prayer time? Exercise you've been meaning to do for the past 5 years? Personal Development? School or Learning opportunities?
Follow the thought through to the end - what will this activity bring you and will your time be well spent? If yes - then book it! Take a step forward in anything! Example: Always wanted to get your online degree? A step forward is simply checking out your options - what schools have online degrees ? Do they have the right program for you? Cost? Length of program etc? Prepare as if it were happening and my guess is....it WILL end up happening.
Reminder Ladies - don't feel bad about scheduling in down time or ME time- seriously - it's necessary for your sanity and clarity. It's important enough to take a spot on your calendar to make sure it happens.
So - put it on your schedule and if anyone asks you to do something at that time - the answer is I would love to BUT (there's that word BUT...something not good is following, but explains why you are not going to do it).....would love to BUT I already have an engagement at that time or I already have an appointment. THEN - If you really want to do said thing - scheduled for another time and if not simply state your NO as a NO and your YES as a YES.
We could go on - but this is a good stopping point for today. Learn. Practice. Do. Mess up. Try again.
Ready - set - Go!
