The L.I.S.T. is ListPlanIt‘s weekly e-newsletter that comes with new lists and lots of practical ideas about using them. A couple of weeks ago, I put out a call to readers for some of their own families’ techniques for time management and I got a lot of great ideas and solutions! I know it was supposed to be a contest, but I couldn’t help myself. I gave each person who sent in a tip a free Planner ePlanner from ListPlanIt. I thought everyone should benefit from some of these fantastic suggestions. . .so here they are!
- It’s taken me several months to find a planning system that works for me.The critical components include a monthly calendar, a weekly overview, and a daily schedule. Usually, on Sunday evenings, I take one hour to review my upcoming week. I note all appointments on my monthly calendar as I’m making them. My monthly calendar also notes birthdays, important events, other activities, etc.As I look at my upcoming week, I transfer this information to a 2 page per week schedule. It helps me to keep the whole week in view at my fingertips so as the week progresses, I don’t miss anything important.I also have a standard daily checklist that I keep to be sure my own responsibilities at home and work are not lost in the shuffle. I have a morning, afternoon, and evening routine that I follow on a daily basis. In addition, each day of the week lists household chores that need to be kept up with in order to maintain a smooth (or smoother) home life.I have all of these items printed on 8.5 x 11 notepaper – stored in page protectors in a flexible 3 ring binder. It’s large enough I can’t lose track of it – but not so big that I can’t toss it in my tote for errands, or keep it on the seat beside me when I’m on the go. It’s also pretty – because PRETTY and FUNCTIONAL go hand in hand – Just like a Mom!!!
- Debbie of The Queen Mommy’s Cafe. - I have two 2yr olds (twins) and a 3 year old – so organization is key! I have 7 weeks of dinners that we rotate through. (I cook 5 nights a week – one night is left overs and 1 night we go out to dinner) I found that I got in a rut with making the same things over and over – just because I could recall the ingredients fast at the grocery store. When you have 3 under 3 in the store with you – it is all about being fast.So, I made a calendar of the 7 weeks of meals and organized them so that if we have roast one night – another night that week we will have shredded beef tacos! I then made a grocery list by week…. so when I am on week 1 of the rotation – I just print that grocery list – add any staples that we need and head out!We have saved so much money by not wasting leftovers AND I have saved my sanity and time by being so organized. My husband LOVES it because we don’t have the same thing for 7 weeks!
- Lisa - I always keep a grocery list on the fridge and never go to the store without it. I also keep a list of other things we need/want in the near future just in case I go out shopping. Otherwise I have general brain dump to do lists kind of scattered around the house.
- Alisa Harvey - Here are some time management tips/techniques in list format. I used to be a Vice-President of Individual Development for a Chapter of the U.S. Jaycee’s, and am a Survivor of an Acquired Closed Brain Injury and Early Onset Dementia, among other disabilities. 1. Plan your work, work your plan 2. Write your schedule down and religiously refer to it, updating when and as needed. (I am also a brain Injury Survivor, and the first thing I do each day is to refer to my schedule for the day). Make it a daily habit to do so. 3. Prioritize your schedule each day after writing it out. Make the time each day for daily scheduling, and do so ahead of time when you know that you’ll have a particularly busy day. 4. Enable enough time to write thank you notes, and take the time to do so each day. 5. Learn the start and stop time for meetings, and plan a few minutes afterward to talk with colleagues or fellow meeting attendees. 6. Plan for the unexpected. Something will inevitably arise that is unanticipated, so project same and schedule time to deal with it. 7. Finally, plan your work and work your plan. That’s right – it’s that important.
- Mitchell J. Rappaport, President, Center For People With Disabilities, Inc. - 1. one calendar for all. 2. Keep it simple. 3. Have an overview of your lists – to know, where you find them (a table of contents, page numbers on every list). 4. Bundle my ways (first cleaning, than cobbler, pharmacy and supermarket – next day library and butcher because they are in the same street). 5. Sort my shopping list by stores or by shelves (if I have to buy a lot in one shop) and by nonperishable and fresh food (because than I can buy all my nonperishable very early). 6. I make a schedule for food I have to prepare for a party so that I know at what time I use the oven for meat or for cake/pie and to know at what time I must have finish my vegetables to put it in the casserole and get a hot meal on time.
- Sabine - We utilize a dry erase/Laminated Weekly Form. Each day (as the rows) is divided into 3 columns – which are (1) SCHOOL P/U (designating who is picking the kids up from car pool); (2) DURING SCHOOL-ACTIVITY which require “special” planning including gym (i.e. wear gym uniform), library (i.e. bring last week’s book back), picture day, field trips, etc.; and (3) AFTER-SCHOOL ACTIVITY (i.e. practices, games, etc.). Each child has a color coded dry erase marker and the calendar is followed out using those colors – i.e. “Baseball” written in blue is always one child while “Baseball” written in green is always another child. For activities that apply to multiple kiddos I use multiple markers – i.e. Picture Day for the boys school is written in 2 colors (blue and green) — generally alternating colors per letter just for fun. The calendar runs Monday – Sunday and is completed on Sunday evening before the weeks starts. It is a good visual that the kids know what they have for each day and what to expect throughout the week. Times of after-school activities are included.
- Brooke - With an almost-three-year old, (and a 9-month old too!) getting out the door in the morning can be a challenge! My tip to avoid the morning struggles of getting out the door on time is to have my preschooler dressed and ready to go (shoes and all!) BEFORE any fun morning activities. No breakfast, no books, no morning cartoon until he’s dressed and ready! This helps make sure that “I do it myself” and getting to work on time are not mutually exclusive!
- Shabnam - Because I am a caretaker for my mother, a volunteer and have two jobs, I find it easier to have meals and activities on one single sheet that I can post on the refrigerator and in the car. I update it several times a month and it helps me see what I will need for the following week’s meals in advance. It’s cut down on panic spending and food waste in a tremendous way! I also ritually review my planner in SEPTEMBER and fill in the next year’s calendar with things like annual Doctor’s appointments, inspections, oil changes, birthdays, etc. because it’s one long whoosh from Halloween through the New Year and I get too busy to catch up!
- Peggy -
Even before school begins, I pull out our BIG countdown calendar and start plugging in what “needs” to happen before school starts. Even to get the kids back on the right sleep schedule. I pencil in bedtimes at the top of the day and subtract 15 minutes until their at their optimal bedtime (8:30pm) for us. I.E. we started this week at 9:30 and we’re going to go to bed 15 minutes earlier tonight…school starts Wednesday and then they have to be up at 6:00 am. Also, It helps for to have multiple columns for each child. I have one child (13) who gets off the bus and does his homework right after getting a drink of water and granola bar. My younger child (9) needs a little break…so he takes a 30 minute chill time and then does his homework. We personally feel that by dinner time, homework should be done and we’re all on the same track at that point. Graphics help in terms of organization and Simplicity. With book reports and projects we use the same tactic as I mentioned above for getting reading for school with our sleep. We take the project due date…approximate how much time it will take…divide the time among the number of available days and they know how much time they have to dedicate to it. Takes the pressure of them and us as parents!
- Suzy
What are your time management techniques? What tips help to make your time more family-friendly and less busy?
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