By: Kate Cardinali
Managing Time is similar to managing your grocery list. There will always be things that get added at the last minute, and often things that get are forgotten. Needless to say, personally, I love grocery shopping… late night on a Tuesday, really relaxes me.
When I think about being a mother of three, a business owner and also an active community member… I get a bit overwhelmed. So I tend to just not think about it. I try not to over think it. Ultimately, I wouldn’t say I am perfect at any of my job titles, but I know that I do try very hard to balance life. Time management in my life is all about: Organization and list managing.
I would suggest 4 things for time management! These four tips help me immensely, and I would suggest them to anyone in need of ‘TIME MANAGEMENT’.
Have a good calendar. And put it in multiple places. I have a huge calendar in my kitchen that shows when we are gone, important dates, functions, etc. This would be the “family” calendar. No one can say they won’t know when I am gone because it’s clearly on the calendar. I also have this same calendar on my phone, which of course includes additional personal business meetings. I live and die by my calendar.
Have Priorities. And stick to them! It’s so easy to get off track on what you REALLY need to do. Don’t put off the things you must accomplish — do them first. Then than you have a sense of accomplishment Which helps with the momentum needed to get the rest of the list completed. For instance, I dislike exercise. But if I do it first thing in the morning… I feel better all day!
Don’t sweat the small stuff. Mothers today have more pressure than 30 years ago. For some reason we now have to plan super, themed-out parties, hide an elf everyday at Christmas, make ridiculously creative treats for our kids to take to school on Easter… Let me tell you, your kids don’t care and most likely won’t remember anyway. Put your efforts into things that matter. Go the extra mile in other ways! If you have three children, make sure each of those children get some special time with mom or do a project just to do a project… not something that surrounds around having to Pinterest 100 things to spend $100.
Remain Sane. Schedule time for yourself. All mothers are bombarded by daily tasks. Make sure you have some time to breathe for yourself. Whether you can go out with friends one night a month, or take a bubble bath 1 day a week… this time is crucial. Your sanity is just as important as making sure the laundry gets done.
I, indeed, try to take one day at a time… What doesn’t get done today will get done tomorrow, or the next day. People do understand, but I believe you have to understand that even with impeccable time management — you can’t do it all. Knowing this helps me prioritize, and allows me to make sure I manage time for the things that we all know are most important to us.