[source] How's your time management lately? Mine isn't great. Actually it stinks. It needs a serious overhaul. I don't know what it is... maybe it's because the kids are back at school and the routine has been thrown around again... but I can't get myself together hahaha!! Ok, it's not that serious, but you know... …
[source]
How’s your time management lately? Mine isn’t great. Actually it stinks. It needs a serious overhaul. I don’t know what it is… maybe it’s because the kids are back at school and the routine has been thrown around again… but I can’t get myself together hahaha!! Ok, it’s not that serious, but you know…
What’s your hot tip? Is it making lunches the night before, getting the kids to do certain jobs, or bossing your partner around? Do you write lists? I feel like I am the only person in my house doing anything at the moment and I cannot keep up. I need to get everything back on track (cos I’m a control freak remember)!
The weather has been horrendous and everyone is bored and under each other’s feet. Washing is lying around and I am chasing my tail… such glamour here! I think it’s almost time for me to go back to the alcohol… 😉
Ok, so what’s your best organisation tip? I’d love to hear!
Have a great weekend friends! XX
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Comments
Chris R
I am the only person that does things here (well most of the time) I swear by lists, make one most days and love crossing off things as they get done. A good day means everything is crossed off 🙂 I also leave things fairly tidy and organised before i go to bed at night, so the day starts in the right way. Doesn’t always happen but I try. Being a night owl helps. Mind you saying that this week has been a disaster, house is a mess and nothing has been crossed off, losing a gorgeous young friend, who was like my daughter does that to you. Am hoping to be back on track on the weekend and back to my list making.
Take an hour K, sit down, relax and then tackle what’s got to be done.
Step 1 – make a list 🙂
Katrina
List, ok on to it! 🙂
Kathleen Friedrich
Katrina, Katrina, Katrina, your blaming other for your slackness 🙂 hour by hour then its not on top of you at the end of the day. When are you at your best for time mangement, reflect on that. Now go and have a coffee to think about it.
Susan Henshaw
My house sounds very similar. I like to do something small to get back on track, then do a few small things, I see the result and it makes me feel good, then I can really get stuck in. To encourage my husband I have a glass style whiteboard on a kitchen wall which I write tasks for him to do. I am thinking of putting a glass whiteboard on the back of the toilet door to remind my son what needs doing too. My weakness is getting stuck on fb, I get on the computer to catch up on what is happening in the world, but it is easy to while away the hours on it, so I like to limit myself to 30 minutes here and there 🙂
Karen
You touched on it in your post … everyone in my house has jobs to do! No exceptions, no excuses. The kids grumble about it sometimes but I ignore that. And if they don’t do jobs then they lose screen access for 24 hours. Tough, but it works. I keep my sanity and the kids have learned some serious life skills.
At the risk of hogging your comments section (!) I’ll put down what we do. It won’t work for everyone but it might give you some ideas? FYI my kids are 11, 9 and 6.
First, they’re expected to keep their beds made and bedrooms tidy. They must clean up whatever mess they make (eg towels after a shower, toys after a game). And they have to do 2 household chores every morning and every evening.
Those household chores are where the battle is won or lost, quite frankly! A couple of years ago I identified the 6 chores that need to be done most frequently in our house, and then every week I divide them evenly among the kids. My eldest does them with no help, but I give the youngest quite a bit of support.
The chores are to feed the cats, do some washing (eg fold dry washing, or hang wet washing), sweep the kitchen/dining room floor, empty the dishwasher, wipe down the kitchen table, and empty the kitchen bin.
Each kid is expected to do two of those jobs each morning and evening for the week. We keep track of who does what with a chore chart on the fridge. They have to do their chores before school (or the day’s activity in the holidays) and before they’re allowed screen time in the evenings. Like I said, they don’t love it! They’re not angels! But, they have come to realise that it only takes 10-15 minutes and that mum isn’t a servant.
The time I’m most grateful for this system is when I get sick, when we have unexpected visitors, or when I’m cramming for uni. The kids are able to give me immediate, meaningful help to get the house in order and all I have to focus on is getting out a meal and fluffing up their egos 😉
Hope this helps!
Katrina
Now that sounds bloody awesome to me!!!! Ok, taking this on board… thanks Karen! X
Yvette Wilson
Hi Karen
I agree with kids helping around the house. I give my kids pocket money so they have set chores to do daily/weekly. Feed the cat, bring in the mail, bring in the bins, clear the table, wipe the table, set the breakfast. Everyone helps out it makes it alot easier. My older kids make their own beds aswell. Your tips are great and I’m glad I’m not the only Mum in the world who makes their kids help out. Have a great night.
Yvette x
Tatum
Great advice Karen! I’ll be sitting down with my kids to get a plan like this in action today! Mine aren’t to bad at helping but I like the structure you have 🙂 T xx
Helen Jaman
Here…Here…Karen…I too have a similar system with an only child…we have a door painted in chalkboard paint with a chore list, days and he ticks off the chores as he’s done them and receives pocket money in return…they range from making the bed, unstacking the dishwasher, taking out the rubbish, picking up the dog poo etc…it also helps with them realising not everything is done for you there is always stuff to be done….he often ‘offers’ to do extra things if he is saving for something !!
Katrina Chambers
Yes, FB gets me too! And this blog! LOL!
Chrissie
I set breakfast up the night before, unpack dishwasher before bed, so I can put bfast dishes straight I in the morning….hate dirty sink ……I fill drink bottles night before, get all sandwich things ready eg bread, chopping board, glad wrap so I can ‘just get onto it in the morn’, I am a kitchen nazi so NO ONE comes in the kitchen until I have prepped breast for the,ids and lunches are made…..
I used to iron EVERYTHING…now, if you can’t see it….I don’t iron it!!!!!!,it has taken a lot to have the strength not to iron everything…..this has saved heaps of time……I fold washing while kids shower at night, but I still have not figured out the chinese laundry system…….it’s hiding up stairs in the lounge….I got over it being a feature of the living room!!!!!!!BRING BACK SUMMER and daylight savings!!!!!!!!
Chrissie
Oh, and I have a day for everything…sheets Thursdays, towels on particular days, bathrooms Friday….and I do the same EVERY week so I can know where I am up to and this saves having one massive day cleaning, washing etc……
Mel Lovell
I’m currently reading Speed Cleaning by Shannon Lush in anticipation of our move into a new, much bigger house! I’m not sure if I can clean the house in 15 minutes a day but she has some good time-saving tips.
Mel x
Yvette Wilson
I can easily time waste or fluff as my husband calls it.
My best way to get organised is to write a to do list daily. This includes mundane tasks like washing, groceries, dusting etc but once that list is finished I’m FREE. Free time to do Pinterest, read blogs, instagram (although I check this on coffee breaks). Basically lists are the way to organisation.. Good luck.
Tatum Woodroffe
Lists, prioritisation, getting the kids to help, pre-planning…food is one of my non-compromises, I won't be slack about what we eat because of whatever comes up so I swear by weekly meal planning and always having meals in the freezer…I blogged about my approach and tips recently http://tatumwoodroffe.typepad.com/eatmoveexplore/2013/02/the-juggle-priorities-planning.html… I'm definitely far from perfect though ;).
Donna W
I freeze lunches. I have about 30 in the freezer at the moment. Love it.
Kids do jobs.
15yr – garbage, dishwasher, wipe table after meals, keep room clean.
10yr – dishwasher, dirty washing to laundry, stock up toilet paper, keep room clean.
+ anything else I ask them to do. No jobs done, no pocket money.
Good luck.
Lolita Danieli
Katrina , tip on getting the washing done – I put the loads into the machine, hubby hangs, 15yr old picks washing and 19yr old folds the washing.Ironing gets done only as we need it! this is working for us atm but could change anytime.For the rest of the housework it is a never ending sorry!
Gtdagenda
If you’d like a tool for managing your time and projects, you can use this web-application inspired by David Allen’s GTD:
http://www.Gtdagenda.com
You can use it to manage your goals, projects and tasks, set next actions and contexts, use checklists, and a calendar.
Syncs with Evernote and Google Calendar, and also comes with mobile version, and Android and iPhone apps.