Wednesday, January 17, 2007

How to Manage Time

Since the moment my daughter entered this world, I constantly feel like I do not have time to accomplish anything. I knew that after a year of running around completely unorganized, I had to figure out how to manage time better. I'm an excellent procrastinator, so I knew that it would not be an easy task or happen overnight.

I decided to do some research on how to manage time more efficiently in order to get some helpful hints. While the articles and information that I found was very helpful, it opened the gateway for me to realize on my own how to manage time more effectively. The first thing I need to do in figuring out how to manage time, was to become more organized. It is almost impossible to get things accomplished when I can barely find anything in my house and don't plan ahead. The best idea on how to manage time is to prepare the evening before. Instead of waiting until the morning to pack my daughter's bag for daycare, I should pack it the night before. I needed to pack lunches the night before as well.

A friend of mine said that she learned how to manage time better by doing simple things that may only take a few seconds but could save the hassle. When I asked her what she meant by that, she said that she puts extra trash bags underneath the current one. That way, when she pulls the full trash bag out, there is another one waiting to be used. She doesn't have to spend the extra minute fumbling around for a new one. While that seems petty, it is a great suggestion for how to manage time. There are quite a few chores that can be done in that manner. In my household, we have started to keep an extra roll of toilet paper within reach. That way, we don't have to go out to the hallway if we find ourselves out during a time of need. It saves a few moments and works out very smoothly. In looking for ways on how to manage time, I decided that I would keep a small tablet on the table by my front door. On that tablet I would write what needed to be done when I returned home that night. That way, when I walked in the
front door, I didn't forget anything of importance and waste time by wandering aimlessly until I remember it. At first, I thought that it was an odd and silly idea for how to manage time, but I tried it and it works pretty well. Plus, once it is written down, it seems like I feel more obligated to get that task accomplished.

If you're looking to learn how to manage time more productively, simply look around. How to manage time can be something much simpler than you realize. If you can shave a few moments off of your morning routine, you may not be so rushed. If you can make less trips and be better organized when running errands, then you have figured out how to manage time pretty well. Just think ahead. That's the key.