Every woman has that one female friend who seems more like a robot than a person. Her kids are impeccably dressed, she makes breakfast for her family every morning, she makes it in to work early, she prepares dinner, serves in her church and community, and still finds time to craft, blog, and find some odd entrepreneurial way to establish a supplemental income. You love her, but you know that you are a slovenly sloth in comparison.
As I've gotten older I've learned not to compare myself to others (as much), but I am curious to the behaviors of successful women. I'm lucky if I can manage a quiet moment to myself before 10:00pm, so how can I possibly conquer all the goals and tasks I've assigned to myself? The key is quite simple...TIME MANAGEMENT. After much thought I've come up with my five methods for effective time management.
1. BUY A PLANNER
Yeah I know, planners are so 1999; but seriously if you use them they work. A basic calender from any dollar store will do. They're great for jotting down appointments and meetings.
2. PLAN AHEAD WEEKLY
Yes that's right, "weekly". Making a to-do list is essential to completing everyday monotonous tasks. I can not tell you how many doctor's appointments have gone overdue all because I thought I would remember to make the phone call. You're already pre occupied enough throughout the day, and by the time you remember to set your appointments you're three months past due for your papsmear. Making a list and checking it twice will ensure that you get the little things done. For me nighttime is the perfect time to orchestrate my list. I find a nice comfortable quiet place in the house, pour myself a glass of wine, and cozy up on the sofa with my legal pad and planner. You high tech individuals can feel free to use your BlackBerry or PDA or whatever the newest technological device may be.
3. PUT YOUR PHONES DOWN
Remember the good old days when all your phone could do was make phone calls? We waste countless hours mindlessly rummaging through the mass amounts of apps and social media on our cell phones. One quick "double tap" turns into 2 hours of replying, liking, and screenshots of memes. Lately I've taken up the practice of not visiting any social media sites until 6pm. I will admit it hasn't been easy (I fell off the wagon today) but when I stick to the plan I find that I get so much more accomplished. The first day I started I actually read the newspaper, how retro.
4. SET REALISTIC GOALS
We often get swept away with the idea of being all that we can be. We want to be the absolute best employees, wives, and mothers giving everyone 100% of ourselves and making sure no one goes without. STOP DOING THAT! No one can do it all not even Oprah. If you've never ran a mile in your life, don't think you're going to get up and do it tomorrow. Instead start with a 30 min walk and over time work your way up to the run.
And most importantly...
5. GO TO BED EARLY
We all know the saying, "Early to bed, early to rise." Adequate rest not only ensures you'll wake up more energized and refreshed, it's also great for cell regeneration (that means less wrinkles ladies).
Keep in mind these are just my best practices. And although I'm not as successful as I aspire to be, if I'm disciplined and stick to my time management plan I will be.
***A goal without a plan is just a wish.
Antoine de Saint-Exupery
French writer (1900 - 1944)
