• Life Simplified: Set the Timer!

    It has been a really busy few weeks and I don’t anticipate that it will slow down any time soon (maybe in May).  The girls and I will be traveling over their Spring Break so I have a lot to get done before our fun time begins.  If you are like me I want everything to be caught up before I leave on a trip  – bills paid, house cleaned, emails returned, inbox empty, garden planted and weeded,  etc….  however, the “to do” list is generally much longer than the hours available in the day. When I am working on a project I want to stick to it until it is completely finished.  There are major benefits having this personality, however, the downside is that I may get that one project completed but there are 27 other projects that haven’t even been started.

    One of the ways that has helped me stay on task and be more productive (I have been using this a lot lately) is to set the timer.   I have a small timer that I can take with me from room to room.  My timer has been well used the past few weeks, I even lost it for a couple days while getting ready for the yard sale!  I anticipate it will continue to be used in the upcoming weeks as well as I prepare to travel with the kids.  I set the timer for an increment of time to help motivate me and keep me focused on getting the task done.  When the timer goes off that means I am done with that project for the moment and need to move onto the next task (which can be very hard for me at times especially if I am really close to finishing the task I am currently working on).  Here is an example of some of the activities I do during a day with my timer (every day is different so this just an example of activities I set the timer for throughout the day):

    • 30 minutes – Exercise
    • 45 minutes – Quiet Time
    • 10 minutes – Prep for Dinner
    • 10 minutes – Eat Breakfast
    • 30 minutes – Check & Respond to Emails (sometimes I do this 2 to 3 times a day)
    • 60 minutes – Blog Posts
    • 60 minutes – Work Projects
    • 30 minutes – Pick Up the House
    • 60 minutes – Fold & Put Away All Laundry for the week on Laundry Day
    • 30 minutes – Lunch
    • 45 minutes – Homework with the Girls
    • 45 minutes – Make Dinner
    • 30 minutes – Dinner Clean Up and Wash Dishes
    • 15 minutes – Packs Lunches for the Next Day
    • 30 minutes – Clipping Coupons
    • 30 minutes – Matching Coupons with Weekly Ads
    • 30 minutes – Pay Bills & Balance Accounts
    • 10 minutes – Power Clean My Desk (or on some days find my desk)

    If I get to all the tasks that had on my list that day I will reward myself with 30 minutes of “free” time which usually means spending extra time with the family, reading, writing, or something else rewarding yet beneficial.  A lot of times during breakfast or lunch I will spend time reading or answering emails as well.  I have found that days when I work on the computer I don’t get anything done in the house and days that I spend concentrating on home projects I don’t get any work done so as in my attempt to try and balance life a little bit more the timer has become a fun trick that works well for me.  Although the computer work is important I do have some moments when I get sidetracked by a great article or Facebook or something else and before I know it the time has flown by and an hour has passed (same things happens on home projects).  The timer helps me track the time better and alerts me especially when I have gotten distracted from the task at hand. I do not set the timer for family time or family oriented meals and tasks because those are important for the entire family.

    Now if I could only find a way to set a timer for travel time, shopping and waiting to check out, ha!  Although I must say I am becoming a little more efficient in shopping too by only going directly to the items I need and not “browsing” through the entire store.  Not everything works well with setting a timer but there are some tasks I noticed will consume larger amounts of time if I don’t put a time limit on them.

    How do you balance it all as a Wife, Mom, Business Person, etc…?  Do you have other ways that help you stay on task?

    Photo by ellie

  • A Balanced Life

    Kreativität Life can be a juggling act when trying to balance your schedule with work, family, friends, appointments, social activities and everything that squeezes into a day.  The days fill up and schedules will overlap but we can still use our time effectively.  Here are some quick ways to help organize your schedule so you have the joy of accomplishment without the extra stress:

    • Color Coded Calendar – our family has a color coded calendar on the wall so everyone can see the activities for the day.  We know what each family member is doing at a quick glance.  Even our young children get excited to see a special family event with their color on the calendar.  You can have a color coded calendar just for you with one color for business appointments, another color for social time, a color for doctor visits, etc….
    • Clean Out Your Inbox – some days it feels like I can spend the entire day writing and responding to emails.  Try scheduling an hour first thing in the morning when you get into work and an hour at the end of the day to focus on sending and responding to emails.  Handle your work emails during those times and respond to personal emails in the evenings and on weekends.  Focus completely on emails during that time, put your phone on silence or close your office door if you need to.  Avoid interruptions so you can get it done.  If you think you’ll go too long set a timer and when it buzzes, stop.
    • Time to Talk – schedule phone time each day for returning calls, initiating calls, scheduling appointments, and completing projects.  It is important to follow up with business connections as well as family and friends.  Keep your personal calls during work hours to a minimum and utilize that time to schedule business appointments and work related calls.  Call family and friends in the evenings or weekends to make sure you have enough time to catch up with them.
    • Plan your Dinner – plan your week of meals prior to going to the grocery store.  Lay out the recipe  and any items you can prior to leaving for work that morning so when you get home it is ready to be put together.  If you have a crockpot they are fabulous for people working that want to come home to a meal.  Put the main course in before work and when you come home add a side of veggies and fruit then your dinner is ready.  Pack the leftovers for lunch at work.
    • Double Duty Meals – you can easily accomplish multiple tasks when you work through an occasional breakfast and lunch.  Have lunch with your business partner and brainstorm about the business.  Meet a friend for lunch to catch up and let the kids run out their energy while you talk.  Take lunch at your desk so you can get through an extra project.  You have to eat so mix up your meals and pick a couple days when you will meet someone during a mealtime.  If on a budget or tight schedule grab coffee together.
    • Project Creativity – time needs to be set aside daily to complete projects both personally and professionally.  Determine what needs to be accomplished that day and make sure you have time allocated to get it done including projects that you are doing with your clients.  Same goes for the personal side of life somehow the laundry doesn’t get done on its own and the house cleaned unless you take the time to do it.  Take into consideration the amount of energy and concentration you will need for the project and make sure it fits into your day at an ideal time.
    • Quick Sweep – clean off your desk, organize your office, file papers, and other office work items 15 minutes a day (set a timer if you need to).  By dedicating even a brief time to this on a daily basis you will be able to maintain a cleaner more organized office space. I have been known to let it pile up over several days and then it can take hours to dig myself back out.  Make it brief and daily so that it is more effective and organized.

    It is important that your time is utilized efficiently.  You will have  interruptions, however, doing your best to schedule time to complete specific tasks throughout the day will allow you to be more productive and focused.  Every one of us has the same 24 hours in a day and we must make choices on how to use the time given to us.  What are some activities you do that help keep your day balanced?