As a novelist who is also a wife and mom while working a day job, I am sometimes asked how I manage to handle all my tasks. The answer is fairly simple. I rely on God to give me strength and sanity, and I've learned to utilize every little bit of time in my day. Most people don't realize just how much time they waste during the day. I don't mean watching television or talking on the phone. I mean those tasks where our hands are busy but our mind isn't necessarily engaged. What are you thinking about when you wash dishes or fold laundry? Where is your concentration when you're straightening your hair or putting on makeup? What's your brain doing when you're driving to the office each morning, or on your way home from dropping off children? How about when you're in the shower? When I shower, I accomplish a lot more than just washing my body. For years I've used that time to plan meals for the family, outline my schedule for the week, and contemplate what I want to say to my … [Read more...]
5 Time Management Tips for Busy Moms
This past year has been the busiest of my 30+ years of life. I've always been a busy person, juggling my family, day job, church commitments, and writing goals. But I recently reached a place where the pressure was unbearable. Below is what I learned from my recent struggles with time management. These items are essential to surviving those busier seasons of life. 5 Time Management Tips for Busy Moms 1) Quality time with God every morning: I was shocked when I felt the Holy Spirit nudging me to get up a half hour earlier every day. I was barely surviving on 6-7 hours of sleep each night - how could I possibly get up earlier than 6am? Although unhappy at first, I discovered it wasn't as hard as I anticipated. It didn't take long for me to see that spending 15 minutes in a half-asleep stupor wasn't good enough; I needed more. Focusing on my Creator first thing each morning helped set a positive attitude and made my days more productive. 2) Days of rest once a week: My family has … [Read more...]
Making Lists are Key to an Organized Life
A few years ago, I relied on my memory to get me through each day. As I have gotten older, I have a lot more responsibilities and tasks that need to get done daily, weekly, and monthly. With these added tasks, it did not take long before my "forgetfulness" wore me thin, and I sought an easier way. Now I LOVE making checklists, spreadsheets, shopping lists, to-do lists, and more! I see how effective they are, and I embraced having to use them for even the simplest of things. Here are some types of lists to get you started: Grocery Lists: Use categories like: poultry, produce, canned foods, breads and cereal, dairy, snacks, etc. General Shopping Lists: cleaning, decorating, toiletries, medication, apparel, electronics, miscellaneous, etc. Appointments: meetings, lunch-date, doctor, dentist, optometrist, etc. Cleaning Schedules: List each day of the week, and list each chore that needs to be done and how often/which day. Work Schedules: List employee name, create table/graph, … [Read more...]
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