How do I get as much done as I do? Well, here are my 7 Best Time Management Tips that when applied will help you get more done in less time!
Listen Now or Download:
Training:
People often say “the busiest people get the most things done” or “if you want something to get done, ask the busiest person you know.” Why are these sayings true? Because busy people know how to multi-task and prioritize activities! Here are some of my tricks that I use to get more done.
1. Multi-task When You Can
This can mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people. To me, I multi-task by cooking lunch and dinner at the same time. It’s pretty easy to make some PBJ’s and fruit then chop veggies and throw it in the crockpot for dinner. I figure, if I’m going to do something, I might as well do a little extra to save time later.
Another of my favorite things to do is to sit with my kids and snuggle while I do something else. I’ve written thank you notes, brainstormed ideas to blog about, and made to-do lists….all while snuggling (and occasionally tickling) with my kids. Win, win.
2. When Waiting, Don’t Sit Still
Everyday I go to pick up my kids from school. In order to get a good spot in the “pick up lane”, I usually get there between 10 and 15 minutes early. For a LONG time, I would check my email or see what was going on in Facebook land….Now, I take something to work on. This is another nugget of time that you can totally rock if you think outside the box a bit. Write a letter to a friend, call and set up doctor or dentist appointments, call and talk to a friend or family member who you haven’t heard from in a while. When the kids get in the car, it’s a good excuse to end the phone call or task so it doesn’t cut into the rest of your night.
3. Decompress Regularly
There is something magical about decompressing. Sometimes, it’s as easy as taking 10 minutes to sit in my quiet room and relax, other times its running to the store for milk ALL by MYSELF (!!), and then I have a monthly Girls Night with my Bunco group. Whatever the case, these little things help me regroup and be a little more effective in the things I need to get done. Take a few minutes for YOU!!
4. To-Do Lists are a MUST
Have you ever sat down at the computer and then stared blankly at the screen thinking “I know I was going to do something…what was it….???” This happens to me constantly! When I have a To-Do list, I am much more focused in what I need and want to get done during a day. AND if you are anything like me, my list is usually 1000 items long. Put a ** next to the 2-3 items that NEED to be done TODAY. Anything else you get done is a bonus!
5. Enlist Help
My kids are great helpers…especially when we make a game out of something like putting away the laundry. They try to put away their pile of clothes before I finish sorting it. It is kind of funny and we all have a good time. PLUS, it totally saves me from having to put it away for them. Something as small as unloading the dishwasher or washing the table after dinner saves me a minute or two here or there and over the long run, really adds up.
6. Plan Ahead
Meals are a BIG time where I can save if I plan ahead a little bit. For example, if I’m making baked chicken on Tuesday and chicken stir fry on Wednesday, I will just cook more chicken on Tuesday to make leftovers on purpose. Then I don’t have to spend the time on Wednesday to cook the chicken! I will also come home from grocery shopping and cook up the ground beef that will be going into meals like casseroles or used for tacos. Once it’s cooked, I will freeze the pre-cooked meat. Then when it is time to make the meal, dinner prep goes a lot more quickly. Plus, in a crunch, I can instruct the hubby or the kids how to throw dinner together.
7. Let It Go
While this might seem like a sad nod to the movie Frozen, it is one of the tips I love most. I always try to start a load of laundry drying or start the dishwasher as I’m going to bed for the night or leaving the house to run and errand and then I can let the machine do it’s job while I’m doing something else. When I get home, I have clean laundry or dishes ready for me to put away. Then I’m not sitting around waiting for them to run and it saves me time!
Well, that’s it folks! My 7 BEST Time Management Tips. I hope they help you “find” a little more time in your day! Whether you are trying to run and grow your own Paparazzi Jewelry Business like I am, or just needing to get a little more done in the time you have, I wish you the best of success!
Show Challenge:
Choose just 1 of the tips from today and try it out for the next week! Come back and share your results with us!!