Delegate, Downsize and Get Things Done!
By Stephanie O'Neill, Special to Lifescript
Remember the sweet luxury of free time? You know, that thing you used to have before you became the poster woman for the overwhelmed, overworked mom of the new millennium. We have some help for harried parents. Our 10 easy steps are guaranteed to give you spare time – from a few moments to a few hours – quickly, cheaply and without leaving your kids to forage for their dinner…If you’re like me, extra time is as rare as a teen who willingly does chores. But what if you could stow away spare moments every day with minimum effort?
“It’s easy once you get started,” says Schar Ward, mother, grandmother and author of It’s About Time (Book Peddlers). “It’s a mindset. You have to make up your mind that you’re going to find ways to save time.”
By following these 10 steps, you can free up precious minutes – or even hours – every week.
“It’s easy once you get started,” says Schar Ward, mother, grandmother and author of It’s About Time (Book Peddlers). “It’s a mindset. You have to make up your mind that you’re going to find ways to save time.”
By following these 10 steps, you can free up precious minutes – or even hours – every week.
Step 1: Delegate When my husband and I first blended our families six years ago, the laundry alone nearly sent me racing out the back door. Like a bad science fiction monster, the once-manageable (pre-marriage) pile of wash I faced weekly mushroomed into a gargantuan mountain of dirty clothes that had to be tackled daily.
It was necessity (a.k.a. desperation) that introduced me to the fine art of delegation. I saved hours each week after taking just 10 minutes to teach our eldest kids how to wash their own clothes and showing our youngest how to match, fold and put away her clean laundry.
What’s more, divvying up the household chores builds responsibility and self-esteem, which helps children become more successful adults.
“There are several studies that demonstrate that children who were taught at an early age to take care of themselves do very well in life,” Ward says.
Step 2: Manage the Morning Rush HourStave off the morning madness by packing lunches in the evening. To shorten prep time, consolidate single-serving containers of applesauce, yogurt, cheese sticks, baby carrots, and other lunchables in an easy-to-reach drawer or basket in the pantry or fridge. Let your kids choose what to pack from a variety of nutritious options, and you’ll find less unwanted food at the bottom of their lunchboxes.
The same goes for tomorrow’s school outfit. Check the weather forecast, then have your kids choose what they want wear before they hit the sack. Doing so averts time-consuming searches for misplaced favorite outfits and morning squabbles over inappropriate clothing choices.
It was necessity (a.k.a. desperation) that introduced me to the fine art of delegation. I saved hours each week after taking just 10 minutes to teach our eldest kids how to wash their own clothes and showing our youngest how to match, fold and put away her clean laundry.
What’s more, divvying up the household chores builds responsibility and self-esteem, which helps children become more successful adults.
“There are several studies that demonstrate that children who were taught at an early age to take care of themselves do very well in life,” Ward says.
Step 2: Manage the Morning Rush HourStave off the morning madness by packing lunches in the evening. To shorten prep time, consolidate single-serving containers of applesauce, yogurt, cheese sticks, baby carrots, and other lunchables in an easy-to-reach drawer or basket in the pantry or fridge. Let your kids choose what to pack from a variety of nutritious options, and you’ll find less unwanted food at the bottom of their lunchboxes.
The same goes for tomorrow’s school outfit. Check the weather forecast, then have your kids choose what they want wear before they hit the sack. Doing so averts time-consuming searches for misplaced favorite outfits and morning squabbles over inappropriate clothing choices.
Step 3: Downsize Throw out old shampoos, skin care products, broken eyeliners, and outdated lipsticks crowding your bathroom cabinets. Keep only what you use and you’ll save a few extra minutes each morning. The same goes for your closet. Donate the clothes you don’t wear, don’t want or don’t fit (even those favorite “skinny” pants). Pack away seasonal clothes that you won’t be wearing for a few months. Fewer clothes mean less time searching for outfits – and the luxury of more closet space.
Kids’ rooms stuffed with unused toys? Let them choose some to donate to charity, then stow a portion of the remainders in a box to be stored in the garage. Every 4-6 months, swap the contents of that box with another batch of ignored playthings. Your kids will be thrilled to open the box of “new” familiar toys.
Step 4: Avoid Multitasking MadnessGranted, it’s a tough habit to break. But begin by making time every day to focus on a particular task. You’ll complete it faster and do a better job if you don’t allow interruptions.
“When we multitask we are dividing our attention and focus, so we’re not as effective in our roles,” says Julie Watson Smith, author of Mommyhood Diaries: Living the Chaos One Day at a Time (Wyatt-Mackenzie) and founder of the website MommyHullabaloo.com.
Watson Smith says she balances the needs of her three young children and her home-based career by alternating two-hour blocks of uninterrupted work time with family and kid time every day. Learning to be flexible and to live with the chaos that defines motherhood is key for moms who work, study or run a business from home.
Kids’ rooms stuffed with unused toys? Let them choose some to donate to charity, then stow a portion of the remainders in a box to be stored in the garage. Every 4-6 months, swap the contents of that box with another batch of ignored playthings. Your kids will be thrilled to open the box of “new” familiar toys.
Step 4: Avoid Multitasking MadnessGranted, it’s a tough habit to break. But begin by making time every day to focus on a particular task. You’ll complete it faster and do a better job if you don’t allow interruptions.
“When we multitask we are dividing our attention and focus, so we’re not as effective in our roles,” says Julie Watson Smith, author of Mommyhood Diaries: Living the Chaos One Day at a Time (Wyatt-Mackenzie) and founder of the website MommyHullabaloo.com.
Watson Smith says she balances the needs of her three young children and her home-based career by alternating two-hour blocks of uninterrupted work time with family and kid time every day. Learning to be flexible and to live with the chaos that defines motherhood is key for moms who work, study or run a business from home.
Step 5: Color Code the KidsA pile of wet towels left on the bathroom floor? Dirty sheets dumped on the washer? Ward suggests color coding your children’s towels, sheets, socks, drinking glasses, and anything else you can find to help you and your children keep track of whose stuff is whose. This way, when something’s left out, you’ll know immediately who’s responsible.
Step 6: Cook to Save TimeWith a bit of planning, home-cooked meals can save a ton of time – it’s certainly more efficient, and less expensive, than dining out. The trick? When you cook, make more than you need. Making lasagna? Make two. A casserole? Double or triple the recipe, then freeze the extra. Include your young chefs in the preparations and get them to help wash dinner dishes.
Step 7: Just Say No Too many mothers define their self-worth by how booked they are.
“That’s a mistake,” Watson Smith says. “We want to say ‘yes’ to the Brownie troop, to dinner out, to organizing the family reunion.”
Instead, she advocates saying “no” more often and using the time saved to focus on your family and you.
Step 8: Calendar It This simple idea from Ward can save untold amounts of time: Hang a large manila envelope behind your wall calendar. As invitations, school events and appointments arise, immediately mark them on the calendar and then drop the notice into the envelope.
“When I get ready to go to the event, I have the directions and time right there and there’s no need to spend time searching for them,” Watson Smith says.
Step 6: Cook to Save TimeWith a bit of planning, home-cooked meals can save a ton of time – it’s certainly more efficient, and less expensive, than dining out. The trick? When you cook, make more than you need. Making lasagna? Make two. A casserole? Double or triple the recipe, then freeze the extra. Include your young chefs in the preparations and get them to help wash dinner dishes.
Step 7: Just Say No Too many mothers define their self-worth by how booked they are.
“That’s a mistake,” Watson Smith says. “We want to say ‘yes’ to the Brownie troop, to dinner out, to organizing the family reunion.”
Instead, she advocates saying “no” more often and using the time saved to focus on your family and you.
Step 8: Calendar It This simple idea from Ward can save untold amounts of time: Hang a large manila envelope behind your wall calendar. As invitations, school events and appointments arise, immediately mark them on the calendar and then drop the notice into the envelope.
“When I get ready to go to the event, I have the directions and time right there and there’s no need to spend time searching for them,” Watson Smith says.
Step 9: Break It DownAnything is manageable in small bites. So when a task is too daunting, break it down into one-hour chunks. This is an especially handy tip if you clean your own house. Ward points out that one hour spent on one room every day or two will keep your home spic and span and, more important, will keep your schedule on track.
Step 10: Use Technology Wisely Tech can save time if you manage it right. If you don’t, precious minutes tend to drain away while you surf the Web, text message and talk on the phone.
To keep your communication efficient, switch from phone calls to email wherever possible; it usually takes less time. Write and respond to email at off-hours – early in the day or late at night when your energy levels are low. Keep your messages brief, and set a time limit for yourself to spend on email. (Resist the urge to open every joke and unsolicited ad.)
Likewise, keep phone conversations brief. If you need a push in the right direction, set a timer for yourself – say 20 minutes – and when it goes off, get off the phone. If you’re too busy to answer the phone in the first place, let them go to voicemail. Don’t feel guilty; that’s what it’s for. Return calls when you’ve got downtime and can focus on the conversation.
Step 10: Use Technology Wisely Tech can save time if you manage it right. If you don’t, precious minutes tend to drain away while you surf the Web, text message and talk on the phone.
To keep your communication efficient, switch from phone calls to email wherever possible; it usually takes less time. Write and respond to email at off-hours – early in the day or late at night when your energy levels are low. Keep your messages brief, and set a time limit for yourself to spend on email. (Resist the urge to open every joke and unsolicited ad.)
Likewise, keep phone conversations brief. If you need a push in the right direction, set a timer for yourself – say 20 minutes – and when it goes off, get off the phone. If you’re too busy to answer the phone in the first place, let them go to voicemail. Don’t feel guilty; that’s what it’s for. Return calls when you’ve got downtime and can focus on the conversation.
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