How do you budget your time?

homesteadmamma · 12-04-2002, 10:12 PM

This was a very difficult one for me to get down when I first begin to slow down. I had to learn that time was precious and wasting it, I could never bring it back.

I needed to look first at how I wasted it (sitting for hours in front of the tv comes to mind) and how I wanted to spend it. Did I want my time to make my family life better, to be able to give myself time just for me or was I going to waste it on frivolous things. Did I want to do a thousand things in a day or just a few and do them well.

It was hard work to begin budgeting my time but I'm so glad that I've learnt that time can never be replaced and that has I get older, time is even more precious. I want to spend my time doing the things I enjoy, spending it with family and friends and then to make time each day just for me.

How about you - how do you spend your time and do you have schedules so that your time isn't wasted.

KathiS · 12-05-2002, 03:06 PM

I don't budget my time as well as I should. I feel like I am always busy but, some days, can't tell you what I have done! I spend too much time on my computer! LOL! I tend to get too many things going at once. That makes me really frustrated. I want to learn to start less at once and get more of the things I start done.

aylasmommy · 12-05-2002, 03:09 PM

I'm like KathiS

I really need to have a schedule written up..so many times I've made one up, only it's WAY too busy to be realistic..

I do try to at LEAST get one load of dishes done/vacuuming/living room picked up during the day along with some exercise..

But I'd like to have everything running smoothly, I guess that'll have to wait until Ayla gets a little bit older, or until she's in school

TheCottageRose · 12-10-2002, 09:27 PM

I make lists of things, then life gets in my way.

But, I have found a way to get things done a little at a time when I don't have distractions.

I set a series of tasks that can be done in one area, like cleanign out the closets or a chest of drawers, short but enough to make a difference.

I put two or three things I want to get done that day and approach it in 'task sets'. Do that one task set, then set the timer for 15 break so you can come here and say 'hi' or check email. When the busser rings, I start another task set.

You get a lot o little breaks so you don't get too tired. It helps you focus on one huge project or several small things that may have gotten out of hand due to illness or kid's situations.

Also, I try to do the most I can in the shortest time available. If I am waiting on the microwave to heat soup, I challenge myself to unload the dishwasher, or spray down the counters, or wipe well the kitchen sink. And it is more of a game that way than a boring task.

Boredom....is huge with me, so I trick myself into seeing things like time management in a different light.

Jerseygirl · 01-04-2003, 07:31 PM

I am the queen of the to-do list and I can honestly say that I do get most of the things done. Between work, kids, house, extended family etc., if I didn't keep to reasonable time managment, I would never get anything accomplished. I do leave room in my day for error, emergency and fun. Today was typical: the list was: errands-5 stops in 3 towns (returning gifts, new ceiling fan, bank, drop off film etc), 3 loads of laundry, breakfast with dh and kids at my best friend's bagel shop(so I got to spend quality time with all of them), vac. and straighten living room, make dinner, straighten kitchen(dishes etc), wash kitchen floor. It's 7:30 p and I still have one load of laundry left and need to wash the kitchen floor. The kids are asleep and now dh gets his quality time and I can start on tomm. list-organizing coupons comes first.

mema2dandk · 01-07-2003, 09:20 AM

well i just posted on the verenda forum, i have lost total control of everything. time is one i didnt add. i have no time managment ability. and i really need it. i am going back to my cleaning list, that seemed to work, for awhile.