Once upon a time, years and years ago
youI had all the time in the world, and then I became a MOM!
Disclaimer: shortest story ever, based on a zillion true stories *wink*
It doesn’t even matter whether you are a stay-at-home mum or if you go outside to work, this is the story of our lives.
I often find myself at a mad rush to cram everything into schedule. Most often I ask myself why am I running, why can’t I just walk.
The “multi-tasker” that I proclaim to be, is like a remote that controls me into meeting deadlines, countless deadlines through the day. But doing a job in a hurry takes the fun out of everything and makes you loose focus. The most significant thing I do, apart from the petty others, is mother my son. I cannot let the fun out of parenting, can I? I cannot let the anxiety, dissatisfaction and frustration caused because of “lack of time” pass on to my son.
And so, sooner or later I had to make peace with this static entity called TIME!
Time management is no longer just a concept limited to the corporates. It’s the need of the hour. Also I think there isn’t really a set book of rules that can help manage time. All lives are different and so I think we need to figure out our own survival kit.
In this post, I am sharing life Hacks that have helped me. You must keep reading, listening and trying out different tricks to finally know what works best for you.
#1 Make a list
I know you have heard that before. But one can never underestimate the power of those tiny colourful stick ons. I make tiny lists for almost everything. Whether it’s what needs to be done at home, the grocery, the emails, the phone calls, anything and everything else. Once you have these lists in place you can decide if you can delegate, defer or even omit out some chores. These lists don’t just save time but help prioritise.
#2 Make practical plans
The more doable your plan is the more organised you’d be. I often make the mistake of wrong judgements. But I have learnt from those wrong judgements. What works is to analyse what went wrong and be more practical the next time. This does not mean to regiment your life only organise it a tad bit.
#3 Wake up early
Its not easy and I know it! You don’t have to wake at the crack of dawn, try waking up 20 minutes early. This is one trick that has been most helpful for me. I bypass the early morning chaos and that makes a notable difference in the whole of my day.
#4 Focus – take it one task at a time!
When you are playing with your baby, Just PLAY! Don’t stress about what’s for dinner, or who’s call you missed, or even scroll through your Facebook feed to check what’s up. For other chores, put a DND sign onto your brain and finish one work at a time. This way that one work is completely checked off your list. Multitasking is great, but sailing in too many boats at once will lead you nowhere.
#5 Preplan
Think of what you and your baby are going to wear while you are still in shower, or even better lay the clothes out for work the previous night. Keep a set of diaper bag ready at all times. Make weekly meal plans on weekends. Think of any process in your daily life and tweak it to save time.
#6 Set a routine
Setting a routine, guides your mind to be able to do all chores in a pace out manner. The best part is kids love routines too! Train yourself into forming habits and don’t forget to add what you totally love doing to this daily routine – reading, writing, going for a walk, exercise or just lazing around for a while.
#7 Not-so-perfect is indeed perfect
We moms definitely need to praise ourselves a lot more for what we do. But instead we keep trying to be “perfect”. Your home, your baby, your body, your work, your parenting skills are great! Instead of toiling towards intangible ideals, improve but practically.
#8 Take help
I have to admit, as a new mom I wanted to do everything myself, only to realise I was taking way too much stress and a little help won’t hurt. Be it your domestic help, spouse, your child or other members of the house, take help.
#9 Put off distractions
A beep on my phone and I am tempted to rush towards it. Putting off distractions like phone, internet, social media, television or other When you work makes you more productive. That in turn will leave you with a little time for other leisure.
#10 Use the internet
I am changing the idea of putting off internet in this point. Because it can be quite a time saver of you choose to use it wisely. From paying bills to shopping, booking tickets, to doing your research, it can all be done online.
#11 Invest time in organising
For this trick to help you save time, you will have to invest some of our precious hours into it. It helps to have everything in the house organised. Store kids toys in baskets, is they can pick them up themselves, have separate drawers and shelfs for things you use often. Organise your wardrobe to spend lesser time finding clothes. There has to be a place for everything. This way you don’t just save time but your house looks neat too.
#12 Take care of yourself
Skipping meals and exercise won’t do any good. Take good care of yourself on priority. There is no avoiding this! Indulge in activities that calm your mind and help your connect with your inner self. This process is different for everyone, someone may like loud music, some others doodling, cooking or reading. I take time out to write since it helps me feel at peace.
#13 Sleep well
I have been a zombie mombie for the longest time. I totally understand you almost have a list of zillion things to do after the baby sleeps. But make sure you get atleast 7 to 8 hours of sleep. A well rested brain works way merger than a sleep deprived mind. Control your urge to cut down on sleep.
#14 Have fun all along the way
My husband feels guilty if he takes more than a day off from work, in a week. I feel terrible if I don’t finish my work in time or enjoy a few extra minutes of sleep. But all the hustle is upto no good if we don’t take time out and recharge ourselves.
#15 Stay calm
I understand there are times when we slip into panic mode. Times of utter chaos are inevitable. Stepping back, taking a deep breath and staying focused on making the situation better instead of what has passed will definitely help.
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