Archive for the ‘Time Management’ Category

Rambling About My Weekend…and a sneak peek into my normal routine.

Seems like I’ve been awful busy lately coming and going…and planning what’s going to happen next in my kitchen.  I decided to slow down for a moment today and share with you about what’s going on here at the White House.

Thursday evening pre-planning takes place…and a little oops!

I decided to plan early for Friday morning’s breakfast by whipping up a batch of that peanut butter baked oatmeal.  I spread it in my baking pan, covered it and put it in the fridge so that it would be ready to stick into the oven the next morning.

It all actually turned out pretty well….except that I got in a big hurry and left a few spots of baking soda that didn’t get mixed well. (eeeewww!)  Wouldn’t  you know, my hubby and youngest son got those bitter bites in their pieces…and weren’t really thrilled.  Next time, I’ll slow down and mix a little more thoroughly.

Friday morning takes a big curve…

I really planned to relax a little bit and then get busy cleaning a little during the afternoon, but my hubby suggested we take off and travel to Ponca City to do a little shopping.  We try to plan a trip there about once a month to stock up on some supplies.  Unlike most of my past years of being a little “unflexible” with my planned schedule…I decided, Why Not!

So, my schedule quickly changed just like that!  Anyway, I find that being the age of “40 something” is a little thrilling.  Most of the little worries of my 20 & 30’s seem not so important now.  I still worry sometimes about that mess lurking my boys’ rooms…but hey…I guarantee more than likely it’ll still be there tomorrow.  It won’t be crawling anywhere…and if it does…then I’m relieved that I didn’t discover whatever was crawling in there. lol

I did have a great but tiresome day.  When we got back for the evening, I made my pizza dough to get ready for our Friday Pizza Night. (Some routines are a must…and pizza is one of those big “priorities”, you know.)

No worries about Friday’s tasks that didn’t get done…

To keep me from getting too far off course, my schedule organizer notebook is my support pal that makes sure that I get everything done.  I find that just taking time to plan a few priorities to get done everyday keeps my house from falling apart.

Peering back on yesterday’s schedule, I decided I’d better tackle those tasks today (Saturday), so I simply drew a little arrow over to Saturday. (See how easy that is?)  I then added only one other task of cleaning the bathroom so that I could easily get everything done in a timely manner.

Saturday is also the day to use up our leftovers…

For lunch, I grabbed leftover pizza to heat up for my boys and took out our leftover grapes to enjoy on the side. I ate some leftover stir fry. It was still yummy!

For supper, I wanted to use some of my leftover turkey, some homemade salsa, tortilla bits, and a little shredded cheese that I had left in my sandwich drawer in the fridge.

Mission accomplished: I found this recipe online: Tex-Mex Turkey Soup

It was the perfect solution (and quite delicious). I didn’t have sour cream, but I substituted with plain yogurt.

For the topping, I used leftover bits of tortilla chips that I keep in a bag for such an occasion.  Five minutes before serving, I tossed the bits into a little pan and popped them in my toaster oven to crisp them up.  I sprinkled the tortilla bits and cheese over the soup and it really added to the flavor and texture of the soup.

My day is done…almost.  I’m planning to try this recipe tonight for a sweet treat this weekend: “Peanut Butter Bars“.  With chocolate and peanut butter together, I figure I can’t go wrong.

I’m now looking forward to being in the Lord’s House on Sunday!

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend, and please take time to share your weekend by commenting below.

My Super Mom Picture

My 12-year-old son drew this picture of me this week.  At the top of the page it says, “Super Mom“... and as you can see at the bottom… apparently Super Mom cooks super fast! 

Just a note to self: Slow down!  No wonder I’m always making a mess in the kitchen!

For you moms out there, I want to encourage you not to feel like you have to be super mom all the time.  Remember to delegate jobs.   I started teaching my boys how to fold their own laundry when they were only 4 years old. (And remember, things don’t always have to be perfect!)

Does delegating  housework make me less of a mom? No, it definitely allows me to be an “unstressed” mom…and believe me, that’s a relief to everybody in our house! lol

How about you all? How do you get your kids involved at home?  Please share any tips or ideas!

How to Have More Spare Time to Do the Things You Want to Do

I love having spare time to do things that I like to do such as reading, relaxing or even working online blogging, don’t you?

The fact is, spare time is a luxury for moms who are very busy trying to keep order in the house.   Moms are multi-taskers who have to make sure that meals are prepared, clothes are clean, the house is clean and that the kids have their needs met regarding education, appoints  and events, etc.

The good news is that you can do certain things to make every precious minute count and in turn leave you with more spare time…

1.  Plan ahead – Create lists.

If  you have errands to do, you can save gas and time by doing them all on a certain day.  Using a list will help you make sure that you don’t get distracted and forget anything while you’re out.

Keep a shopping list on your refrigerator and immediately add anything that you’re running low on while you’re cooking.  This will save you time from constantly running to the store.  You’ll also save money because each time you go to the store, you’ll more than likely pick up extra items.

Also try to go shopping in the evenings or at least on days when there are less people in the store. Why waste an hour fighting the crowds when you can be done in 30 minutes.

2.  Plan meals – Thaw foods in advance.

Plan meals for the upcoming week so that you can add the ingredients to your shopping list. Keep your meal plan handy on the fridge so that you can know what foods need to be thawed in advance. This will save you extra time and money.  You won’t be tempted to pick up fast food or run to the grocery store when you already have your food thawed and your meal planned.

3. Buy in Bulk - Stock up on sales.

If you have sufficient space, then plan ahead and buy things in bulk. Also, watch for sales on items that you frequently use and stock up on them. You’ll save money and precious time by not having to go to the supermarket so often.

4. Pay Your Bills Electronically – Create a workstation.

If you’re able to do this, then you’ll even more time by not having to write out and mail checks. If you really can’t or choose not to do this, then set up a work station to keep your checkbook, stamp, envelopes and pens close at hand.

You can also have a calendar with all your important dates and appointments written on there. Go a step further and have an inbox for mail and papers that need to be filed. You’ll never waste time looking for those things again.

5.  Don’t Let the Housework Pile Up – Schedule tasks throughout the week.

There’s nothing worse than spending your weekends cleaning. If you do a little bit each day you won’t ever need to spend a whole day cleaning. For example, do a load of laundry daily rather than letting it all pile up for Saturday.  Schedule other tasks such as vacuuming and dusting on certain days throughout the week.

Once the weekend comes around, the house should be fairly organized gaining you some spare time. You may just have to give the bathroom and kitchen a little extra cleanup attention, leaving you with plenty of time to enjoy your family.

6.  Eliminate Time Wasters -   Lose time wasters and gain extra time.

Many people complain they have no time.   The fact is, we all have 24 hours in a day.   Check to see if there are some big time wasters that you can eliminate such as talking on the phone, playing games on the computer, watching too much TV, etc.   Ah, instant time gained!

7.  Eliminate Unproductive Tasks - Give up perfectionism.

There are some tasks that we always feel just “must” be done…yet, if we were to really consider it more… it’s really not as necessary as we think.   Gain more time by giving up perfectionism or tasks that are meaningless.  Nobody sees the dust underneath that cabinet.  Try cleaning it once or twice a year instead of weekly and save tons of time!

8.   Delegate – Create a family team and work together.

Sometimes we feel like we must do everything ourselves.  Learn to ask for help.  We deprive our children the joy of helping and learning to work when we force ourselves to do it “all”.  Tell your family that you are a “team” and then work together on many household projects.

9.  Organize Your Life – Don’t waste time hunting for lost stuff.

Don’t you hate wasting time looking for stuff?  Save this wasted time by organizing your house.  The time spent doing this will save you a lot of time and hassle in return.

Create a home and place for everything. For example, have a place near the front door where you can hang your keys and purse. Don’t forget items like umbrellas, hats, gloves and scarves for those rainy or cold days.

Some additional things to pay attention to: set up storage for the kids toys, get creative organizing your clutter in baskets or containers near the area where you’ll use the items and create a system to organize all those magazines and books.

As a final word, you can’t buy more time.  The key to having more spare time is simply saving time that you already have.

Feel free to share you time-saving tips with us here…

Just Say “No”

by Blair Massey

What would you do if you were asked to chaperone your child’s field trip but your schedule was already full? Would you say yes and later regretting it? If you struggle with over-committing yourself there is a solution to your dilemma. Just say “No”. It is easier to do than you may think…

Why is it Hard to Say No?

Why is it hard for us to say no when we are asked to take on commitments that are more than we can handle?  The answer lies at the core of our being.  God designed us to be helpers.  However, when we take this to the extreme by saying yes to every person who asks for our help, we end up overbooked and overwhelmed.

I have had many conversations with women about this subject.  What I have discovered is that there are five main reasons why women have a hard time saying no.  See if you can identify with any of these reasons.

Guilt. “It is selfish to say no. If you can help you should.”
Pride. “I enjoy feeling needed. I like the praise that I receive from a job well done.”
People Pleasing. “I don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings.”
Insecurity. “What will they think of me if I refuse?”
Superwoman Mentality. “I can do this. I’ll just work harder and faster.”

When Should You Say No?

Deciding if you should take on a new responsibility can be difficult. The key is to develop a personal litmus test that you can use to decide if saying yes to a commitment is right for you.
Use the check list below as a starting point.

1. Check Your Priorities

What things do you value most in life? Knowing what is most important to you will help you decide if taking on a new commitment makes sense for you.

Make a list of the things that are a priority in your life, like your relationship with God, your family, your health, taking care of your home, your job or volunteer work, etc. Next, under each priority write out what your goals are for that priority.

For instance, my relationship with God is my number one priority. One of my goals is to have a close daily walk with Him. To do this I have set a time early each morning to read my Bible and pray. In order to do this I make sure that I get to bed on time so that I don’t oversleep. Consequently, I say no to any commitment that will keep me up late at night.

By identifying your priorities you will be able to see clearly if what you have been asked to do meshes with your priorities. If it doesn’t then you will be able to turn down the request knowing that you are making a decision that supports your values and personal goals.

Saying no to things that don’t match up with your priorities will set you free to pursue what matters to you the most. You won’t be weighed down with responsibilities that clutter your time, drain your energy and take you away from doing what you need and want to do.

2. Check Your Life.

Don’t take on new commitments if you are in the middle of a major change in your life such as getting married, having a child, a death in the family, major health issues, starting a new job or business. Things are hectic enough during these changes. Wait until things settle back to normal before making any new commitments.

3. Check Your Schedule

Don’t try to squeeze something into an already packed schedule. It is not possible to say yes to everything. Something has to give. You, your family or other obligations will undoubtedly suffer. You know this is true because it happens every time you take on more than you should.

Make it a rule to always check your schedule before committing to anything. You can always get back to the person later, plus this gives you time to think more about your decision. Say something like, “I’ll need to check my schedule and get back to you.”

4. Check With Your Husband.

If you are married, is it vital that you discuss any commitments you want to make with your husband.  This is important for two reasons.  First, because you want to make sure that you are both on the same page with your schedules.  It is embarrassing to have to retract your offer because you didn’t know that your husband would be on a business trip and can’t watch the children.  Synchronize your schedule with your husband’s schedule before you say yes to anything.

Second, it is prudent to get your husband’s input as to whether or not you are overextending yourself.  There have been many times that I was so sure I could tackle an additional project but my wise husband saw that I was “biting off more than I could chew”.  Another viewpoint is always a good thing.

How to Say No Gracefully

Saying no can be very hard, especially if you have spent years believing that you should say yes. Saying no may not be in your vocabulary. If so, here are a few examples of how you can say it gracefully. Use whichever rendition is appropriate for your situation. Remember to keep is short and sweet. You don’t need to give a reason or any details.  The less you say the less someone will be able to guilt you into saying yes.

I would love to help but:

“I have another commitment/appointment for that time/day.”
“I can’t take on any new responsibilities right now”

Offer Options

If you don’t have a lot of time but the project meshes with one of your priorities, you might opt to take on a smaller task.  Say something like, “I can’t oversee the festival but I can help with the decorations.” Or, “I can’t run the bake sale but I can bake a few batches of cookies.”

You can also offer to help sometime in the future when your schedule allows by saying, “I would love to, but I just can’t this time. But please keep me in mind for next time.”

When to Say Yes

If a request passes the check list mention above, then you can feel good about saying yes.  For example, let’s say you are asked to serve as a teacher for your child’s Bible class. Your schedule is open, you have talked it over with your husband, there are no major changes going on in your life and it fulfills one of your priorities, then you can feel great about accepting the position.

Saying no may feel strange at first but stand firm. Don’t let the other person’s dismay “guilt” you into retracting your answer. The world will keep spinning, people will still like you and someone else will step up to help. Things will all work out. Really, I promise they will.

© 2002 – 2009 Blair Massey

Christian Lifestyle expert Blair Massey publishes the popular Christian Homemaking Newsletter with over 20,000 subscribers. If you’re ready to get organized, manage your time better, and provide a peaceful, beautiful home for your family, sign up for her FREE newsletter now at www.christian-homemaking.com