Now What? Organize Your Free Time

I know the back to school dream of the parent.  The one where if you finally have your kids in school full time so you are going to get all the projects left untouched in your home complete.  You may even squeeze in a leisurely bath while you dread anxiously await your lovely children to return.  What to do with all this new found free time?  Then reality kicks in and you realize your dream did not come true as you kiss your kiddos good bye every morning.  You seem to have nothing done at the end of the day.  They come back much sooner then you every imagined.  When did the clock start going from 9:59 am to 3:05 pm?  What happened to all the other minutes?  Now don’t get me wrong, you want your kids to come home, but how can you be excited when all you’ve accomplished is the gym and the grocery store.  The productivity gods are not impressed. 

For those who went from corporate life to stay at home mom, you think “I used to have 8 reports, a conference meeting, pitch 4 new clients and go out to lunch all before 3 pm!  Now I am lucky to get a shower in during the day!”.  How does the day disappear so quickly when you have a the same amount of time that you used to?  There are still only 24 hours in a day, but why do the 24 hours seem to go light speed  now?  It all has to do with managing your day. 

Contemplate:  Think about where your time is allocated to in each day.  Take time to make time.  Look at where you are wasting time.  Now be honest and don’t think you don’t waste time.  We all do it.  You got sucked into the latest status updates on FaceBook, you had a phone conversation with a friend that went way too long, you volunteer for an activity that you dread, you click on a link in an email that starts a web surfing adventure…you see what I mean.  We all waste time.  This isn’t to say you can’t do those things ever, it just means you need to set boundaries to help guide your time.  Also, think about when you work best:  morning, afternoon, evening?  Make sure you know when you can be most productive so you can allocate your time better.

Delegate:  When you worked in an office, you had help.  Whether you had an assistant, a co-worker, or even an employer, you had the opportunity to ask for help.  Why does that seem to be a problem for the stay at home/work from home folks?  You think, I should be able to do this all without the kids around, but really delegation is more important than ever.  You may not get it done the right your way, but you can at least know it is getting done.  Delegation is best for those tasks you tend to procrastinate on or fail to remember to do.  They aren’t getting done because they aren’t a priority.  Pass the buck and get it off your list!  Great people to delegate to:  Husbands, children, house cleaners, neighborhood teens, grandparents, friends, I mean the list is endless!  Just make sure you compensate by doing something back that works in your schedule or with monetary tokens of appreciation! 

Regulate:  Set a regular schedule to get your tasks done.  Look at what normally needs to take place and what you usually do in your week.  Group errands together and group chores around the house together so you are more efficient.  It seems so mundane, but in actuality, it will be so much easier to know what to do and when to do it.  Your family will also know when laundry gets done so they will have what they need ready to be washed (OK, we may still need to check with them and ask repeatedly, but hopefully it is easier than throwing in another chore throughout the week).   

For more tips on Regulating check out my blog post on Automating Your Day :

http://afreshstartblog.wordpress.com/2009/06/26/automate-your-day-clearing-the-mental-clutter/

Manipulate:  I don’t mean be deceitful to others, I mean be flexible with your ideas of time and scheduling.  How can you change things on the calendar to be more efficient.  Does this mean you used to work out in the morning at 9 am and now it will have to be 11 am because  you can accomplish more in the morning around the house?  Can you go to one grocery store instead of 3 or 4?  Or can you grocery shop once a week on a specific day and get all you need for a week instead of running out multiple times?   There are ways to change our habits and become more efficient in the process.

Just say NO:  OK, it doesn’t rhyme, but it is the most important thing to get more done.  Stop doing for others if you aren’t getting things done yourself.  Take a break from volunteering, sign up for the easy jobs in the classroom, don’t attend events you aren’t excited for.  Say no to yourself as well.  Does it have to be done perfectly, or is just OK good enough?  Do you really need to send out elaborate invitations to an all out birthday, or would a small gathering or activity be enough to celebrate?  Think about what you can take off your to-do’s and know it is OK to say NO.

Don’t let interruptions get you down!  This can be the worst culprit of time stealing and an unproductive day.  Can you turn off the phones, turn off the email reminders, turn off the TV and don’t answer the door for two hours a day?  Can you see friends in the store and let them know you will give them a call later, but you must get going?  Avoiding the interruptions can make you a speed machine in no time!

Once you have readjusted your schedule, delegated tasks, said no, and limit interruptions, you will be on your way to a taking those bubble baths and maybe even a leisurely nap!  Well, really, you just might feel a little less frantic and a little more mellow.  Also, you will be ready to focus on the kids when they walk back through the door!

Clutter Give Aways

How many times have you received a free gift with purchase? There is a bit of a high we feel when we are given things for free! Almost like we are beating the system, whatever that system may be. Whether it is at the department store makeup counter, Costco, a trade show or a store coupon – we take anything that is given away. Never do we think “do I need this”, we just take it!

I have found many “freebies” when working with my organizing clients. Free hotel shampoos/soaps/lotions, t-shirts, makeup bags, duffel bags, coffee cups, pens, pads of paper – these items are stowed in drawers, closets and cabinets. They think they may use these some day, or maybe will give the items away to people they know. But still, they sit and are not touched for months and years. What is the cost of “free clutter”?

You have the ability to say no to your free gifts with purchase. Unless you know you will use these items in the next 3 months, you have someone you will give it to immediately, or you will donate it to a charity, just say no! Resist the urge to receive more clutter in your life!

You homework today is to go on a scavenger hunt to see how many freebie items you have tucked away and don’t use. Let’s see who has the most! Leave your results in the comments!