If you’re a busy mom you probably work pretty hard looking for ways to save time, but sometimes it seems that all the effort you put into it doesn’t amount to anything. Why is this happening so often? Is there something you are doing wrong? Or maybe is it something that you might not be aware of?
We all go through different situations in our lives, but there are some things we do that have similar results. Here are some common mistakes that people make when they try to save time. They well help you understand better what you may be doing wrong and how you can get on the right track.
Doing Things in a Hurry
It’s finally Friday and you seem to be doing everything in a hurry. You eat your breakfast in a hurry, you do your workouts as fast as you can and you try to finish work earlier. We all do that at one point in our lives. But it’s not healthy and fair. Our stomachs, bodies and work etiquette will have to suffer. And we might miss something important at work and have to redo the job anyway, which completely defeats the purpose if you’re trying to save time!
Not Keeping an Agenda
Keeping an agenda with you can be a surprising way to save time. An agenda doesn’t have to be anything fancy either; it can be a memo note on your mobile phone or a simple calendar. There are so many appealing mobile apps that can do the job for you, for instance, or you can also keep a real agenda and write down your schedule. Be old fashioned, be a friend of technology but try to keep up with your schedule and goals of the day, week or month. It will help you save money, time and enjoy some hours and days off when you can daydream or pamper yourself at the spa or go on a trip.
Not Counting the Mornings
A lot of people perceive mornings as “dead time”. You linger more in bed, you have a long breakfast, or you just move at a snail’s pace in general. You can make use of every moment of the day, though, including the morning. It’s definitely not off-limits. You can work out in the mornings; you can work from home on your laptop to make the workdays a little more bearable, you can plan the rest of the day during morning; you can do so many things that will help you save time for the rest of the day.
Not Designating Days for Different Activities
You want to save time but you shy away from routine. Sometimes routine is more than welcome, especially when it comes to saving time. One of the best ways to save time is to have a specific schedule in mind. You can assign a different task or chore to each day of the week. It may seem like overkill, but extreme organization is often an amazing way to save time. Remember that practice makes perfect and once you’ve established a schedule and stick to it, things will end up coming naturally to you and you won’t feel exhausted to follow a pattern; you’ll get used to it and find it easier if you do it on a regular basis.
Not Multi-Tasking
One of my favorite ways to save time, though, is making use of down time. I often find myself completing mundane tasks, like folding laundry or clipping coupons, during my down time when I’m not doing much other than watching a movie for instance. I’ll also plan out different activities and tasks for work while in the shower or doing dishes. Multi-tasking can really save time, if you can easily juggle the two activities.
Not Prepping and Planning Ahead
Finally, I can’t stress the importance of planning and prepping in advance in order to save time! For instance, getting everything ready the night before, including clothes and school items, can really save time and take the stress out of mornings. Taking a few minutes to prep certain parts of the night’s meal that morning can also really save time. Always take a moment and ask yourself if there’s a way you can prep ahead to save time later on certain tasks.
