Mama Mondays: On time management

Today's Mama Monday is about time management. 

I get lots of incredible sales training through Willow House and most of it is applicable to everyday life. I'm quickly learning that one of the keys to success in every endeavor is goal planning and time management, or knowing what you want to accomplish, setting a time frame in which to accomplish it, and then---- doing it.
I will say right off the bat that while I'm a master at the art of vision casting and scheduling, my main problem lies in procrastination or excuse making. So I focus a lot of my sales training on motivation to get crackin'. In the same way, I have to spend most of my home time actually doing and not just thinking about/talking about/ praying about doing. And, as Jack Canfield and Ralph Waldo Emerson have said: Doing what we fear most first.

I once heard a talk from Vision Forum called "24 hours is all you get." It was truly a turning moment for me when I heard it, as I realized that these busy mommas I was looking up to had to make decisions about what was important to them and then stick to them. They didn't just magically get everything done-- they actually had a plan, and then they accomplished what they set out to do...or, as we learn quickly in our Willow House training: We PLAN our work, and then WORK our plan.

The first step in managing your time effectively is to decide what you are put on this planet to do. In my case, I determined that I had my finger in 11465 pies and that I needed just one to keep me busy. So I rearranged my priorities and found ways to either delegate or do only things that accomplish multiple purposes. My priorities are : God, Family, Work, Community. In that order. And almost everything I do encompasses each of them! It's been so cool to see how with a job like mine I can integrate all of my priorities seamlessly.

The second step in managing your time effectively is to put your calendar to work. I LOVE the Franklin Covey line, but there are any number of good planning calendars available out there that can help you get organized. Use the monthly layout to lay down your basic calendar, and then  use the weekly and daily entries to set goals for each day and week. I check my calendar first thing in the morning, at various intervals throughout the day, and then again before I go to bed, just to make sure that I'm staying on top of anything I need to get done. I haven't always been good about doing this, but now that I'm making a habit out of it-- it is completely changing my life. There used to be a time when I didn't think I had the ability to face some of the tough stuff that I didn't want to do. Now I see how easy it is to really get things done- the trick is to do everything in small increments and then JUST DO IT.
If I happen to miss something, or if one of the babies is grouchy, or my husband needs something extra that day, I move it over to the next day's tasks. And boom-- it's unstoppable.

I also keep my planner with me during my prayer time, now. That way I know what I am praying about better and if while I'm praying something keeps nagging me or getting in the way, I can just write it down as a task to take care of later, getting it out of the way so that my mind is free to focus on God. I even pray over my to-do list, my family, and my Willow House business all from my Calendar, because if there is a scripture that reminds me of something I need to do, I put it on my task list until it is ingrained in me. :D

Next, there is the scheduling task. Some people do better with an actual schedule, others with a routine. As a busy mom, I think routines are best because they are more flexible, but I schedule certain tasks too.
Whatever method you chose, again, the key is to take a few days to make one, and then REALLY stick to it. Do whatever your schedule says to do.

A couple of other tricks I've learned: Put like tasks with like tasks (like, emailing your aunt Betty a thank you note, writing a blog, and checking your sales totals for the day-- all tasks you need to be sitting at the computer to do.) Plan your time in small increments (like, 15 minutes at a time) because it will cause you to stay focused more easily. And one last thing: always stay positive-- if you aren't getting the results you are wanting, look at your calendar and ask yourself, line by line, "does THIS ITEM really fit into my overall vision and goals?"

Above all else, recognize that your time is your most precious resource. How you spend it will determine the quality of your family life, the success of your business endeavors, and your peace of mind. Make time your friend and learn to manage it wisely.