Those of you that are good at time management

[Katydid]

All you mamas who are good at time management and scheduling your days, would you care to share any tips or ideas? :shifty

I am so unfocused and such a procrastinator and I really hate that I waste so much time and don't make time for the really important things. :sigh

I need to get focused. And I need some step by step instructions on how to get there. :O

[loveberry]

:popcorn

[AmyDoll]

I'm a recovering procrastinator! I do much better if I don't get on the computer in the morning & save my GCMing & emailing for after the kids are in bed (oooo but the temptation!!) Also, lots of grace is necessary bc the best schedules fly out the window when a friend calls with a crisis or a kid has to go the dr. or you have a headache.

My advice is set little goals - I get everyone dressed by 9am - that's the latest I jump into the shower.

And I do laundry - fold clothes, iron, work upstairs during SoapNets Happy Hour, at 3 & 4 90210 comes on :bag
And I start dinner at 5 after 90210 goes off.

So - pick a couple trouble spots and set some dedicated times for them :)

[milkmommy]

We follow a loose schedule (and I just have one child) ;) but days pretty much go like this
Morning up dressed breakfast and morning chores
School
home lunch
outside time
snack'
quiet time
arts and craft
free play/outside time
snack
quiet play or TV time
dinner
bedtime

Days typically start about 7 shes in school 8:30-11am lunch is when shes gets home dinner around 6:30 and I tend to offer some snack every 2 hours. Bedtime is around 7:30 (about now)
Morning chores include getting dressed hair combed and teeth brushed
laundry put away if I washed
bathrooms wipes down
kitchen tidied from breakfast

We keep the TV on music a LOT as I hate dead silience (or better I hate the outside noise) at 3pm Gerald Mc boing boing comes on :shifty and shes knows this is her cue to grab her blanket and lay down on the couch to rest

we do a special activity after quiet time ussually some craft something

she helps me with dinner and sets the table

The rest its pretty much free time
I need to get her into bed now :)

Deanna

[Singingmom]

When you have something specific you need to be ready for, plan backwards... Jot down the time you need to leave or be ready for something and go backwards from there allotting blocks of time for the things that need to be done. That works well for planning a special meal, too. Start with the time you want everything to be ready and work back adding on the times you'll need to prepare or cook everything. Make sense?