What's Stopping You

[Jan Ferrante]

I'm wondering if you can take a minute to let me know what is stopping your from managing your time the way that you would like.

My top culprits are taking too much on/inability to decide what to drop, letting life get in the way of my habits, and before I know it they are no longer habits, working inconsistently at the tasks that I need to work at to succeed in my goals.

Planning is the key to getting number 1 under control. Routine helps enormously with number 2 and 3.

So this week I am committing to

1 - sit down and make some decisions as to what to reduce or cut from my responsibilities and

2 - focus on getting my routines back in place and making a set time for them.

Want to join me?

Let us know what your thoughts are and what you would like to focus on this week?

[kathryn]

Yes! My top culprit(s) is my plan/planner. I want my plan and planner to be portable so I can work with it all the time. I can't seem to find a system that works for my life and find myself moving in and out of every planne/notebook/pda and yet, not propelled forward. I'm a mom. I need certain things with me all the time. And I need to be able to work in the catches of time the day brings without gathering everything. I need to know where everyone is,what everyone is doing. I need to plan and propel the dream and goals of the family. I'm not sure what I' am committing to...other than coming out of the closet of being a planning freak and not having a whole to show or a system that supports my reality.

[Jan Ferrante]

I really like the way you put it - "I need to plan and propel the dream and goals of the family".

That really spotlights something that sometimes we - I :0) forget and underlines the importance of us mom's getting it together, not only to make it smoother for the family, but so that we can all make progress on our goals as a unit and as individuals.

I keep a binder that I call my ACTion Planner on my dishwasher, it pretty much will hold anything that I need.

I find the dry erase board/communication center to be of huge value in letting me know what's up with the kids, they are all old enough to write it in although I need to keep at them to do it and I have another one that I use for me to keep me on track with a checklist of things that I want to do every day, written in a weekly format so that I can see how I am doing and do catch up at the end of the day when I can.

I don't have a solution for portable info, it isn't a large issue for me but I do try to keep things as simple as possible, set up as a system so that there are not so many variables that can go wrong! (a small example is that it really is easier to go grocery shopping at a set time and day or two of the week instead of just when ever)

I am going to get a small notebook just for my purse that I can keep things in that I need sometimes when I am out like phone numbers and directions, and to jot anything in such as a to do lists while I'm in town and maybe a master list of things to be sure that I have - eg. cell phone, reusable shopping bags/boxes if I'm going shopping etc, things that I often forget and need.

I used to be a planning freak too,until I realized that I was spending more time planning than doing and got tired of not doing what I planned. Now I keep it much simpler. There is probably a happy medium somewhere :0)

[Deb Hamwood]

I think my major problem is planning around the unpredictability of my kids. Having 3 under 5 is hard work some days, heck let's be honest... most days! Cleaning generally gets done, however I often tear my hair out when the room I have just finished cleaning looks like a tip by the end of the day, or the floor I have just mopped gets something spilt/dropped on it. (This evening it was stickers being randomly distributed on furniture, windows, clothing, you name it!) Apart from that, once they are in bed around 8PM I get stuff done... but I need to make time for study, which can't be done while they are awake... then it's getting to bed usually around 11PM-12AM some nights and making time for sleep, AND I'm still waking to breastfeed once or twice a night, then up at 5:30-6AM for first breastfeed/workout.

My biggest problem is I make a plan/schedule, but then don't end up sticking to it. I plan to get up early to get started and get my workout in, but that depends on when bub has her first breastfeed. This morning I thought I'd sneak out before she woke, but heard her crying just as I was getting my shoes on... then the other 2 woke up and after breakfasts and lunches made and workout and shower we ended up getting out the door half-an-hour late to preschool! Anyway, the point is, I can't put a timer on my kids, and they are my priority, but also the biggest spanner in the works. Scheduling in spending time with them as well as the 50 other things I have to do is just plain HARD. Enough whingeing... any suggestions??

[Jan Ferrante]

I remember those days! Even though my kids are older now, I still have them, although not on the same scale as when they were little.

When you have small children it really is impossible and unrealistic to try to stick to a strict schedule. I found that I needed to do something more in line with a revolving schedule. I would basically have a few main headings and try to rotate through them as often as possible - some needed to be done more often than others. Some days - probably a lot of days - everything did not get done.

I used a chart that was in pie form so that I could easily pick and choose what ever suited me at the time because it was not linear. I didn't do it at the time, but it could easily be put into a plastic sheet protector that could be checked off as each area is done to keep a loose score and to try to keep some balance to it.

It can be a nice tool for the kids when they are older as well since it would colour nicely.

I am going to make one up to go with the My Clean House/BOOST Housework Circuit manual.

I think it's really important that mom's especially of small kids acknowledge the value and workload that they are under. I remember when my kids were young feeling like I wasn't doing enough - only because my main job was looking after the kids. So I took on much more than I should have to 'be productive' and to keep up with what I thought everyone else expected of me.

Now I look back and realize how crazy that was!

The big thing is to choose only the most important priorities and put the rest on hold. You just can't do everything, period. They will grow up fast - I am still in shock myself - I thought it would last forever - and then you can add more on.

Simplify where ever you can and get help if you possible can, even if it's just a few times a week to get your resistance workouts in (you may be able to get creative with your intervals - even if it means a jogging stroller to sprint/walk sometimes - I don't know if anyone is doing that for those impossible days? It's so important to look after yourself - that's not optional :0)

I hope that this is of some help, let me know if you have any more questions or just need to do some brainstorming on particular items, you never know who might be able to come up with some suggestions :0)

[Fee]

I think as Mums, we are constantly doing the life-juggle, with 101 different things all going on at the same time. I know I need to slow down, and while I may have our home (almost) in control, I perhaps don't have time for other things that matter to me, or I end up accomplishing something, but only just, and I know I could have done better.
Life's too short , and we have to prioritize. I'd like to take stock of my routines and take back some more time with the family.