Struggling to manage my time, I need some practical advice

KxMx

Glad you've found the advice helpful

I know from experience how tough it is with health problems and cleaning.

I find the little and often works for me and aim for getting things how I want most of the time. Getting things perfect all the time would be wonderful but it's also unrealistic so if I aim for most of the time and manage that I try and be happy with it.

Don't forget as well as OH doing his part you have at least one kid who can also contribute.

hollydays

My daughter tells me she has also to concentrate on all the good things in her life- and be thankfull them- mind you in a few weeks she may be complaining her oh doesn't help enough or feeds the children rubbish! Were all the same really!

Maureen43

Hi OP

I think I posted something similar a couple of years ago when my marriage ended and I just couldn't see how to get everything done. I am now a single parent btw.

I feel the following HAVE to be done so they DO get done, in order of priority:
Buy food
Cook food (and clean kitchen at same time)
Wash and dry clothes
Put bins out
Clean bathroom
Family finances

Initially I thought just the above would keep me up late at night (as I work too) but somehow it all happens.

Everything else - hoovering, dusting, gardening, household maintenance - comes below social engagements and "us" time for me and the children.

The house looks reasonable enough and I am happy with it.

P.S. Colleagues at work recommended about two months ago I try ironing nothing and see if anyone notices. Nobody has noticed yet and the iron is gathering dust! Fantastic.......

PenguinOfDeath

Maureen43 wrote: »

P.S. Colleagues at work recommended about two months ago I try ironing nothing and see if anyone notices. Nobody has noticed yet and the iron is gathering dust! Fantastic.......

This is my tactic, I don't even own an iron... Things get taken out of the dryer and hung straight away or line dried :money:

ellisthomas86

First and foremost have a habit of prioritizing the tasks that you have to be completed. Secondly allocate a particular time to each and every tasks. And after these tips as well if you will not be able to manage the time then go ahead with some tools that could manage the time to streamline the process. I am a geek who is more concerned about the time but I could not learn the time management approach in manual case study. The tool literally which I have been using for the time management is the cloud based hours tracking tool from Replicon.

Grumpypoo

I have not read the thread yet and maybe this has already been suggested:


MAYBE YOU ARE TRYING TO DO TOO MUCH


it is a scourge of modern life and maybe rather than trying to juggle everything round take time to sit down and examine what is important in your life and if necessary cut some things and people out.

sax11

I saw someones signature on here that was a good bit of advice

'don't put it down, put it away'

System

Write down all of your tasks on a daily basis. The prioritise them and give them a set time to complete. Then test your list against real time. Once you are happy with this, make yourself a rota/plan which is based on days of the week and incorporate your down time into this.

You have now prioritised your tasks and allocated a day and time. So do these task. When life springs you a surprise and you can't do the task - do not go into your down time to complete it. Remember, you prioritised already. So if it can't be done it will be left alone.

Review your list over time to make improvements/amendments to it.

The idea of this type of an exercise is that usually anxiety is associated with a loss of control which can often stem from the fact that an individual has irrational expectations of a situation. In your case this expectation is the fact that you believe you have more time than you actually do based on your own beliefs of how a home should be kept. The list will help you to reconcile your own beliefs with the realities of what is a hectic life already.

madabout

As an extra that may help further what I do is have set days for bigger jobs. So Friday is bathroom proper clean, Sunday night is ironing night etc. obviously adapt as you need if bathroom needs doing properly more often etc. That way I can look at a job and know that I don't have to think about it for another few days. Means I can then know I can relax rather than have a never ending list of things to do that day and never feel like I've completed them.

Metranil_Vavin

I am a bit of a terror for wanting to keep my house in order too, for me I find I feel out of control if things start getting messy, but the same goes for finances etc..I like to know what we have, what we need and never be in a position of panic..I don't handle stress well, so keeping on top of things is as much for my sanity (and everyone around me!).

I have 2 young children..3 years and a nine month old baby, so sometimes I do feel a bit crazy with everything that has to happen, but I write a list of what needs to be done, and I also try to prioritise. I couldn't leave the bed unmade all day either, or leave washing up till the morning etc, but again that's more about me keeping things under control.

The best thing I ever invested in was a cleaner, who comes in for 4 hours once a fortnight. It isn't cheap, but to be honest I'd rather cut down on something else I consider a 'luxury' as she gives the place a thorough going over (inc cleaning the oven..a hated job!), so all we need to do is keep on top of everything until she comes back. It makes life so much easier as we aren't spending our weekends cleaning the bathroom!

So my advice would be to get someone in to help with the cleaning if you can.

Oh and s0d ironing! Never iron a thing! In fact the only thing our iron is used for is OH's work shirts which he irons himself!