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Time Management by Crisis
By karen | January 23, 2007There is a large variety of advice out there for Time Management, millions of ways to plan your day so you will accomplish your highest priority tasks and so forth. You need to have a prioritized To Do list, action plans, activity logs, scheduling software. You need all this stuff to make your time work for your success.
Okay, that all sounds good. Maybe I can apply all of these time management tips and techniques and really start creating some massive success in my life.
So I sit down to plan my day. Wait, what is happening in my kitchen? Oh no, I better run in there and see what all the commotion is. I’ll be right back and finish my day plan.
Nothing to serious, my 3 year old just spilled an entire carton of chocolate soymilk on the floor. She just wanted to “do it herself” and then the baby started crawling around in it and it got all over her and the dog started licking it up. So it’ll just take me a few minutes, I’ll mop this up and be back to planning my day in no time. Oops, I forgot the baby had chocolate soymilk all over her clothes. I’ll just change them really fast. “Oh sweetheart, it’s in your hair, you are a sticky mess”. No problem, I’ll just run some bathwater and quick put her in the tub. Speedy quick, she will be out of the tub and I can go back and plan my day.
Ah, oh here comes the 3 year old and she’s naked, plopped right down in the tub next to her sister! No problem I’ll just give them both a bath really quick and I will be back in my home office to plan my day.
“Okay girls, time to get out. Oh no, where are the towels? Still in the dryer? Stay here I’ll run go get a towel.” No problem I’ll just quick get them both dressed and head back to my home office to plan my day.
Finally, back in my office to plan my day. “Mommy, I need paper” “Mommy, I need paper”, “Mommy I need paper”, “Mommy I need paper”.
Okay, Okay honey; I heard you the first time. I’ll hurry up and get you some paper and I’ll be right back to plan my day.
“Mommy, Mommy I need crayons”, “Mommy, Mommy I need crayons” Okay, just a second I’ll get you some crayons. Then I will run back in here and plan my day.
Okay, I am planning my day. Oh my gosh, what is that wailing I hear? The baby just got stuck underneath the drawers she had pulled out and was dumping out all of the Tupperware. “It’s okay sweetheart, Mommy is kissing it better”. Wow, this kitchen looks like a danger zone I better put this Tupperware back in the drawer before someone hurts themselves. It’ll just take a second and I’ll be back to plan my day.
Oh no, it’s 2:00 and we haven’t even had lunch yet. What was I thinking? I’ll just hurry up and fix lunch and then I can go plan my day. Maybe the girls will go down for a nap; that would be a nice thing.
Wow, quiet time finally. I will sit right down here and use some of these time management techniques and plan for my success.
Oh no, is it that time already? Here comes the 7-year old, home from school. “ Mom, I have to read this book for tomorrow” “Mom, can I take treats tomorrow for my birthday?” “Mom, can I wear this to school tomorrow?”
“Mom, you have to read with me now!”
Okay, Okay, I’ll just plan my day in a little while.
Oh no, what are we going to have for dinner? I haven’t even thought about it. I’ll just figure something out here speedy quick and then I will go back and plan my day.
Oh no, what happened to my day? I have no plan! How can I make this time management stuff work for me?
I guess I’m going to have to revise my life and my time management plan. It seems that in my life “Time Management by Crisis” works better.
Perhaps, planning my day is not the best use of my time. Instead, I will use my time to be grateful, to count my blessings and to really remember that I am the luckiest Mom in the world to be able to work from home and be with my children that I adore and even though my day plans don’t usually work out all of my dreams are still coming true.
To paraphrase one of my favorite songs “Just another day in Paradise, no place I’d rather be”.
This article is part of the Carnival of Family Life #39 located at An Island Life
January 28th, 2007 at 7:45 pm
[...] Do you use your time wisely? Stop by LiveThePower where Karen shares some interesting thoughts in Time Management by Crisis. [...]
January 28th, 2007 at 8:52 pm
Finding blessings where others find frustrations and interruptions of their activities plan is paradise. A wonderful reframing of the frustrations of working for a living and being a parent first.
January 28th, 2007 at 9:07 pm
Thank you Dr. Hal.
It really is true. This is the life I wanted and dreamed of back when, took me awhile to get this life but I am happy and grateful!
January 29th, 2007 at 8:56 pm
One thing I have learned about time management is that it is not something you can teach. Each person has their own little system that works best for them.
Here via the carnival of family life.
January 29th, 2007 at 9:32 pm
Yes, Lisa you are absolutely right! What works for me might not work for you and vice versa.
Thanks for stopping by!
July 22nd, 2007 at 7:35 pm
It is true that as a mother time management takes on a whole new meaning. I use intend lists. These are much like to do lists, with less stress. I intend on getting things done. If I don’t get the items on the list done, I will do the best I can and intend again tomorrow.
The key to making these lists work for your benefit is assigning everything a priority value. I do this mentally as I go because I never know what may come up. A quick my child is hurt=10 I need to write an article for my blog=7 will work. The only purpose these numbers really serve is to keep my intention list from becoming a procrastination list.