Vlog: Time Management Tips

Sorry about the background noise in the video, first of all.  It came through more than I had hoped.  

Do you have a problem managing your time?

Do you try to juggle work, school, family obligations, exercising, chores, meal planning, healthy eating, medication schedules, doctor appointments, surgeries scheduling, therapy sessions, pet care....on and on and on?

Stop.

Try these tips for taking the mystery and the headaches out of time management:

• Make a list of the things you must do.
• Make a list of the things you'd like to do.
• Get a big calendar or use Google Calendar--any calendar will do, really.  I just like big calendars.  :-)
• Put these "must do's" on the calendar.
• Next, go to your list of things you would like to do and fit them in around the "must do's."

Okay, now that you've done that, you may be thinking, "I still don't know if I can do this."  Seek help.

-Seek out help from your family:

• delegate some tasks to your spouse, parent, child, or other family members living in the home
• ask for rides to doctor's appointments, job interviews, concert venues, and the like
• ask for help to figure out how you can actually make your plans happen

-Seek out help from your boss:

• see if your work schedule can be rearranged to better accommodate your health maintenance needs
• see if you could delegate some responsibilities if you feel overwhelmed
• ask for accountability if you are having a hard time getting motivated to tackle a project

-Seek out help from the medical community:

• get a medication schedule from your pharmacist
• ask your doctor what you can and can't do as far as exercise goes
• ask for ways to be more efficient.  Are you doing things you don't have to do?  
• ask for accountability for the things that you must do

-Seek out help from friends:

• ask if they would be willing to drive you to an interview or doctor's appointment
• ask if they would be willing to act as your sounding board
• ask if they would comfort you
• ask if they would be willing to help you make your dreams come true 
• ask if they would be willing to take on tasks 
• ask if they would be willing to take on some tasks that are bogging you down
• ask for accountability for the things you really want to do for fun or to lose weight

-Seek out help from teachers:

• see if you can possibly do an assignment differently that you're struggling with
• see if you can get extra help from a tutor
• see if you can possibly change your schedule, take different classes
• see if you can be held accountable for a specific assignment by the teacher

-Cut out things you don't need to do

• you may tend to overload yourself with unnecessary expectations

-Spend less time online

-Find APPS that keep you accountable

• Smarter Time
• MyEffectiveness
• aTimeLogger

-Join accountability groups online or locally

My big thing is lists.  I make lists for everything--work, travel, meals, activities, you name it.  Also, my husband, Jim, helps me a lot at home so I can concentrate on my health maintenance and coaching.

Medical appointments are a given.  I hardly ever miss one.  I make time for them, always.  

The areas I'm working on the most are fitting in exercise and also scheduling meals.  Scheduling meals is a tough one because both our schedules are pretty hectic, but it is extremely important to do so because my medication is tied to food.  Either I have to take meds with or without food.  

What are your biggest time management issues?  

Vlog: Let Your Child Do, Be, Explore

No matter what health issues your child deals with, he/she can do something.  SOMEthing!

I remember when my niece was very young, someone was trying to help her do something and she said, "No, me do!"  I cheered!  Yes, yes, yes!  Let your child do what she can on her own.  

Find what he can do and let him do it.  Let him shine!

Stay nearby, but let her walk or wheel on her own.  

Let her fold laundry.

Let him go to the grocery store as he gets older and help you decide what to buy for food that week; how to budget; how to compare prices; and so on.   

Let her have parties, and go to parties.  Get educated about what the situation is, and get prepared.  Where is the party?  Do you know the parents?  Who is chaperoning?  What will your child need to bring?  Then let her go for it!

School trips.  I went on a few school trips, but the first one alone without my mom was when I was a junior in high school.  I was too nervous and self-conscious to go before and no one pushed me to.  I was loved, no question, but I was sheltered as a kid but I didn't push back.  I made the mistake of not insisting that my family to let me do what I could do.

Sleepovers.  I had two when I was in third grade, with the same girl, at my parents' house. Again, get educated as to the circumstances, be prepared, and let your child go for it.  She may have problems, but let her try it.  Figure out what worked and didn't work this time, and adjust accordingly for next time.  

As your child gets older, teach him how to pump gas.  He may have a vehicle one day, and if he can possibly learn to fill his own car with gas, let him.  Basic maintenance, too!  

Let your child do as much as possible on her own, whether she has chronic health issues or not.  It will build confidence.  Try it from Day 1, so your child can better handle life without you.  

If your child can't possibly manage parties, budgeting, school trips, and the like, find a facility in your area that provides socialization and perhaps basic skills training.  Providing socialization opportunities for your child is so important.  Learning to deal with a variety of locations, people, situations, and so on, will help him grow up to be a more centered, balanced human being.