TIME MANAGEMENT AND WORKING MOTHERS
We as woman are bound by manifold targets, goals and
objectives compared to men folks. Whether we like it or not these targets are
supposed to be achieved within the stipulated time. At times, correction, most
of the time most of these targets cannot be prioritized and fall in the same
category of FLASH (the topmost priority given in army) thereby making our task,
even the simplest most stressful.
The easiest and the only solution to this situation
is TIME MANAGEMENT.
This article is mainly prepared to make our task
simpler and effectively accomplish it and lead a stress free life.
For easy assimilation the topic has been divided in
to three parts:
1.
What is Time
management?
2.
Time management
for career women
3.
Time management
for working mothers
Time
management , as per WIKIPEDIA is the process of planning and
exercising conscious control over the amount of time spent on specific
activities, especially to increase effectiveness, efficiency or productivity.
It is a juggling act of various demands of study, social life, employment,
family, and personal interests and commitments with the finiteness of time.
Using time effectively gives the person "choice" on spending/
managing activities at their own time and expediency.
Time management and career women
We aren’t going to create our dream career
if we feel like there is not enough time in the day. In order to be able to
master our career , we have to be able
to master our life right now. That starts with good time management
habits.
First, we master our time and productivity so our calendar and
to-do list actually make us happy, not stressed.
Discipline
and Planning
One of the biggest time management mistakes is just doing
whatever comes our way instead of having exact times. Discipline and
planning are required if we want to achieve our career goals.
Set
Boundaries
It’s so important to realize what our priorities are
and to guard that time as much as possible. Prioritize time with family and self .Keep aside
socializing and social media when it comes in conflict with self n family time.
Categorize Time and batching
One of the most important time management habits is to
categorize time. Write down all the tasks, at work, administrative and personal.
Batching is when we group similar tasks into blocks of time. During
this time there are no distractions. Every time we are distracted, it takes 15
minutes to regain complete focus again.
I am Time
Embrace one profound simple truth
and that is we are where time comes from. Say to oneself “I acknowledge that I
am the source of my time.” And our stress will disappear the moment we accept
that and we really claim ownership of it.
The Pareto Principles
The Pareto Principle states that 20% of our input
creates 80% of our results. Focus on the 20% that will get
the results we want. That means we must really focus on what is working
when launching dream career or business. We need to focus on the 20% of what is
going to make the difference to save time and get faster results. 80% of what
we are doing right now could be a waste of time.
Free Up Your Time
Because our career goals are SO IMPORTANT right now and are
really going to determine the rest of our future and happiness, we need to be
very focused and selfish with our time management.
Make a Morning Ritual
Morning routine consists of journaling, meditating,
listening to affirmations, reviewing vision board and goals, and reading, praying,
and exercising. This will completely change one’s life and outlook on the day
ahead, rather than checking mails, texting and other gadget related stuff
Find Ones Best Time
Not everyone can jump out of bed in the mornings and get to
work. Not everyone can do his or her best work from 1 am-4 am. When are
we the most focused? Morning, afternoon, or night? Spend the best time
focusing on what is the most important to self – job searching, launching our
business and getting our career unstuck.
Wake Up Earlier
The more decisions we make in the day, the less
energy we have for our passions, dreams, and goals. Make the best
decisions and do our best work on launching our dream career or
business first thing in the morning!
Limit Your Priorities
When it comes to time management habits, focus on ONE
THING at a time. It’s time to make a list of everything we need to get
done this week. Then, prioritize the list in order of importance. Our
priorities should be the tasks that will make the biggest difference.
Plan Your Weekly Review
How do I plan out my week for success so I am not stressed?
I go into Monday knowing exactly what I am going to do for the week. My biggest
time management secret is my Friday afternoon weekly review.
Remember to take baby steps! There is no need to implement
all time management tips tomorrow. Take it slow to be a more productive rock
star and be less stressful.
Time management and working mothers
To
say that working mothers are busy these days is an understatement—I raised two
children while working my way up so I know just how elusive and valuable spare
time can be. Even the busiest mom can carve out pockets of breathing room from
even the craziest day. Whether you use it to work, to care for others or to
care for yourself so much can be achieved in those “hot minutes.”
While little blocks of “bonus time” are helpful for everyone, working mothers
know how to really make them count—even a 15-minute window can feel like an
hour’s worth of potential.But I don’t have to tell you that. Like most working
moms, life is most likely choreographed
down to the minute. There are ways to take the fine art of doing more
with less time to the next level. Here are
some valuable tips.
1.
Spend enough time sleeping. Prioritize
sleep needs so one can thrive. You’ll drag all day and ultimately waste time if
under-rested. Schedule sleep like any other activity and go to bed at bedtime
so can function the next day. (And enforce kids’ bedtimes too. It’s good for
them and for us.)
2.
Establish sane work hours. Before
committing to taking a new role, validate alignment of expectations for work
hours with potential employer. Life commitments and job projects will ebb and
flow, so be sure to check in periodically to make sure that expectations have
not changed. Many working mothers reserve nights and weekends exclusively for
family.
3.
Embrace the power of “No.”
Saying no can be tough, but it is a skill that frees up time one wouldn’t
otherwise have access to. Further, watching us enforce
limits teaches our kids the value of
setting boundaries.
4.
Set attainable daily goals. A
to-do list is useless if it’s too ambitious. What’s the point of writing down
unachievable tasks? We’re not superheroes and shouldn’t try to be. Make daily
goals realistic enough to complete. Remember, we can always do more if we have
the time.
5.
Don’t even try to multitask. People perform better when
they give focused attention to the task at hand. When at work, stop worrying
about dinner; when helping kids with
studies don’t be involved in any other
chores, give full attention to kids.
6.
Let go of perfection. It doesn’t exist, therefore
you can’t achieve it. Instead of obsessively cleaning an already clean-enough
house, or toiling toward intangible ideals (like being the “perfect” mom or
having the “perfect” figure), figure out a more practical use for your time.
Let
others manage their responsibilities themselves. This includes children, spouse and colleagues.
7.
Step away from the Internet. Surfing
the web is a huge time waster for parents and children. An innocent little
break can turn into hours of wasted time . Establish limits on how much screen
time you and your kids get, and then unplug once reached that limit.
8.
Have some fun along the way. Stressed-out
people aren’t all that productive. We need relaxation to avoid burnout at home
and at work. Make time for vacations, long weekends, and family fun to keep
grounded and joyful.
9.
Get present so you can be productive. Mindfulness
allows us to tune into the task at hand. Practices like yoga or meditation can
help focus, and focus drives productivity. Embrace the method that speaks to
us, and tune back in when we catch our self drifting.
10.
Stop owning other people’s stuff. .
We all tend to take on more than our share of responsibility and it’s a real
time waster. Let others manage their responsibilities themselves. This includes
our children, spouse and colleagues
.
11.
Let go and delegate. Learn to know when to let
someone else handle a task. Relinquishing control is tough, but it’s also
necessary to allow others to pitch in. Delegating is not admitting defeat.
Rather, it’s about maximizing the potential of entire network.
One
can “get it all done” in the time in hand—and have sweet moments of freedom
left over. All we need to do is implement a few smart rules upon our daily
routine. And when we do find that we have created some leftover room for
something new, be sure to do something wonderful and kind for self. We deserve
it.
References:-
Wikipedia
