What do you do when it seems like the only thing that's getting done is the laundry?
You want to be a good parent, but you're overwhelmed by all of the things you have to do. Your schedule is packed—and it's not just because you need to get the kids to school, cook dinner, and clean up after them (though you do). It's also because of your own responsibilities as an adult: work-related tasks like managing your inbox and keeping up with deadlines; personal goals like getting more sleep and making time for self-care; family obligations like paying your bills on time and visiting relatives at least once a month.
And then there are all of those things that don't seem like they should be priorities: keeping track of receipts, cleaning out your email inbox, updating your calendar… What happened to the days when all you had to worry about was making sure your kids got fed? Now there just never seems to be enough time to do anything.
Instead of feeling like you’re constantly overwhelmed with things that need to get done, use these 5 time management tips to help you feel more empowered to tackle your to-do list.
- Create a list of priorities and stick to them. If there are several things on your plate at once, prioritize them according to their importance (and by how much time they'll take). When something comes up that isn't important enough to be bumped up the list, simply move on with your day; make sure not to spend too much time feeling guilty about "not getting things done.”
- Then create your plan for the day. This can be as simple as blocking off time for each task from your list of priorities. Then, once you've done this, stick to it! Don't let yourself get distracted by other tasks or ideas; just focus on what's on the list.
- Don't multitask. It seems counter-intuitive, but studies show that people who try to do too much at once actually perform worse than people who focus on one thing at a time. So set aside some time each day where you only focus on one task—and then reward yourself with a break afterward!
- Take breaks! This also sounds contradictory (and we don't mean "take breaks by watching Netflix"), but taking breaks from work or tasks every now and then is actually really important for productivity. It gives your brain time to relax and recharge so that when you come back to work, you're ready for more.
- Finally, use an app like Google Calendar or Apple Calendar to track appointments, events, and meetings so that nothing gets missed!
You know what's funny?
I used to think that we were supposed to be able to do everything. That we were supposed to be super-human and raise our kids, work full-time, volunteer at school, stay in shape, manage our finances, and do it all without breaking a sweat.
But after having a kid and launching a company, I realized something: we're not supposed to do it all. We're just supposed to do what matters most.
We need to stop trying so hard and start being kinder to ourselves. We need some space between our responsibilities so that we can breathe again. So that we can make decisions based on what matters most—not just what looks good on paper or what other people say they're doing.
Photo by Cathryn Lavery on Unsplash