Time? What time?
“I just don’t have time.” This a phrase I hear others say constantly. In fact, it’s one of my favorite excuses for almost anything. Time is something that is precious to us here at Walnut Springs Farm. We try to make the most of our time, no matter what we’ve got going on. Homeschooling, operating three businesses and a small farm doesn’t leave much time for want…at least for this Farm Mom and Dad. So here are a few of my time managing tips:
Start out the day with a plan. Just because I have a plan in mind for the day, doesn’t mean all is going to go as planned. However, it helps keep me focused on the most important tasks if I have a general plan of what needs to be done that day.
Learn to multi task where you can. For example, while I’m teaching school to my first grader, I often color with the smaller children or I teach lessons while I’m nursing the Farm Baby and checking text messages and other smaller, quick tasks. If one of the children needs to read aloud, I may have him or her read while I’m ironing, washing dishes or cooking.
Know that each day will never go exactly as planned. Learn to roll with it. This is the hardest thing for me to do, but I’m learning. Babies don’t dirty diapers at convenient times, it’s usually while ten other things are going on at the same time. I’m learning to roll with it, (after seven children I should have this down) but I must admit this is the hardest for me.
Learn to prioritize tasks. I do this by making lists of things that need to be done and then prioritize by what needs good weather outside, what can be done inside after dark, what’s best to do while little ones are napping or down for the night, what has to be done simply because it’s necessary. Those kind of things.
I setup things in my kitchen and work areas to save me steps. A step or two saved is time saved.
Give everything a place. This is a huge timesaver. If everything is in its place, then you’re not wasting time looking for misplaced things. This is becoming a harder task at our house as we add more family members but I’m pretty determined in this arena.
Each evening I make a list of things to be done the next day, so I can have an idea as I get up in the morning what I needs my attention (Hint: I usually start the day with prayer and laundry. In that order).
Time managed is time saved and being a good manager of your time is necessary for order in the home, business or wherever you may be. Even the children are learning this skill in their studies this year. We added a few live online courses to school this year and they are learning to manage their time by arriving to the class timely and by turning in assignments by deadlines. These are things we’ve always required of them, but it’s especially important when others are involved. We want our children to not only value their time but to value the time of others by being timely themselves. Time--we all have the same amount of it in day. Let’s make the most of it!
