Do you ever feel like you are running in circles, never really getting anything accomplished, and feeling stressed out? As part of Inspiration Bit’s group writing project on time management, here are my top time management strategies as a work at home Mom with three kids.
1. Sunday Night Strategy Session
Sometime each Sunday afternoon/evening I take about 30 minutes to check in with my MomAgenda and get my week in order. I put all the kids appointments/sports practices in on the calendar. Next I add in my appointments, conference calls and exercise. From there I take a few minutes to plan our dinner menu for the week based on what we have going on each evening. With those two big areas of my life organized, I can face the rest of the week with a lot less stress.
2. Get Up Before Anyone Else
Each morning I start my day about 45 minutes before the rest of the family. It allows me to get my thoughts together over a good cup of coffee and I start my day off prepared rather than crazy.
3. Daily Goals List
Split a piece of paper into two columns – label one side work and one side personal. On the work side I list out the highest paying, most urgent client tasks first followed by other tasks by priority. About half of my work is for clients and half is for blogging, I also keep a running list of blog topic ideas for each of my sites in a notebook. On the personal side of the paper I list phone calls I need to make, chores I need to get done, and any errands that have to be run. IMPORTANT – I always have more on my list than I could ever get done, but that’s okay. It helps me stay on top of things that way.
4. Block Your Time
Once I know what needs to be done, I usually block out time and estimate blocks of time per task. This allows me to have a realistic idea as to what I can get done in the day and to make sure I am maximizing my earnings for the day. Since I know that I work best in the morning, I schedule my highest priority and highest dollar tasks for the first 2-3 hours of my day. I save a lot of my blog reading, commenting, web maintenance tasks for later in the day when my mind needs a break, the kids are around, and my day becomes fragmented. You may find calendar software to be helpful.
5. Use A Timer
This kind of goes with #4 and blocking your time. Start your task and set the timer for your allotted time. You will be less distracted and the timer will let you know when it is time for a break. If it is a longer task, break it up into smaller time chunks. Reward yourself with a quick walk, a snack break, a phone call break or something once your timer goes off.
6. Create Work Hours
This is REALLY important if you work from home! Establish hours that work for you, your clients, and your family and stick with them. They don’t have to be the same everyday, but set them. If you have set your work hours for today to be from 9-12, then you don’t do housework during that time. Avoid the temptation to watch Oprah during this time – unless you schedule it into your day. (Of course, there is nothing wrong with running the dishwasher or dryer while you work – that is the ultimate benefit of working from home)
7. Outsource Where Possible
Make a list of the 10 biggest time wasters or energy drainers in your day and find a way to eliminate them! This topic could actually be a post of its own – and maybe it will be soon.
Create a carpool with a friend so that you aren’t doing all of the running back and forth with the kids to sports practices. Hire a cleaning service. Barter for administrative help. And the list goes on. With a little creativity, you can save yourself A LOT of time and stress.
8. Group Errands for Efficiency
Rather than popping out for this today and that tomorrow, schedule your errands for maximum efficiency. One way to do it is to tack on an errand to another scheduled event – like stopping in for groceries after soccer practice because they are in the same end of town. Another way to do it is to schedule one morning or afternoon a week just for errands and some time away.
There is no doubt that there will be some unexpected daily drama and the occasional day where you just can’t be bothered, but put these strategies into action and I guarantee your day will run smoother!
Now I’ve shared my tips with you, what are some of the time management strategies that work for you?
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Filed under Organizing, Working from Home
This is such a great list of tips, Char. I was really looking forward to your entry on this one. You’re a super mom in my eyes, really!
It’s a bit different for me, because I work full time from 7am to 3pm, home around 4pm, and then it’s hard to get things balanced with the freelance work, blog and family. My daughter, after not seeing me since the previous night, constantly needs my attention. And I do miss her too, so for me it’s finding the balance between her, my husband and work from home.
Really great article, Char – especially the get up early part (but you know me – I do the reverse and stay up late part! 
)
Char wrote @ September 19th, 2007 at 3:21 pm
Inspirationbit – thanks for the kind words and for the inspiration for writing this.
Wendy – thanks – you are definitely a night owl – my brain stops working around 9.
Great tips! Definitely getting up early EVERY day is very helpful, as is blocking your time and having regular (mandatory) breaks. When you work from home, it’s very easy to work yourself too hard in one sitting and not notice how much your effectiveness degrades. Have a plan, stick to it, and take it as seriously as you would a job – and you’ll really succeed.
AgentSully wrote @ September 19th, 2007 at 10:52 pm
Charlene, This is really awesome! I’m with you on the Sunday nite weekly review. I’ve got something a little similar that I’ll be posting tomorrow regarding rituals.
I’m trying to get up earlier like you. It is always a great day when I do. …that means it’s time for bed for me right now! 
Great tips. I use a downloaded version of online-stopwatch.com stop watch to remind me of the time to complete a task or stretch my body.
Reztar wrote @ September 21st, 2007 at 7:19 am
Well written tips. thanks for sharing. I need to focuss on “6. Create Work Hours”. I need be discipline in my working hours at home.
[...] 8 Work At Home Time Management Strategies by Char Organize “Sunday night strategy session” to plan for the week, get up before your other family members, divide your To Do list into personal and work, set up your work hours and stick to them, outsource where possible. [...]
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Andrea wrote @ October 3rd, 2007 at 6:07 am
One big time management technique is the principle of multitasking.
Try to cook while washing the dishes or sorting out the wash. After all, the fire will do most of it.
Also, I find it possible to be working on a document while making phone calls. Some calls have you on hold for long periods. Put your phone on speaker and just keep on working until you hear them answer.
[...] 8 Work At Home Time Management Strategies by Char Plan ahead. [...]
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[...] 8 Work At Home Time Management Strategies Casual Keystrokes Great outline for managing your at-home work activities. I especially like the idea of creating a daily goals list to lay out your most important tasks. [...]
[...] Darren Murph wrote an interesting post today!.Here’s a quick excerptDo you ever feel like you are running in circles, never really getting anything accomplished, and feeling stressed out? As part of Inspiration Bit’s group writing project on time management, here are my top time management strategies as … [...]
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