Tips to help with time management

laurapaine2003@yahoo.com

I work full time (I do my shifts from home) and watch LO nearly full time (she goes to a sitters only 4 times/month). I work a lot of nights and weekends - and take care of LO during the day and all week. I am about to start a masters degree in counseling - adding even more to an insane schedule! Anyone have tips for balancing a schedule? Anything to help with time management. I feel like I need 60 hours in a 24 hour day to get things done I need to get done! Any tips or tricks or suggestions would be VERY welcome! Trying to get things done with LO all day is near impossible :-( 

ElleMF728

My best advice would be to try to incorporate LO into your cleaning routines whenever possible.  I cook dinner during snack so I pop DS2 in the high chair and he eats some puffs or melts while I do all my food prep.  He follows me around and chases the vacuum, it takes longer but it keeps him entertained and I get my work done.  He "helps" with the dishes by playing with the Tupperware around my feet while I load and unload.  The safety issue with this is resolved by setting anything sharp aside on the counter until I'm ready to shut the door to the washer.  

I honestly rarely clean or cook while my kids are napping.  That's my "me" time so I much prefer to do all of my chores while I'm on duty with the kids.  Is LO happy in the car at all? Do you have any grocery stores who do car delivery? I find that to be a huge help and much quicker, the fee isn't too bad and its completely worth it if you ask me. I'm not sure how much of this is a help but these are the things that I do to ensure I have free time every day. 

dmbfan46835

Baby Einstein videos. I was a big no tv proponent for DS. Adamant that he would not watch any tv til he was 2 or more. We were given some of the baby Einstein videos so I gave it a try and the boy is obsessed. I swear he goes into a trance.  So in the morning when I am making his breakfast and lunch for daycare I just put him in front of that with his Lovie and some toys and that's it. He could be happy for hours. So any time I need sometime to cook or clean and DH isn't there to play with him, it's dvd time. It has saved my sanity and I feel so productive now! Lol

and get a cleaning lady for the stuff you don't have the time for. We have one twice a month. She does the stuff I don't have time for anymore with a full time plus job and baby. I told DH that my time is too valuable now to spend it scrubbing toilets and he agreed. You have a full load. Good luck wth everything. It sounds stressful AF. 

amp61470

I do dishes while he snacks, clean bathroom and living room while he naps. I too let him watch TV while I do stuff. It's not always easy but things get done. He has no car issues so running errands is usually a breeze. We have to do laundry at the laundromat and he is good there too. It's around the corner from the apartment so if we need to come home we do. I wait til he is asleep to do the litter box but that's all I can't do with him around. But honestly this kid is so laid back and easy going, he makes it easy for me. Plus he still does 3 long naps a day and 11 hours a night. He will play independently, I am just lucky!