NTR: Need Help with Time Management... (LONG)

bwralc

Please share your tips for getting things done.  I feel that I'm always chronically behind in getting everything done.  I know a lot of this stems from me always volunteering myself to help out my family so I'm trying to cut back but I know I can do better with time management too and I would love suggestions of little things or big things you do to help keep you on track.

Here are some suggestions I got already that I'm sharing:

-My Mom told me to buy all cards/gifts for all of the events for a couple months out so I'm not always running out for the cards/gifts last minute.

-If possible always grocery shop/meal plan on the same day every week

-set house cleaning into zones, such as upstairs, main floor etc. and clean only those areas on certain days.

Here is my current situation though and I'm not sure how to keep up at times like these.  DH is working 6 day work weeks lately and most summer weekends both of our days are totally booked so when I need to get things done it's all on me.  So like this past weekend Saturday DH worked 7-7 and Sunday was my cousins graduation.  I was gone from 10am-8pm b/c I drove to the city to see him graduate and the ceremony was 4 hours  then drove to the dinner where DH met up there with DD then we drove the hour home.  This week I'm custom making my best friends bachelorette party invites while trying to catch up from the weekend of getting nothing done with the house.  I have a million loads of laundry, dishes, no food in the house....UGH.  Problem is most weekends are this way and most weeks I have a project and I can' t figure out how to get it all done.....

 

MWiley0225

I feel your pain.I Have this issue as well. I leave my house m-f @ 630am and get home @ 6pm.My husband works m-f 830am-10pm and sun 7-5.So Always busy and I have the 3 kids on my own most of the time. Here is what works for me and you can custom to your needs. Every night since I have 3 kids I try to do a load of laundry and clean a room.I quick pick up the house every night and on Sun morn we I take the kids grocery shop after I clip coupons and plan meals.I know its a lot and its hard.However I think of it as I get done what I can and what doesn't get done I will get to it another time. Also my husband does clean a room each day too.I then take after all my kids are asleep from 9-10 to do my crafts cards ect. pm if you need anything even just to vent

stgn01

Bottom line is you need to say no.....to lots of people. No, I'm not going to make the invitations, but I can bring a bottle of wine. Or no, I will not hand make every.single.invite. I will go to the store and buy them.It sounds like you're schedule is pretty cramped, but you're not making it much easier on yourself.

FWIW I always end up doing the bulk of cleaning (dusting, dishes, laundry) after DD is asleep. 

jwthoms1

It sounds like you are overwhelmed because the things you mentioned don't sound that time consuming.  You just have to get started.

yale

Those are good tips from your mom - that's how I used to do cleaning. I also always do laundry on the same day of the week. Is there any way you could afford to have someone come in and clean once or twice a month? Or perhaps just come in and clean those areas you never get to? Since I went back to work PT, we hired a housecleaner that comes every other week - they don't do everything, but most of the house which leaves less for us to do. How about grocery delivery? They don't do it in our area yet, but my SIL (who has 5 kids) does this all the time. The delivery charge is only about $10 where she lives - worth it IMO. And I agree with PP - simplify what you commit yourself to. Don't say yes to everything and make your projects easier on yourself.

bwralc

jwthoms1:

It sounds like you are overwhelmed because the things you mentioned don't sound that time consuming.  You just have to get started.

This comment totally made me LOL.  Thanks for the prespective.  I didn't list everything I have going on, I just kinda wanted to get the point across that I am always going, going, going and always behind.

bwralc

Thanks for all of the suggestions and for the understanding.  It's been a rough 2 years for us, like I'm sure it has been with a lot of you and my life is just kinda been me trying to wing it to get by.  DD was failure to thrive b/c of food allergies, DH's Dad had a stroke and we had to move him up here from a state away and deal with his estate by ourselves since he is a bachelor.  He was a hoarder and we had to deal with getting rid of/selling all of his stuff and selling his farm.  My DH was diagnosed with adult onset food allergies and wound up in the hospital, I threw out my back and had a slipped disk.  Plus learning how to be a Mom to our daughter.

During all of this I was running on pure adrenaline.  I was some how always on the go, keeping up with everything.  I had it all under control, still helping out friends and family and the only one that was helping us was my amazing Mother.  She would come over and help us with the baby, the house, my FIL etc.

Now that life is "back to normal" I feel like I've shut down and I have no energy and I can't keep up.  I feel overwhelmed now....which I think is weird.  I guess I'm just trying to rally and get new ideas to help me get back on track to be the wife and mother I should be and somehow find myself again and have time for me.  Maybe I should have posted this instead of my original post.  I just hate being a whiner.  Thanks for all that have read this and helped.

Jessys_Girl

I always keep a few "general" gifts on hand (like your mom said about buying stuff a few months out so you're not rushing at the last minute) and I keep a box of general cards for any occasion so that I've always got a card if I need one.

I meal plan and shop on Saturdays.  On Sundays I cook and freeze some meals so that there's always a go-to meal to heat up.

I don't exactly do "zone" cleaning like that, but I do go by the "do 1 job every day" philosophy.  I might do Laundry (as many loads as I can get done) on Monday, sweep/mop on Tuesday, clean bathrooms on Wednesday, tidy up general areas of the house on Thursday, do more laundry friday, etc.

You HAVE to make a committment to set time aside for your OWN projects instead of everyone elses.  I do the majority of my housework after DD goes to bed, so around 7:30/8pm.  There is no reason your husband can't spend 15-20 minutes helping you out when he gets home and no reason you can't do 15-20 minutes worth of SOMETHING every day, in between projects.

 

celiabwatson

I just wanted to add something since I saw your follow up. You said that you were running on adrenaline for a while and then when things got back to normal you feel like you can't keep up etc. I can totally relate. My son is 17 months and recently (the last few months) I've definitely felt more tired and run down then I ever did before. The early months were easy compared to how I feel now. Anyway, I think that there may be a biological component as well. Nature gives us energy to take care of babies and we just keep going because we have to but eventually all that extra energy runs out and we're left with our normal reserves but a much more difficult job to do. So, I sympathize.

In terms of how to organize your time etc... I find that 15 minute bursts are most effective for me. I have trouble starting things so I give myself 15 minutes and I have to be working (usually cleaning) the whole time. Often I get on a roll and keep going beyond the 15 minutes. If you're a SAHM (I can't tell from your post) you could give yourself 15 minutes right at the beginning of nap time. On the weekends I do that. Then I eat lunch or whatever else I need to do to take care of myself and then if he's still asleep I do another 15. You'd be amazed what you can get done during that time. If you're a working mom then you probably have to clean after bedtime, but the 15 minute rule still applies. Good luck!