Time-saving guide to an easier life ...
Feel like you are swimming against the tide? Try these easy ways to get back in control.
What's your excuse for a messy home, falling behind on deadline or always being late? Too busy? Too exhausted? Too many kids, or not enough hours in the day?
"Ask yourself what your disorganisation is costing you in terms of family life, friendship, time, money, health, reputation and work. How much more could you get done if you knew where to find your keys, responded to e-mails more efficiently, and cleared up regularly?", says Dr. Marilyn Paul - the author of Why Am I So Disorganised? Sort out your stuffs ...
The solution is simple. Start making microchanges - from putting your keys in the same place every night and streamlining your diary to clearing your desk each evening. Break the jobs into smaller tasks. Instead of saying, ' This weekend I'm throwing everything out', pick a small area - a cupboard, a drawer, the garage, your wardrobe - and really clear it. Make a list of each tiny step or task and tick each one off as you do it. And let yourself do the easy tasks first, rather than bravely grappling the hardest one. That way it's more motivating.'
To-do list are great, but don't have little bit of paper you'll only lose. Instead, use a notebook for lists and to assess your progress. A diary and family calendar are vital. as is being able to say no, being realistic about your time, and knowing how long a chore or job will really take you.
Start now, pick whichever area of life that's most in disarray - the office, your home and family life, your financial affairs, even the way you look and take care of yourself - and take one step towards getting back in control of that area.
Work Solution
"working long hours without breaks, attending endless meetings, panicking over deadlines and poor time-management are all reasons why we don't always achieve all we could at work." says Judi James, author of More Time, Less Stress. And having a chaotic desk doesn't help. "Learn to be strict with your time - and with yourself. Have a place for everything so you can lay your hand on that vital document. Review your meetings - they have become a workplace habit, yet they consume endless hours for very little return."
And always keep sight of the bigger picture - what you want from your job and where you're headed.
- Every day, write an achievable, realistic to-do list - factoring in how long each meeting/tasl/phone call will take. Take breaks and get out of the building - this helps your brain reorganise and plan. Build in a 10-minutes warm-up and win-down at the start and end of the day.
- Every evening, spend five minutes filing and sorting. Tidy your desk by using boxes for paperwork labelled.
- Once a week , plan thinking time. If possible, put the phone on voice mail for half and hour and take stock of your situation. Look at meetings in your calendar - will a phone call or email do?
- Once a month, outline bigger goals so you know what you are aiming to achieve - sales figures, projects done and dusted, new business deals and so on. Keep a record of achievements, too, so you have them at your fingertips for your CV or promotion.
Home Solution
"Getting your house organised can make your family stronger and better able to enjoy each other, and everyone more at ease in the sacred space you call home," says Dr.Paul. "It means you can find things when you want them, feel less stressed, live in a pleasant place and have fewer family fights.
"But don't try to organise your whole house in one weekend. Ask yourself what's the ugliest, most offensice place in your home that you can't stand to look at everyday. it could be the kitchen counter clutter or the bathroom with its assortment of toys, outdated medicines and plasters that don't stick any more."
Set aside time -five, 10 to 20 minutes once or twice a week, then switch a timer on and get down to work. Energise yourself. Put on music with a good beat. Remember everything you don't need has to go.
But home maintenance is also about daily habits and routines. Ground rules are vital and so are house meeting. Discuss and create guidelines for how you would all like your home to look in terms of amount of stuff versus spaciousness, standard of cleanliness, individual need and so on.
- Every day, get everyone to put things back immediately after they use them - returning keys, glasses, hats and gloves to the same place, clearing floors and countertops at the end of each day, hanging up clothes and coats, putting toothbrush back in the holder rather than on the sink. Have a 15-minute clean-up time before bed - put your clothes out for the morning, make sure the supper dishes are washed up and put away and encourage little ones to clear up their toys.
- Once or twice a week, set aside 20 minutes to an hour to finish one task - clering out a drawer, a shelf, a cupboard or even a room.
- Every month or two, prune your stuffs - do you really need to keep those jeans, that vases, those shoes or those old videos? Go through the kids' toys, clothes and books and donate unwanted items to charity.
- Twice a year, schedule a big home-maintenance task, such as redecorating reviewing your storage and assessing your utilities - is everything working properly? Start a household fund for repairs and home maintenance.
Family solutions
When you have a family, there are other people's schedules and diaries to co-ordinate - including school runs, after-school clubs, dental checkups, parents'evenings - not to mention your own working diary, other family commitments and a marriage.
The key is to run your household as you would as team at work. Learn to delegate, give children responsibility for keeping their room tidy. Keep tracks of everyday events and mark them on a calendar so you know who's got to be where and when. Brush up on your time keeping. Constantly reassess your social life and commitments. Learn to say no when you really can't face cooking for an extra six people or looking after your neighbor's dog.
Consider extra support - could you perhaps afford a monthly cleaner, a child minder once a week or a student to help you in the office if you work from home?
Don't let your leisure time slide, particularly as a couple. Make sure you grab and evening, day or weekend away together. Involve the whole family in working towards achieving such a break.
- Get every day off to a good start in the morning be preparing the night before - make packed lunches, put out clothing and leave school bags, mobiles and briefcases by the door. Lay the table for breakfast. Leave as little as possible to the morning rush.
- Each week, assign various tasks or chores to different members of the family. Even small children can tidy up their toys or help lay the tables.
- Every month on a calendar, schedule in dental appointments, parents' evening and so on. Plan ahead too. Anticipate changes in your schedule, such as school holidays, so you're prepared for them. Clear out the family car. Plan a night or weekend and ask relatives or friends to babysit.
Money solutions
With so many demands on your money, it doesn't take long for finances to spiral out of control.
Not paying bill on time, losing receipts, not budgeting wisely, letting your credit cards mount up, failing to cancel direct debits and unbridled spending mean many of us are never quite sure how much money we actually have.
Some women simply aren't interested in finances, so they often don't keep abreast of APRs, best mortgage rates, saving plans, pensions and other ways to save.
Start off by keeping a spending diary for a month. Write down every penny you spend - everything - from that newspaper and cappucino to the bills, mortgage, childcare and meals out. That way you know exactly how much you're spending - and what you can really afford.
Buy several files and label them "bills", "invoices", and "receipts" then separate them into boxes for clothes, household, car and so on. It's a great way to help you keep track of your spending, and useful in case you need to change things or take purchases back.
- Keep all your receipts in one place and file them each evening
- Try functioning on cask alone. After keeping your dairy, work out how much you will need and only take that much out of the bank. Don't use your credit card or cheque book and see how much more you have at the end of the month.
- Once or twice a month, pay all your bills in one go, then write paid on each one and file them.
- Once or twice a year, gen up on the best saving plan, mortgage pensions and other financial products.