TIME MANAGEMENT
FIRST THINGS FIRST
As Mompreneurs, we are simply “time poor.” Meaning, we are poor on time. Our free time is extremely limited. To better understand how to manage our time, group our tasks, and take advantage of our season, let’s dive into how to practice the best time management practices we can.
Our Best Self Journal is going to help us accomplish most of this, but Best Self also has some amazing resources on planning for time poor people, aka, Moms.
Let’s talk about grouping tasks. Whether you call it batching, time blocking, whatever, the concept is one that will be life changing. Use the links below to start practicing these principles.
Prune seasons means you’ll have to be more self-disciplined than ever before. This makes time management the most important facet of this season.
Time blocking. The only tried and true way to avoid distraction while working is to time block. For every task you do, assign an amount of time to it. Working on a certain client’s project? 1 hour. No more. No less. Do what you can in that time. If you finish early (doubtful, but you can try!), don’t start your next task until the hour is up. Stretch, take a lap around the neighborhood, eat something. And then start the next time block as scheduled. This simple strategy will help you learn to be self-disciplined right off the bat.
Write it down. Just because you’re pruning doesn’t mean you don’t have ideas. But as you’re in this season, it’s important to wait to grow those ideas until you’re ready. So, write them down, save them, and then come back later. Don’t pursue, even if you feel like it’s the right time or next great thing. You’re in a prune season for a reason, remember?
Urgent first. When you make your task list, line out the most urgent things first. Urgent meaning time sensitive. If something is due by the end of the day, do that first. If it’s due tomorrow, do that second. End of week, third. You get the gist. Then spend the remaining work time on other tasks, but make sure they stick to work related.