photo by vadude5
I woke up last week and was immediately bombarded by the daily tasks that I needed to face. The kids wanted breakfast, my husband couldn’t get out of bed because of a migraine, the sink was still full of dirty dishes from the night before, the chickens needed to be fed as did the dog, and I needed to get my morning blog posts up for the day.
Suffice it to say I never made it out of my pajamas and I ended up sitting on the couch with my lap top while the kids watched a movie. Somehow I had managed to make sure everyone was fed, my husband got some Excedrin and it was time for “work.”
I think that was the day that I barely got any work done on my blog, even though I had the computer open for a full 8 hours (yes, I am a full-time blogger).
With time being so limited, and family life pulling me every which way, it’s important that my time online and in the home is spent productively. I’ve been making it a point to get dressed, brush my teeth, wash my face and grab a glass of water before I do ANYTHING else in the morning. This is besides of course handling the occasional dirty diaper in the morning, which sometimes warrants immediate attention.
I find that by doing this I am much more focused and ready to face the day, and this means I get more work done in less time. I also try to make it a habit to avoid taking the lap top into the living room. Working in a designated space also brings focus to my life.
So first thing tomorrow morning, put on your pants and shoes and see if you find that your day becomes more productive. Try to get that teeth brushing in as well! What are some of your tips for better time management and productivity?
Crystal blogs at TheThriftyMama.com where she’s constantly trying to hone her focus and become a more productive homemaker and blogger.
{ 18 comments… read them below or add one }
Thanks for reminding me of this as I sit here working away in my PJ’s. I think I’ll go take a shower & get ready for the day right now. I know I’ll be much more productive that way. Whenever I have an appointment first thing in the morning I get so much more accomplished throughout my day and I know it is because I was up and ready to go!
Thanks again for the gentle nudge to let go of the lazy habits I have acquired over the summer.
[Reply]
[Reply]
Sometimes I’m on the computer but just surfing and I want them to feel free to disturb me when they see the door open.
[Reply]
[Reply]
[Reply]
If you’re not familiar with FlyLady, here’s a link to the website: http://www.flylady.net
[Reply]
[Reply]
[Reply]
[Reply]
it’s amazing how many days i’ll look at the clock and it’s past noon and i haven’t eaten or anything!
it’s important to make a ‘point’ of doing these things….
<3 have a wonderful day!
[Reply]
[Reply]
[Reply]
I put my daily schedule and weekly cleaning schedule here just last week:
http://womenlivingwell-courtney.blogspot.com/2010/08/our-back-to-school-daily-schedule.html
Time management is something I have been working to master so I can accomplish all my priorities in the day. For me discipline and accountability are two keys to keep me motivated!
Keep up the hard work – it’s not easy with little ones in diapers!
Much Love,
Courtney
[Reply]
[Reply]
[Reply]
I hop up off my desk chair 2 or 3 times a day and do floor ball exercises, lift weights, or do squats for 10 minutes each time (usually in front of tivo’d Anthony Bourdain shows). Or I take a quick walk around the block. I’m dressed and ready for action!
Yup, that’s the answer for me. Put on workout clothes, shoes, wash face, and oh yeah, brush teeth. Thanks again for this great blog post.
[Reply]
You can certainly lose several hours working on the Internet and not even realize it.
[Reply]
[Reply]